Geneva, Ohio

History

The area which would eventually be Geneva was first settled in 1805 by a handful of settlers from Charlotte, New York. In 1806, settlers from Harpersfield, New York arrived and established Harpersfield Township, which included the present-day townships of Geneva, Trumbull and Hartsgrove. However, in 1816, citizens of Harpersfield decided to withdraw from the township and form their own township, which then became Geneva Township, named after Geneva, New York. In 1866, the town of Geneva then became a village, and, nearly one hundred years later, in 1958, Geneva was incorporated as a city.

Geography

Geneva is located at 41°48′0″N 80°56′45″W (41.800098, -80.945784), 45 miles (72 km) east of Cleveland and 55 miles (89 km) west of Erie, Pennsylvania.

The city is bordered to the north, east and west by Geneva Township and by Harpersfield Township to the south. The Grand River flows around Geneva to the south in Harpersfield and to the west in Lake County. The Geneva State Park is located to the north of the city (within Geneva Township).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.14 square miles (10.72 km²), all land.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 6,215 people, 2,479 households, and 1,527 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,501.2 inhabitants per square mile (579.6/km²). There were 2,769 housing units at an average density of 668.8 per square mile (258.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.3% White, 1.7% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 1.8% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.5% of the population.

There were 2,479 households of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.4% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.96.

The median age in the city was 40.9 years. 22.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.3% were from 25 to 44; 26.9% were from 45 to 64; and 17.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.8% male and 51.2% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 6,595 people, 2,515 households, and 1,607 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,650.4 people per square mile (636.6/km²). There were 2,660 housing units at an average density of 665.7 per square mile (256.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.84% White, 1.15% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.80% from other races, and 1.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.94% of the population.

There were 2,515 households out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.1% were non-families. 30.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,048, and the median income for a family was $41,511. Males had a median income of $31,817 versus $23,927 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,940. About 5.1% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.5% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Three major routes pass through (or near) Geneva. Interstate 90, the northernmost east-west and coast-to-coast interstate, passes roughly two miles south of the city. There, a full-access interchange (exit 218) intersects Route 534, which passes through Geneva and terminates north of the city. Route 534 intersects Route 20, the longest road in the United States, in downtown Geneva.

Education

The Geneva Area City School District provides K–12 education to students in Geneva as well as Geneva Township (including Geneva-on-the-Lake), Harpersfield Township, Trumbull Township and Austinburg Township (including Austinburg). The district has three elementary schools (Geneva Platt R. Spencer Elementary, Cork Elementary and Austinburg Elementary), one middle school (Geneva Middle School) and one high school (Geneva High School). The elementary schools serve students in grades K–5, while the middle school and high schools serve students in grades 6–8 and 9–12 respectively. The district has an open enrollment policy, allowing students from the entire county, as well as Lake and Geauga Counties to enroll.

Economy

Geneva is home to HDT Global, an industrial outfit that manufactures air conditioning, heating, and filtration units for heavy industry. In recent years, they have been awarded over $100 million in U.S. Department of Defense contracts.

In the 2000s, a levy for new school buildings was passed. The Geneva Junior High will be remade and include 6th grade as of the school year of 2010-2011. Spencer Elementary and Geneva Elementary are also being remade into one new school, Geneva Platt R. Spencer Elementary, which includes K-5. The Geneva High School was also remade.

Geneva Grape Jamboree

The Grape Jamboree is an annual celebration of the area's grape-growing and wine-producing industries. The festival occurs during the final full weekend of September, and lasts both days. Festivities include two parades, one held on each day, as well as various amusement park-type rides and typical festival food kiosks set up on the main streets (Route 20 and Route 534) of Geneva.

West Liberty Covered Bridge

An addition to Ashtabula County's existing covered bridges, the West Liberty Covered Bridge, purported to be the shortest covered bridge in the United States, opened in 2011.

Declaration of Lunar Ownership

On April 12, 1966, more than 200 people attended ceremonies at Geneva High School at which it was revealed that the city had claimed ownership of the moon. The "Declaration of Lunar Ownership" contained 35 signatures, and was revealed simultaneously with the city's 100th anniversary. It claimed that the "physical property of the moon shall belong exclusively to the citizens of Geneva, Ohio," and that unfriendly acts upon the city would be responded to with "all human dignity and moral circumspection." The city also held the right to rent or lease its moon holdings via a two-thirds vote of the city's entire population, and provided for the sale of 100 deeds for 100 acres (0.40 km²) of land, each acre priced at US$100.

Notable people