The area was originally part of Newburgh Township. The Village of South Newburgh was formed in 1907, and it was incorporated as Garfield Heights in 1930. The city is named after Garfield Park, which in turn was named in honor of President James A. Garfield, a native of nearby Orange Township.[7]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.29 square miles (18.88km2), of which 7.23 square miles (18.73km2) is land and 0.06 square miles (0.16km2) is water.[9] The elevation of Garfield Heights is 831 feet (253m) above sea level where it borders Cleveland, and its highest elevation is 972 feet (296m) above sea level at the Garfield Heights Justice Center.[citation needed]
Garfield Heights city, Ohio – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
As of the census[21] of 2010, there were 28,849 people, 11,691 households, and 7,393 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,990.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,540.6/km2). There were 13,125 housing units at an average density of 1,815.4 per square mile (700.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 60.2% White, 35.7% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.3% of the population.
There were 11,691 households, of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.5% were married couples living together, 21.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.8% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% 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 3.08.
The median age in the city was 38.5 years. 25% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.1% were from 25 to 44; 26% were from 45 to 64; and 15.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.0% male and 54.0% female.
In 2007, Garfield Heights and its neighbor Maple Heights were mentioned by CNN/Money as two of America's most affordable communities.[22]
The Garfield Heights Chamber of Commerce was established in the 1960s and includes over 250 business members from the area.
Chart Industries, a gas tank manufacturer, has its world headquarters located in Garfield Heights.
The Ohio Catholic Federal Credit Union, one of the largest credit unions in Ohio, is based in Garfield Heights. As of 2011, it had 17,456 members and $155 million in assets.
Garfield Heights is the site of the Highland Park, formerly City View Center that once was a planned regional power center built upon a former landfill in the mid-2000s. In 2020, the development was purchased from receivership and revitalized by Industrial Commercial Properties, Inc. In 2021, Mayor Matt Burke along with former Mayors Vic Collova and Thomas J. Longo, stood with Industrial Commercial Properties to cut the ribbon for the first new corporations to open in Highland Park including MPAC Switchback, MTech, Innoplast and Thermoprene.[23]
Government
Garfield Heights has seven wards and a mayor-council form of government. The city's charter went into effect in 1956. The city also has a municipal court that serves several jurisdictions. The council president is selected by members of city council. If the mayor's seat is vacated, the council president would assume the duties, according to the city charter.
The city maintains its own police and fire departments. The city has a network of emergency warning sirens. The sirens are routinely tested at noon on the first Saturday of every month. A Community Emergency Response Team is in place. Garfield Heights uses traffic signal preemption.
In 2021, at the direction of Mayor Matt Burke and newly appointed Chief Mark Kaye, the city began a comprehensive Crime Reduction Plan. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine awarded $1.3 Million to the Garfield Heights Police Department through the Ohio Violent Crime Grant Reduction Program. The Garfield Heights Police Department installed a city-wide camera surveillance system, the Flock system, a comprehensive Drone Unit and most effectively, a Target Enforcement Unit. By 2023, the Garfield Heights Police Department reported a reduction of 33%.[24]
Parks and recreation
The Dan Kostel Recreation Center is located on Turney Road at the Civic Center complex and includes an outdoor swimming pool open during summer season only and an indoor ice skating rink.[25] Garfield Park Reservation, part of the regional Cleveland Metroparks system, is located in the Northeast corner of Garfield Heights on its border with Cleveland.
Wargo Farms[23], a 45 acre area of land was sold to the Cleveland Metroparks in 2023 to preserve green space and create walking trails and recreation.[25]
In 2024, Garfield Park Reservation's newly restored Boathouse and Pond was unveiled at a ceremony with Mayor Matt Burke and Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne.
Education
Garfield Heights High School
Garfield Heights has its own public school system comprising three elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. It is governed by a five-member elected board. There are two Catholic schools in the city; St. Benedict and Trinity High School.
In 2001, Garfield Heights voters approved a levy to build a new high school. Construction of the school began soon thereafter and was completed in mid-2003. In 2006, ground was broken for the construction of the high school arts and drama complex, a $5 million building. Construction of the 750-seat Garfield Heights Matousek Center for the Performing Arts started in November 2006. The performing arts center opened on November 3, 2007.
In 2010–11 school year both Elmwood Elementary and Maple Leaf Intermediate were renovated and Maple Leaf School gained more classrooms and a bigger gym. Maple Leaf School is the Garfield Heights City School District's oldest building built in 1925 and was the smallest until the current reconstruction.
Media
Garfield Heights is served by the Cleveland television stations and numerous cable and satellite providers. The Cleveland Plain Dealer, and the Neighborhood News-Garfield Heights Tribune (published each Wednesday) are the main newspapers.
Notable people
Steve Bartek, American guitarist, film composer, conductor
↑ "GARFIELD HEIGHTS". Encyclopedia of Cleveland History | Case Western Reserve University. Case Western Reserve University. April 10, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
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