Hudson is a city in northern Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 23,110 at the 2020 census.[4] It is a suburban community in the Akron metropolitan area. John Brown made his first public vow to destroy slavery here and the city later became part of the Underground Railroad. The Village of Hudson and Hudson Township were formerly two separate governing entities that merged in 1994.
The city is named after its founder, David Hudson,[5] who settled there from Goshen, Connecticut, in 1799, when it was part of the Connecticut Western Reserve. The village of Hudson, located in the center of Hudson Township, was incorporated in 1837. In Hudson, David Hudson built the first log house in Summit County, Ohio. There is a marker at the intersection of Baldwin Street and North Main Street (Ohio State Route 91), on the right when traveling east on Baldwin Street. The marker is embedded in the west face of the boulder.[6]
Hudson, which had a distinctly New England character from its early settlers,[7] was the home of Western Reserve College and Preparatory School, founded in 1826 by David Hudson among others. It was spoken of as the "Yale of the West". The college moved to Cleveland in 1882 and later, as Western Reserve University, merged with the Case Institute of Technology to form the modern Case Western Reserve University. The Yale-inspired red brick buildings are now the Western Reserve Academy. The Loomis Observatory was built in 1838 and is the oldest observatory in the U.S. still in its original location.
The Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad began service to Hudson in 1852. In 1861, President-elect Abraham Lincoln spoke to about 6,000 people for 2 to 3 minutes from the last train car at the old Hudson Depot, near the south end of College Street.[8][9] The railroad ended passenger service at Hudson in 1965.[10] A former train station (built in the 1910s) that was located near the intersection of West Streetsboro and Library Streets was demolished in 2013.[11][12]
East of Morse Road, there is an unfinished Clinton Air Line Railroad bridge (over Hurricane Creek near the power line from Morse Road to W. Prescott Road).[13]
There was a fire on the west side of Hudson's Main Street in 1892. The fire destroyed the buildings between Park Lane and Clinton Street. A. W. Lockhart's saloon and the Mansion House [Hotel] burned.[14] The Hudson-born Pennsylvania coal mine owner James Ellsworth assisted in the rebuilding of Main Street after the street had been destroyed by fire in 1903. Ellsworth also refinanced the bankrupt Western Reserve Academy, housed on the former campus of Western Reserve College, which had been closed from 1903 until 1916.
In 1882, Gustave H. Grimm established the G.H. Grimm Manufacturing Company to build and sell corrugated tin-pan evaporators for use in maple syrup production. That area, now called "The Evaporator Works", is on the south of Ravenna Street and just east of Ohio Route 91.[15]
The Hudson Clock Tower was built in 1912 by James Ellsworth who was born in Hudson in 1849. The original clock movement was supplied by the E. Howard Clock Company of Boston. The energy from 3000-pound weights powered the movement of the clocks and Westminster chimes. The town marshall was responsible for entering the tower every few days and winding (lifting) the weights.[16]
From 1957 until the late 1980s, General Motors had a factory of almost one thousand workers in Hudson that built crawler tractor earth-moving equipment. The factory was beside and east of Ohio State Route 91 and it was south of Terex Road. The original 1958 factory had 660,000 square feet. In 1961, GM added 340,000 square feet for a total of 1 million square feet of factory. In 1970, GM renamed their earth-moving equipment division as Terex. Currently Jo-Ann Stores uses most of the former GM factory.[20][21] Hudson had an airport from mid-1920s until 1957, known as the Hudson Mid-City Airport, near the former General Motors Euclid Division.[22]
On November 28, 1973, a large area of the village, "roughly bounded by College, Streetsboro, S. Main, and Baldwin" streets, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Hudson Historic District. The historic district was expanded on October 10, 1989, to also include the area "roughly bounded by Hudson St., Old Orchard Dr., Aurora St., Oviatt St., Streetsboro St., and College St. to Aurora (street)". In addition to the Hudson Historic District, there are several additional properties in Hudson listed on the Register.[23] The City of Hudson came about in 1994 when voters approved the merger of Hudson Township and Hudson Village, which had previously been two separate governing entities.
In July 2003, Hudson received over 17 inches (430mm) of rain from three storm events within 24 hours. Hudson had flood damage within all its three watersheds ... Mud Brook, Brandywine Creek and Tinker's Creek. The Brandywine Creek Watershed experienced the most flood damage in 2003.[24] Two men drowned in an underground parking garage of a condominium complex on July 21, 2003.[25][26]State Routes 91 and 303 flooded where the highways dip low to pass under the train tracks and the highways were closed by 7:40 PM on July 21.[27][28]
Morse Controls
John F. Morse, Jr. establish the Morse Instrument Company, later renamed Morse Controls, in Hudson.[29] The company manufactured aviation, automotive, and maritime devices,[30] and by 1969, employed over 600 individuals, with annual sales of $12 million. The plant closed in 2020.[29][31]
An abolitionist center
Ohio's Western Reserve "was probably the most intensely antislavery section of the country".[32] Hudson, with the Reserve's first college, was for a time its intellectual capital.[citation needed] The founders of Hudson were abolitionists, although founder David Hudson favored the soon-to-be-discarded strategy of "colonization": sending free Blacks "back to Africa". Another founder, Owen Brown, father of John Brown, also from Connecticut, was a fervent abolitionist. The latter, who arguably did more to end slavery in the United States than any other person, grew up and was educated in Hudson from 1805 to 1825. There is a marker at the site of his family's home, at the intersection of Ravenna and South Main Streets.
There is also a historical marker at the location of the first meetinghouse of the First Congregational Church, at East Main and Church Streets, reading: "In August, 1835, church members unanimously adopted a resolution declaring that slavery is 'a direct violation of the law of Almighty God.' At a November 1837 prayer meeting, church member and anti-slavery leader John Brown made his first public vow to destroy slavery."[33]
Thousands of fugitive slaves, heading for freedom in Canada, passed through Hudson; it was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Owen Brown was very active in assisting the fugitives.[34] As of 2019, 21 locations in and around Hudson associated with the Underground Railroad have been identified.[35] and in 1992 there appeared a book by James Caccamo, Hudson and the Underground Railroad.
Hudson's period of anti-slavery leadership ended in the early 1830s. Beriah Green, the lone professor of theology at the college, was influenced by William Lloyd Garrison's new newspaper, The Liberator, and his Thoughts on African Colonization. He preached four fiery anti-slavery sermons, which so inflamed the college that nothing else was being discussed, the president said, and the town was torn apart.[35] Green, expecting to be fired, left to become president of the Oneida Institute, on condition Blacks be admitted on the same terms as whites. Oneida, near Utica, New York, replaced Hudson as the nation's leading abolitionist center.
Geography
North Main StreetHoward Hanna and US Bank
Hudson is located in northeastern Summit County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.87 square miles (67.00km2), of which 25.60 square miles (66.30km2) is land and 0.27 square miles (0.70km2) is water.[36]
Neighboring communities
Hudson's neighbors are, starting at the northern corporate boundary and proceeding clockwise:
Hudson's surface water flows into five major watersheds. The three most prominent are Brandywine Creek, Mud Brook, and Tinkers Creek. A small part of the western edge of town drains into the Cuyahoga River, and the southeastern corner of the city drains into Fish Creek.[37]
Of the city's population over the age of 25, 68.0% held a bachelor's degree or higher.[42] According to a 2007 estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $112,740, and the median income for a family was $128,727.[43] Males had a median income of $87,169 versus $38,226 for females. The per capita income for the city was $40,915. About 1.3% of families and 1.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.2% of those under age 18 and 2.0% of those age 65 or over.
Note: Historical Population figures before 2000 are for the former Village of Hudson only and do not include the former Hudson Township.
2020 census
As of April 1, 2020, there were 23,110 people residing in the city.[44]
2010 census
As of the 2010 census[45] there were 22,262 people, 7,620 households, and 6,301 families residing in the city. The population density was 869.6 inhabitants per square mile (335.8/km2). There were 8,002 housing units at an average density of 312.6 per square mile (120.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.7% White, 1.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 4.3% Asian, 0.3% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.7% of the population.
There were 7,620 households, of which 43.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 74.9% were married couples living together, 5.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 1.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 17.3% were non-families. 15.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.21.
The median age in the city was 42.5 years. 30.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.5% were from 25 to 44; 34% were from 45 to 64; and 11.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census,[3] there were 22,439 people, 7,357 households, and 6,349 families residing in the city. The population density was 876.9 inhabitants per square mile (338.6/km2). There were 7,636 housing units at an average density of 298.4 per square mile (115.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.65% White, 2.82% Asian, 1.48% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.20% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.82% of the population.
There were 7,357 households, out of which 49.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 79.7% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 13.7% were non-families. 12.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.01 and the average family size was 3.30.
In the city the population was spread out, with 33.5% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.
In November 2002, Hudson was the first community in the U.S. to launch a citywide electronic gift card. The card was introduced by the Hudson Chamber of Commerce to help stimulate and keep shopping dollars with the independent merchants in town.
Commercial
Jo-Ann Stores has its corporate headquarters in Hudson. Jo-Ann operates 751 stores in 48 states, plus its Web site, Joann.com. Its three distribution centers are located in Hudson, Ohio; Visalia, California; and Opelika, Alabama.[46]
Allstate Insurance Company established a call center/data center in Hudson in 1971. In 1991, it expanded the Hudson facility and now employs more than 1,300.[47]
Retail
Most of Hudson's retail outlets are located in concentrated areas. Most notable are the two downtown blocks of historic buildings located on North Main Street. The original center of business in Hudson, the stores and offices located "downtown" still stand today in continued commercial use.
In 1962, the first part of the Hudson Plaza shopping center opened on West Streetsboro Street. It has always been anchored by the Acme grocery store, which moved there from its former location on North Main Street. Expansions of the plaza continued through the 1990s. A unique McDonald's restaurant, resembling a house, opened in 1985. The original building, housing Acme, was extensively renovated in 2000.
2004 marked the opening of First & Main, a mixed-use development just west of North Main Street.[48] The Hudson Library & Historical Society relocated there in 2005.
Parks and recreation
The Hudson Park Board oversees more than one thousand acres (4km2) of parkland in the city.[49] The most prominent property is Hudson Springs Park, which has a 50-acre lake open to kayaks, canoes and small motorized boats. Boat storage is available to residents only for an annual fee. The lake is stocked with fish and encircled by walking trails based around a 1.8 mile loop that ventures into the woods that stretch along a large portion of the lake. The park also has a disc golf course, docks, sand volleyball pit and permanent corn-hole boards (bring your own bean bags).[50] Cascade Park, Barlow Farm Park, and Colony Park are large neighborhood parks used for sports and general family recreation. Other properties, such as Doc's Woods, MacLaren Woods, Trumbull Woods, and Bicentennial Woods, are kept as forested nature preserves. The first Hudson Park, Wildlife Woods, is actually located west of the city in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Government
The city is governed by a seven-member city council. There are four council representatives representing the four wards in Hudson, and three representatives at-large.[51] Hudson has a council-manager government. At present, the Council President is Chris Foster.[52] The current City Manager is Thomas J. Sheridan. The Mayor's office is held by Jeffrey Anzevino.[53]
Public schools are included in the Hudson City School District. The largest school in the district is Hudson High School. Hudson City Schools provides education for approximately 4,600 children. Hudson City School District Sports teams are a part of the Suburban League. The sports teams are called the Hudson Explorers.
Private
There are also many private schools in the area. Seton Catholic School is one. Founded in 1962, Hudson Montessori School is the 13th oldest Montessori school in the United States. Hudson is the original home of what would become Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and remains home to the Western Reserve Academy, a coeducational boarding and day college preparatory school housed on the original campus of Western Reserve College.
Hudson, unlike many surrounding communities, has retained two-lane roadways in much of its downtown. This has helped preserve the open spaces, historical buildings, and trees that the city values. Much of Hudson is accessible by foot or bike. Hudson was recognized as a Bike Friendly America Bronze City in 2016[54], and connectivity has improved through successive iterations of what's now known as the Walk & Bike plan[55].
The University Hospitals Hudson Health Center, affiliated with University Hospitals of Cleveland, offers primary and specialty care services, laboratory and general diagnostic radiology services. Also located at this facility are outpatient rehabilitation services.[56]
Portage County is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 161,791. Located in Northeast Ohio, Portage County is part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Cleveland–Akron–Canton Combined Statistical Area. Its county seat is Ravenna and its largest city is Kent. The county, named for the portage between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas rivers, was created in 1807 and formally organized in 1808. In addition to the cities of Kent and Ravenna, Portage County also includes the cities of Aurora and Streetsboro, along with five villages, 18 civil townships, and several unincorporated places within those townships. Additionally, the county includes parts of the city of Tallmadge, and part of the village of Mogadore, both of which are mostly in neighboring Summit County.
Ashland County is a county located in the northeastern portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 52,447. Its county seat and largest city is Ashland. The county is named for "Ashland", the home of Senator Henry Clay near Lexington, Kentucky. It was formed in 1846 from parts of Huron, Lorain, Richland and Wayne Counties.
Ellsworth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Ellsworth. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 6,376. The county was named after Fort Ellsworth.
Ellsworth is a city in and the county seat of Ellsworth County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 3,066. Known as a cow town in the 1870s, when the Kansas Pacific Railroad operated a stockyard here for shipping cattle to eastern markets, in the 21st century, it serves as the trading center of the rural county.
Salem is a city in northern Columbiana County, Ohio, United States. At the 2020 census, the city's population was 11,915. Extending into southern Mahoning County, it is the principal city of the Salem micropolitan area, which includes all of Columbiana County. It lies about 18 miles (29 km) southwest of Youngstown, 28 miles (45 km) east of Canton, and 60 miles (97 km) southeast of Cleveland.
Galion is a city in Crawford, Morrow, and Richland counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 10,453 at the 2020 census. Galion is the second-largest city in Crawford County after Bucyrus.
Hilliard is a city in Franklin County, Ohio, United States. The population was 37,114 at the 2020 census. It is a suburb of Columbus and part of Norwich Township.
Lincoln Village is a census-designated place (CDP) in Prairie Township, Franklin County, Ohio, United States. It is centered near the intersection of US 40 and I-270 on the west side of Columbus. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,702.
Aurora is a city in northwestern Portage County, Ohio, United States. A suburb in between Akron and Cleveland, the population was 17,239 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Akron metropolitan area.
Streetsboro is a city in western Portage County, Ohio, United States. The population was 17,260 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Akron metropolitan area. The city was formed from the former Streetsboro Township of the Connecticut Western Reserve.
Ontario is a city in Richland County in the U.S. state of Ohio. It was founded in 1834 on the western edge of the Allegheny Plateau, just west of the city of Mansfield. After being incorporated in 1958, Ontario became a heavy manufacturing center because of the Erie Railroad line, and its proximity to Mansfield. However, its status in that regard began to decline in the late 20th century, when much of the Erie Railroad that once ran through the city was abandoned; and shifts in the manufacturing industry led to the relocation or repositioning of many factories. The city's industry has since diversified into the service economy, including education, finance and healthcare. The city is also a major regional retail hub serving the entire North-Central Ohio area, with a shopping population of over 150,000.
Stow is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 34,483 at the 2020 census. It is a suburban community within the Akron metropolitan area.
Crestline is a village in Crawford and Richland Counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. Crestline's population was 4,525 at the 2020 census. It is the third largest municipality in Crawford County. The Crawford County portion of Crestline is part of the Bucyrus Micropolitan Statistical Area, while the small portion of the village that extends into Richland County is considered part of the Mansfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. Both sections form the Mansfield–Bucyrus, OH Combined Statistical Area.
Bellevue is a city in Erie, Huron, Seneca, and Sandusky counties in the U.S. state of Ohio, located 61 miles southwest of Cleveland and 45 miles southeast of Toledo. The population was 8,249 at the 2020 census. The National Arbor Day Foundation has designated Bellevue as a Tree City USA.
Pickerington is a city in Fairfield and Franklin counties in the central region of the U.S. state of Ohio. It is a suburb of Columbus. The population was 23,094 at the 2020 census. It was founded in 1815 as Jacksonville, named after Andrew Jackson. The name was changed in 1827 in honor of its founder, Abraham Pickering. As land annexation, development, and immigration into the Columbus area continues, the city of Pickerington has generally followed suit. Pickerington is home to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, located off of Interstate 70.
Springboro is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Regarded as a suburb of Cincinnati and Dayton, it is located mostly in Warren County in Clearcreek and Franklin Townships; with a small portion in Miami Township in Montgomery County. The city is part of the Miami Valley. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 19,062.
Tallmadge is a city in eastern Summit County, Ohio, United States, with a small district in neighboring Portage County. It is a suburb of Akron and part of the Akron metropolitan area. The population was 18,394 at the 2020 census. Tallmadge was founded in 1807 and is the second-oldest city in Summit County, following Hudson, which was founded in 1799.
Franklin Township is a civil township in Portage County, Ohio, United States. It is on the Cuyahoga River in Northeast Ohio on the western edge of the county. The 2010 Census found 5,527 people in the township and the 2020 census recorded 6,283 people. The township is part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area and the larger Cleveland–Akron–Canton Combined Statistical Area.
Hudson Township was one of the 16 original townships in Summit County, Ohio. When created, it occupied survey Range 10, Town 4 in the Connecticut Western Reserve and was about 25 square miles (65 km2) in area. Its first settlers were David Hudson and his party from Goshen, Connecticut in 1799. It was in the eastern part of Summit County, bordering Macedonia, Twinsburg Township, Streetsboro, Stow, Boston Township, and Boston Heights. The Village of Hudson, incorporated in 1837, was nearly surrounded by the township. No other municipalities expanded into Hudson Township via annexation. In 1994, Hudson Township and the village of Hudson merged to create the City of Hudson.
The Akron, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area, sometimes referred to as Greater Akron, is defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget as an area consisting of two counties, Summit and Portage, in Northeast Ohio and anchored by the city of Akron. As of the 2020 census, the MSA had a population of 702,219. The Akron MSA is also part of the larger Cleveland–Akron–Canton, OH Combined Statistical Area, which has a population of 3,633,962 people as of the 2020 census, the largest metropolitan area in Ohio.
↑ Clinton Air Line Railroad bridge east of Morse Road Railroads of Hudson featured in Heritage Association program | Nov 2020 | Akron Beacon Journal (newspaper) | See also Moran, Ohio A Clinton Air Line Railroad bridge foundation remains at Tinker's Creek near Streetsboro, Ohio
1 2 Morse Instrument Company During World War Two in Hudson, OH
↑ National Marine Manufacturers Association Hall of Fame, John F. Morse, Jr.
↑ Hudson’s Heritage, A Chronicle of the Founding and the Flowering of the Village of Hudson, Ohio | Grace Goulder Izant | 2001 The Kent State University Press
↑ "Archived copy"(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on October 3, 2006. Retrieved June 14, 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) City of Hudson Major Watersheds. City of Hudson, Department of Public Works, GIS Division. retrieved July 9, 2006.
↑ "Population: Ohio"(PDF). 1910 U.S. Census. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
↑ "Population: Ohio"(PDF). 1930 US Census. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved November 28, 2013.
↑ "Archived copy"(PDF). Archived from the original(PDF) on May 14, 2006. Retrieved July 7, 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Hudson Parks brochure. retrieved July 9, 2006.
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