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| Wood County, Ohio | |||
 Wood County Courthouse and Jail in Bowling Green, Ohio
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 Location in the state of Ohio | |||
 Ohio's location in the U.S. | |||
| Founded | April 1, 1820[1] | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Named for | Captain Eleazer D. Wood | ||
| Seat | Bowling Green | ||
| Largest city | Bowling Green | ||
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
620 sq mi (1,606 km²) 617 sq mi (1,598 km²) 3.3 sq mi (9 km²), 0.5% | ||
| Population - (2020) - Density |
132,248 auto/sq mi (Expression error: Unrecognized word "auto"./km²) | ||
| Congressional district | 5th | ||
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 | ||
| Website | www.co.wood.oh.us | ||
Wood County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 132,248.[2] Its county seat is Bowling Green.[3] The county was named for Captain Eleazer D. Wood, the engineer for General William Henry Harrison's army, who built Fort Meigs in the War of 1812.[4]
Wood County is part of the Toledo, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its diagonal northwest border is formed by the Maumee River, which has its mouth at Maumee Bay on Lake Erie.
History[]
Wood County was established on February 12, 1820, following a treaty and land purchase from local Indian tribes.[5] Perrysburg was the first county seat, and remained the county seat until 1870, when it was moved to Bowling Green.[6] Wood County established its first health department in 1920.[7][8]
Geography[]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 620 square miles (1,600 km2), of which 617 square miles (1,600 km2) is land and 3.3 square miles (8.5 km2) (0.5%) is water.[9]
Adjacent counties[]
- Lucas County (north)
- Ottawa County (northeast)
- Sandusky County (east)
- Seneca County (southeast)
- Hancock County (south)
- Putnam County (southwest)
- Henry County (west)
Demographics[]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1820 | 733 | ||
| 1830 | 1,102 | 50.3% | |
| 1840 | 5,357 | 386.1% | |
| 1850 | 9,157 | 70.9% | |
| 1860 | 17,886 | 95.3% | |
| 1870 | 24,596 | 37.5% | |
| 1880 | 34,022 | 38.3% | |
| 1890 | 44,392 | 30.5% | |
| 1900 | 51,555 | 16.1% | |
| 1910 | 46,330 | −10.1% | |
| 1920 | 44,892 | −3.1% | |
| 1930 | 50,320 | 12.1% | |
| 1940 | 51,796 | 2.9% | |
| 1950 | 59,605 | 15.1% | |
| 1960 | 72,596 | 21.8% | |
| 1970 | 89,722 | 23.6% | |
| 1980 | 107,372 | 19.7% | |
| 1990 | 113,269 | 5.5% | |
| 2000 | 121,065 | 6.9% | |
| 2010 | 125,488 | 3.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] 1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12] 1990-2000[13] 2020 [14] | |||
2000 census[]
As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 121,065 people, 45,172 households, and 29,678 families living in the county. The population density was 196 people per square mile (76/km2). There were 47,468 housing units at an average density of 77 per square mile (30/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.83% White, 1.27% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.03% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.45% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. 3.33% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 36.3% were of German, 9.9% American, 8.2% English, 8.0% Irish and 5.8% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 45,172 households, out of which 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.90% were married couples living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.30% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.70% under the age of 18, 17.20% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 93.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $44,442, and the median income for a family was $56,468. Males had a median income of $40,419 versus $26,640 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,284. About 4.70% of families and 9.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.40% of those under age 18 and 5.80% of those age 65 or over.
2010 census[]
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 125,488 people, 49,043 households, and 30,923 families living in the county.[16] The population density was 203.3 inhabitants per square mile (78.5 /km2). There were 53,376 housing units at an average density of 86.5 per square mile (33.4 /km2).[17] The racial makeup of the county was 92.8% white, 2.4% black or African American, 1.5% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.3% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.5% of the population.[16] In terms of ancestry, 40.8% were German, 14.4% were Irish, 10.4% were English, 6.7% were Polish, and 5.2% were American.[18]
Of the 49,043 households, 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.9% were non-families, and 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.98. The median age was 35.3 years.[16]
The median income for a household in the county was $53,298 and the median income for a family was $69,768. Males had a median income of $51,038 versus $35,472 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,671. About 6.4% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.[19]
Politics[]
Wood County formerly was a Republican stronghold county, but since 1964 the county has become a bellwether.[20] Wood County has voted for the losing candidate twice since then, Gerald Ford in 1976 and Donald Trump in 2020.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 35,757 | 52.89% | 30,617 | 45.29% | 1,226 | 1.81% |
| 2016 | 32,498 | 50.13% | 27,318 | 42.14% | 5,010 | 7.73% |
| 2012 | 29,704 | 46.37% | 32,802 | 51.21% | 1,553 | 2.42% |
| 2008 | 29,648 | 45.50% | 34,285 | 52.61% | 1,231 | 1.89% |
| 2004 | 33,592 | 53.03% | 29,401 | 46.41% | 353 | 0.56% |
| 2000 | 27,504 | 52.70% | 22,687 | 43.47% | 2,003 | 3.84% |
| 1996 | 20,518 | 41.58% | 23,183 | 46.98% | 5,642 | 11.43% |
| 1992 | 20,579 | 38.68% | 20,754 | 39.01% | 11,870 | 22.31% |
| 1988 | 26,013 | 57.89% | 18,579 | 41.35% | 341 | 0.76% |
| 1984 | 29,750 | 64.74% | 15,907 | 34.62% | 297 | 0.65% |
| 1980 | 23,315 | 55.23% | 14,139 | 33.49% | 4,759 | 11.27% |
| 1976 | 19,331 | 52.06% | 16,926 | 45.58% | 874 | 2.35% |
| 1972 | 21,080 | 59.17% | 13,494 | 37.88% | 1,051 | 2.95% |
| 1968 | 16,111 | 53.81% | 10,867 | 36.30% | 2,961 | 9.89% |
| 1964 | 12,142 | 42.68% | 16,304 | 57.32% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 18,952 | 64.17% | 10,581 | 35.83% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 16,844 | 66.32% | 8,553 | 33.68% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1952 | 17,269 | 65.32% | 9,168 | 34.68% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 13,197 | 57.28% | 9,725 | 42.21% | 119 | 0.52% |
| 1944 | 16,016 | 66.62% | 8,025 | 33.38% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 16,998 | 63.64% | 9,711 | 36.36% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 11,716 | 47.28% | 11,255 | 45.42% | 1,807 | 7.29% |
| 1932 | 10,566 | 47.34% | 11,332 | 50.78% | 420 | 1.88% |
| 1928 | 15,409 | 76.56% | 4,612 | 22.92% | 105 | 0.52% |
| 1924 | 10,665 | 65.33% | 3,291 | 20.16% | 2,369 | 14.51% |
| 1920 | 12,042 | 69.72% | 4,965 | 28.75% | 265 | 1.53% |
| 1916 | 5,034 | 45.32% | 5,796 | 52.18% | 278 | 2.50% |
| 1912 | 2,020 | 20.15% | 4,356 | 43.46% | 3,648 | 36.39% |
| 1908 | 5,904 | 49.57% | 5,625 | 47.23% | 381 | 3.20% |
| 1904 | 7,025 | 61.50% | 3,630 | 31.78% | 767 | 6.72% |
| 1900 | 7,153 | 54.29% | 5,752 | 43.66% | 271 | 2.06% |
| 1896 | 7,290 | 51.54% | 6,653 | 47.04% | 201 | 1.42% |
| 1892 | 5,314 | 49.10% | 4,748 | 43.87% | 760 | 7.02% |
| 1888 | 5,199 | 51.68% | 4,431 | 44.05% | 430 | 4.27% |
| 1884 | 4,549 | 53.06% | 3,753 | 43.78% | 271 | 3.16% |
| 1880 | 4,305 | 54.16% | 3,441 | 43.29% | 203 | 2.55% |
| 1876 | 4,079 | 55.59% | 3,245 | 44.23% | 13 | 0.18% |
| 1872 | 2,994 | 60.95% | 1,896 | 38.60% | 22 | 0.45% |
| 1868 | 2,957 | 60.99% | 1,891 | 39.01% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1864 | 2,614 | 63.60% | 1,496 | 36.40% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1860 | 2,011 | 59.85% | 1,330 | 39.58% | 19 | 0.57% |
| 1856 | 1,319 | 55.03% | 935 | 39.01% | 143 | 5.97% |
Government[]
County officials[]
| Office | Name | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Commissioner | Doris Herringshaw | Republican |
| Commissioner | Craig LaHote | Republican |
| Commissioner | Dr. Theodore Bowlus | Republican |
| Auditor | Matthew Oestreich | Republican |
| Clerk of Court of Common Pleas | Douglas F. Cubberley | Republican |
| Coroner | Douglas W. Hess | Republican |
| Engineer | John Musteric | Republican |
| Prosecuting Attorney | Paul A. Dobson | Republican |
| Recorder | Jim Matuszak | Republican |
| Sheriff | Mark Wasylyshyn | Republican |
| Treasurer | Jane Spoerl | Republican |
| Judge of the Common Pleas Court | Mary L. Mack | Republican |
| Judge of the Common Pleas Court | Joel M. Kuhlman | Democrat |
| Judge of the Common Pleas Court | Matthew Reger | Republican |
| Judge of the Common Pleas Court (Probate) | David W. Woessner | Republican |
Source:[22]
Libraries[]
The main branch of the Wood County District Public Library
Way Public Library, 1892
While there is no countywide library entity, the Wood County District Public Library serves Bowling Green and other portions of the county, not otherwise served by another library entity, from its main location in Bowling Green and a branch in Walbridge.[23] In 2019, the library had a total circulation of 783,166 items and provided 1,473 programs to its patrons.[24] Total holdings in 2019 were 158,861 print materials, 21,469 video recordings, 12,967 audio recordings, and 171 periodical subscriptions.[24]
Additional libraries include:
- North Baltimore Public Library
- Pemberville Public Library, and branches in Luckey and Stony Ridge
- Rossford Public Library
- Way Public Library in Perrysburg
- Wayne Public Library
- Weston Public Library, and Grand Rapids branch
A small portion of the county located in the Fostoria city limits is served by the Kaubisch Memorial Public Library, located in the Seneca County portion of the city.
All Wood County and Fostoria library locations participate in Woodlink, a joint catalog system.[25]
Communities[]
Map of Wood County, Ohio with municipal and township labels
Cities[]
- Bowling Green (county seat)
- Fostoria (a small portion)
- Northwood
- Perrysburg
- Rossford
Villages[]
- Bairdstown
- Bloomdale
- Bradner
- Custar
- Cygnet
- Grand Rapids
- Haskins
- Hoytville
- Jerry City
- Luckey
- Millbury
- Milton Center
- North Baltimore
- Pemberville
- Portage
- Risingsun
- Tontogany
- Walbridge
- Wayne
- West Millgrove
- Weston
Townships[]
- Bloom
- Center
- Freedom
- Grand Rapids
- Henry
- Jackson
- Lake
- Liberty
- Middleton
- Milton
- Montgomery
- Perry
- Perrysburg
- Plain
- Portage
- Troy
- Washington
- Webster
- Weston
Census-designated places[]
- Rudolph
- Stony Ridge
Unincorporated communities[]
- Bates
- Bays
- Blake
- Bloom Center
- Christy
- Cloverdale
- Denver
- Digby
- Dowling
- Ducat
- Dunbridge
- Eagleville
- Five Points
- Galatea
- Hammansburg
- Hatton
- Hull Prairie
- Latcha
- Lemoyne
- Lime City
- Mermill
- Moline
- Mungen
- New Rochester
- Otsego
- Perry Center
- Roachton
- Scotch Ridge
- Six Points
- Stanley
- Sugar Ridge
- Trombley
- Wingston
- Woodside
Economy[]
According to the 2019 Wood County Comprehensive annual report, these were the largest employers in the county.[27]
| # | Employer | # of employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bowling Green State University | 3,300 |
| 2 | Magna | 2,200 |
| 3 | First Solar, Inc | 1,200 |
| 4 | Owens Community College | 1,000 |
| 5 | Waltrust/Walgreen Company | 1,000 |
| 6 | Wood County Hospital | 875 |
| 7 | Wood County | 842 |
| 8 | FedEx Ground | 800 |
| 9 | Fiat Chrysler Automobiles | 800 |
| 10 | Home Depot | 750 |
See also[]
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Wood County, Ohio
- Wood County Courthouse and Jail
- Slippery Elm Trail
Footnotes[]
- ^ "Ohio County Profiles: Wood County" (PDF). Ohio Department of Development. http://www.odod.state.oh.us/research/FILES/S0/Wood.pdf.
- ^ 2020 census
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx.
- ^ "Wood County data". Ohio State University Extension Data Center. http://www.osuedc.org/profiles/profile_entrance.php?fips=39173&sid=0.
- ^ "History". https://www.co.wood.oh.us/history/default.htm.
- ^ "A Brief History of Perrysburg". https://www.waylibrary.info/index.php/about-way/community-information/76-a-brief-history-of-perrysburg.
- ^ "National Public Health Week recognizes major health impacts over 100 years". https://www.sent-trib.com/news/national-public-health-week-recognizes-major-health-impacts-over-years/article_a69467fe-560e-11e9-889b-0f6750875a3f.html.
- ^ "Health department celebrates 100-year anniversary". https://www.sent-trib.com/news/health-department-celebrates--year-anniversary/article_0abb7bee-37c5-11ea-82e1-0f108e795d68.html.
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_39.txt.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu.
- ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/oh190090.txt.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf.
- ^ 2020 census
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov.
- ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US39173.
- ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US39173.
- ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US39173.
- ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US39173.
- ^ David Wasserman (October 6, 2020), "The 10 Bellwether Counties That Show How Trump Is in Serious Trouble", Nytimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/06/opinion/biden-trump-bellwether-counties-.html
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS.
- ^ Wood County Government Elected Officials
- ^ "Archived copy". https://wcdpl.org/sites/default/files/Service%20District.pdf.
- ^ a b "2019 Ohio Public Library Statistics". https://library.ohio.gov/documents/2019-ohio-public-library-statistics/.
- ^ http://woodlink.lib.oh.us
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20160715023447/http://www.ohiotownships.org/township-websites
- ^ Oestreich, Matthew. "Comprehensive Annual Financial Report". https://auditor.co.wood.oh.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2019-Wood-County-Ohio-CAFR.pdf.
Further reading[]
- Robert L. Blake and Cathy J. Meadows, A History of Lake Township, Wood County, Ohio. Ada, OH: Ada Herald, 1998.
- Michael E. Brooks, The Ku Klux Klan in Wood County, Ohio. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing/The History Press, 2014.
- Richard M. Helwig, Wood County. Galena, OH: Center for Ghost Town Research in Ohio, 1990.
- Henry Howe, History of Wood County, Ohio, 1820-1889. Knightstown, IN: Bookmark, 1977.
- Paul Willis Jones, Human Interest History of Wood County, Ohio. Bowling Green, OH: Wood County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, 2007.
- M.A. Leeson, Commemorative historical and biographical record of Wood County, Ohio : its past and present : early settlement and development ... biographies and portraits of early settlers and representative citizens, etc. Chicago, IL: J.H. Beers & Co., 1897.
- Daniel A Masters, Index to the Civil War Letters of Wood County, Ohio: From the Pages of the Wood County Independent and the Perrysburg Journal. n.c.: Daniel A. Masters, 2003.
- John P. Nass, A Description and Quantitative Analysis of Artifacts Recovered from Fort Meigs (1813-1815), Wood County, Ohio. MA thesis. Western Michigan University, 1980.
- Wood County Historical Society, Black Swamp Chanticleer: Newsletter of the Wood County Historical Society. Bowling Green, OH: Wood County Historical Society, 1973-
- Wood County Historical Society, Pioneers of Wood County, Ohio: A Listing of Family Surnames Taken from a Commemorative, Historical and Biographical Record of Wood County, Ohio. Evansville, IN: Unigraphic, 1973.
- A Brief History of Wood County and Bowling Green. Bowling Green, OH: n.p., 1908. OCLC 6545954.
- History and Government of Wood County, Ohio: Sesquicentennial 1803-1953. Bowling Green, OH: Wood County Board of Education, 1953.
External links[]
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