Hudson, Ohio

Hudson is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 22,262 at the 2010 census. It is a suburban community in the Akron metropolitan statistical area and the larger Cleveland–Akron–Canton Combined Statistical Area, the 17th-largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States.

Hudson, Ohio
City
View of Hudson from Veteran's Way bridge
Location in Summit County and the state of Ohio.
Coordinates: 41°14′36″N 81°26′20″W
CountryUnited States
StateOhio
CountySummit
Settled1799
Incorporated1837
Village/Township Merger1994
Founded byDavid Hudson
Named forDavid Hudson
Government
 • TypeCouncil-Manager
 • Council PresidentWilliam Wooldridge
 • City ManagerJane Howington
 • MayorCraig Shubert
Area
 • Total25.88 sq mi (67.04 km2)
 • Land25.63 sq mi (66.37 km2)
 • Water0.26 sq mi (0.67 km2)
Elevation
1,066 ft (325 m)
Population
 • Total22,262
 • Estimate 
(2019)[2]
22,237
 • Density867.79/sq mi (335.05/km2)
Demonym(s)Hudsonite
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
44236
Area code(s)330, 234
FIPS code39-36651[3]
GNIS feature ID1048857[4]
Websitewww.hudson.oh.us

History

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. Hudson was the home of Western Reserve College and Preparatory School, founded in 1826 and created 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 elegant, 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 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.

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.[6]

From 1837 to 1994, the Village of Hudson and Hudson Township were two separate governing entities. In 1994, voters approved a merger uniting the two to create the City of Hudson.

An antislavery center

Thousands of fugitive slaves, heading for freedom in Canada, passed through Hudson. It was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Founder Hudson was against slavery, though he favored "colonization": sending free blacks "back to Africa". Owen Brown, father of John Brown, was even more active in assisting the fugitives.[7] His son the abolitionist John Brown, of the 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, grew up in Hudson (1805–1825). There is a marker at the site of his family's home, at the intersection of Ravenna and South Main Streets. Brown built a building with a secret room for slaves.

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."[8]

Friends of the Hudson Library has a web page with 21 locations in and around Hudson associated with the Underground Railroad,[9] and in 1992 published a book by James Caccamo, Hudson and the Underground Railroad.

Geography
North Main Street, with the landmark clock tower visible to the right
North Main Street
Howard 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 (67.00 km2), of which 25.60 square miles (66.30 km2) is land and 0.27 square miles (0.70 km2) is water.[10]

Neighboring communities

Hudson's neighbors are, starting at the northern corporate boundary and proceeding clockwise:

Watersheds

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.[11]

Parks and recreation

The Hudson Park Board oversees more than one thousand acres (4 km2) of parkland in the city.[12] 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).[13] 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.

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1870868—
18901,143—
1900933−18.4%
19101,03110.5%
19201,13410.0%
19301,32416.8%
19401,4177.0%
19501,5388.5%
19602,43858.5%
19703,93361.3%
19804,61217.3%
19905,15911.9%
200022,439334.9%
201022,262−0.8%
2019 (est.)22,237[2]−0.1%
Sources:[14][15][16][17][3]

Of the city's population over the age of 25, 68.0% held a bachelor's degree or higher.[18] 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.[19] 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.

2010 census

As of the census[20] of 2010, 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 people 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.

Transportation

Ohio's State Route 303, State Route 91, and State Route 8 pass through Hudson. Interstate 480 cuts through the extreme northeast corner of the city, and Interstate 80, the Ohio Turnpike, bisects the city from west to east.

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. However, this can also significantly lengthen the amount of time commuters spend in the downtown area. There are some services from Metro RTA, and much of Hudson is accessible by foot or bike.

Economy

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.

The Hudson Acme, after hours

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.[21]
  • 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.[22]

Retail
The "First and Main" shopping district
  • 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.[23] The Hudson Library & Historical Society relocated there in 2005.

Education
The chapel of Western Reserve Academy
Hudson High School

Public education

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.

Healthcare

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.[24]

Government

Today, 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.[25] Hudson has a council-manager government. At present, the Council President is Bill Wooldredge.[26] The current City Manager is Jane Howington. The current Mayor is Craig Shubert.[27]

Civic awards

In 2010, the city was named as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People by America's Promise. The award was based on the city's "Community First" organization that was developed in the 1990s to combat drug use and school dropouts and to promote better choices for the city's youth by providing additional educational and cultural opportunities.[28]

In 1984, Hudson and Landsberg am Lech, Bavaria, Germany, became sister cities.[29]

In 1858, Hudson Ohio, a clergyman said to his congregation, "the question is no longer whether the slave can be made free, but are we free, or are just slaves under mob law."

Religion
Christ Church Episcopal in downtown Hudson

There are many churches and other places of worship in Hudson. There are several Christian denominations present, including the Eastern Orthodox, Episcopal Church, United Church of Christ, Lutheran, Christian Science, Presbyterian, United Methodist, Anglican, and Roman Catholic, and non-denominational congregations as well as a Jewish temple.

Notable people

References
  1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  3. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  4. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 162.
  6. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  7. The Friends of Freedom Society, Ohio Underground Railroad Association (2010). "Hudson and the Underground Railroad". Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  8. Gray, Kevin (September 26, 2010). "First Congregational Church of Hudson". Historical Markers Database. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  9. Caccamo, James F. (2019). "Underground RailroAd Sites in Hudson, Ohio". Hudson Library and Historical Society. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
  10. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012-01-25. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
  11. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-10-03. Retrieved 2006-06-14.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.
  12. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2006-05-14. Retrieved 2006-07-07.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Hudson Parks brochure. retrieved July 9, 2006.
  13. "Hudson Springs Park". Hudson, OH.
  14. "Population: Ohio" (PDF). 1910 U.S. Census. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  15. "Population: Ohio" (PDF). 1930 US Census. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  16. "Number of Inhabitants: Ohio" (PDF). 18th Census of the United States. U.S. Census Bureau. 1960. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  17. "Ohio: Population and Housing Unit Counts" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  18. "Population estimates, July 1, 2015, (V2015)". Archived from the original on 1 February 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  19. Bureau, U.S. Census. "American FactFinder - Community Facts". factfinder.census.gov. Archived from the original on 11 February 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  20. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
  21. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2011-09-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. "Business Success Story - Hudson, OH - Official Website". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  23. "First & Main Hudson". 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  24. "UH Hudson Health Center". University Hospitals of Cleveland. 2015. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  25. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2006-06-07. Retrieved 2006-06-03.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Council of the City of Hudson.
  26. "City Council | Hudson, OH - Official Website". www.hudson.oh.us. Retrieved 2020-01-30.
  27. "Mayor".
  28. "Hudson, Ohio". AmericasPromise.org. 2010. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  29. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-04-29. Retrieved 2009-03-21.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) City of Hudson: Sister City. retrieved July 9, 2006.
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