Struthers, Ohio

History

John Struthers, from Washington County, Pennsylvania, purchased 400 acres (1.6 km²) of Poland Township land in 1798 and gave it the name Marbletown. John Struthers owned this land until the War of 1812 came around when he and his family suffered financial ruin. This immense amount of land would lay dormant until 1865 when it would be repurchased by Thomas Struthers. Thomas bought this land to honor his father, he was instrumental in bringing industry and railroads to the town. Eventually, the town would have its name changed to Struthers by popular vote.

In 1943, a Jehovah's Witnesses was fined by the city for distributing religious pamphlets door-to-door. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that this was a violation of the First Amendment in Martin v. Struthers.

Influence of steel

The community's early history centers on Yellow Creek where the cradle of steel began with the building of the Hopewell Furnace. This furnace was built in 1803 by Daniel Eaton and is mentioned in the first line of the 1995 Bruce Springsteen song "Youngstown". The Hopewell Furnace thrived for a little over ten years until John Struthers reached his financial crisis in 1812.

In 1869 Struthers again became an iron producing community with the construction of the Anna Furnace by the Struthers Iron Company. In 1880 there was added the sheet mill plant of the Summer's Brothers Co., and in 1888 the plant of the J. A. and D. P. Cooper Gear Company.

With all these activities Struthers still remained a village of less than 1,000 inhabitants, after 100 years had elapsed since John. Struthers built his first cabin and erected the sawmill and grist mill on Yellow Creek. In 1899 Struthers was brought into closer communication with Youngstown and the upper Mahoning Valley by the completion of an interurban electric line.

In 1902 the neighboring village of East Youngstown (now Campbell) was started. This new community was started shortly after the incorporation of The Youngstown Iron Sheet and Tube Company (known as The Youngstown Sheet and Tube Co., since 1905).

With the steel industry booming in the early part of the 1900s, immigrants from throughout Europe flooded into Struthers. A village in 1902 when it was officially incorporated, Struthers quickly became a city in 1920. The steel industry allowed the city to flourish until 1977 when several area plants closed their doors for good. The city padded the loss of thousands of jobs by using its industrial infrastructure to lure non-steel making jobs, but population losses have continued throughout the start of the new century.

Geography

Struthers is located at 41°3′8″N 80°35′37″W (41.052255, -80.593591).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.74 square miles (9.69 km²), of which 3.64 square miles (9.43 km²) is land and 0.10 square miles (0.26 km²) is water.

Demographics

28.4% were of Italian, 25.0% German, 20.0% Irish, 13.2% Slovak, 8.5% English, and 7.7% Polish ancestries. In addition, 95.9% Spoke English, 1.5% Italian, 1.1% Spanish, and 1.0% Slovak.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 10,713 people, 4,382 households, and 2,886 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,943.1 inhabitants per square mile (1,136.3/km²). There were 4,886 housing units at an average density of 1,342.3 per square mile (518.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.3% White, 2.9% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.1% of the population.

There were 4,382 households of which 30.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 17.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.1% were non-families. 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.97.

The median age in the city was 41.4 years. 22.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.5% were from 25 to 44; 27.6% were from 45 to 64; and 18% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 11,756 people, 4,704 households, and 3,255 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,150.2/sq. mile (1,216.9/km²). There were 4,982 housing units at an average density of 1,335.0/sq. mile (515.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.63% White, 1.78% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.02% of the population.

There were 4,704 households out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.8% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females there were 88.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,720, and the median income for a family was $37,212. Males had a median income of $30,588 versus $21,438 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,587. About 8.8% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.9% of those under age 18 and 10.8% of those age 65 or over.

Notable people

Media

Struthers is served by the Hometown Journal, a local weekly newspaper. It also has a local radio station, WKTL 90.7 FM, that is located at Struthers High School in the Struthers Fieldhouse.