Martins Ferry, Ohio

Martins Ferry, Ohio
—  City  —
Nickname(s): Ohio's First Settlement
Location of Martins Ferry, Ohio
Coordinates: 40°5′57″N 80°43′31″W
Country	United States
State	Ohio
County	Belmont
Area
• Total	2.3 sq mi (6.0 km2)
• Land	2.3 sq mi (6.0 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	709 ft (216 m)
Population (2000)
• Total	7,226
• Density	3,345.1/sq mi (1,291.6/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	43935
Area code(s)	740
FIPS code	39-48104
GNIS feature ID	1061478

Martins Ferry is a city located in Belmont County, Ohio, United States, on the Ohio River. A part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area, it is the largest city in Belmont County. The population was 6,915 at the 2010 census.

History

Martins Ferry enjoys the honor of being the oldest permanent settlement in the state of Ohio, having been settled at least as early as 1779. The community was a westward extension of the city of Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia), but at that time, settlement on the west bank of the Ohio River was not permitted. The town was disbanded a couple of times before finally becoming permanent in 1785.

Unlike Marietta, Ohio's oldest city, Martins Ferry remained an unincorporated settlement for a relatively long time. It did not officially become a city until 1865, a full 77 years after Marietta. Through the years, it has been known as Hoglinstown, Mercertown, Norristown, Jefferson, Martinsville, and Martin's Ferry (the apostrophe between "Martin" and "s" is no longer used).

In 1835, Ebenezer Martin, the son of Absalom Martin, one of the city's earliest settlers, redesigned the town with a grid system of streets, much of which survives to this day. It was from this family that Martins Ferry took its name.

The city developed as an important industrial center during the late 19th century and early 20th century. It became an important rail hub and river port from where products were shipped all over the United States and beyond. Over the past 50 years, the town's population has decreased significantly as industries have closed or moved elsewhere. Today, the city's population is less than half of what it once was.

Geography

Martins Ferry is located at 40°5′57″N 80°43′31″W (40.099122, -80.725154).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6.0 km²), practically all of it land.

The town is built on two basic plateaus situated between a hill and the Ohio River. The lower of the plateaus, along the river, is dominated by a large industrial park, the Martins Ferry Football Stadium, and by Ohio State Route 7 (a four lane traffic artery that runs from north to south across eastern Ohio). The higher plateau, which is the larger of the two, is predominantly residential and commercial, and is home to most of the city's residents. It gradually rises to a rather steep hillside in the west that forms a natural wall.

Directly across the river lies the city of Wheeling, West Virginia, and just 11 miles to the east is the Pennsylvania state line. The city of Columbus, Ohio, is 125 miles to the west, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is only 38 miles northeast of the city. On the southern end of town, Martins Ferry is directly connected to the village of Bridgeport.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1880	3,819		—
1890	6,250		63.7%
1900	7,760		24.2%
1910	9,133		17.7%
1920	11,634		27.4%
1930	14,524		24.8%
1940	14,729		1.4%
1950	13,220		−10.2%
1960	11,919		−9.8%
1970	10,757		−9.7%
1980	9,304		−13.5%
1990	7,990		−14.1%
2000	7,226		−9.6%
2010	6,915		−4.3%

During the census of 2000, there were 7,226 people, 3,202 households, and 1,959 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,345.1 people per square mile (1,291.7/km²). There were 3,680 housing units at an average density of 1,703.6 per square mile (657.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.19% White, 5.11% African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.04% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population.

There were 3,202 households out of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were married couples living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the city, the population was spread out with 22.4% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 84.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $23,960, and the median income for a family was $32,365. Males had a median income of $30,486 versus $21,979 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,672. About 16.1% of families and 18.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.6% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Today, Martins Ferry's largest employers include East Ohio Regional Hospital, a 250 bed hospital that is home to a level three trauma center, a popular birthing unit and a rapidly expanding surgical department. A new surgical building is scheduled for completion this year. Other major employers include Nickles Bakery, one of three modern bakeries in the Nickles family providing fresh baked goods to a 7 state area; United Dairy, a family owned dairy serving nine states; and the Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel Corporation, which operates their galvanizing plant in Martins Ferry, producing some 700,000 tons of SofTite Galvanized Steel each year. The steel mill was bought out by Severstal and went bankrupt.

Martins Ferry is also home of the corporate headquarters of United Bancorp, a financial institution operating two banks, The Citizens Savings Bank of Martins Ferry and the Community Bank of Lancaster. These two banks have a total of 15 locations across Eastern and Southern Ohio. The city is also home of Carolina Furniture Company and The Times Leader, one of East Central Ohio’s largest newspapers serving more than 50,000 people.

Education

The children of Martins Ferry are educated by the Martins Ferry City School District, which currently has an enrollment of 1,488 students on one campus. In addition to the public school system, Martins Ferry is also served by two religious schools: St Mary's Catholic School and the Martins Ferry Christian School.

Over the 2007 Christmas vacation, all Martins Ferry Public School students were relocated to their new K-12 campus-style school. The new school cost a reported $40.9 million dollars. It includes a new elementary school building and combination middle/high school building. 75% of the cost, or $31.9 million, was covered by the state, while the remaining 25%, or $9 million, was funded locally. Land for the campus was donated by the Ayers family.

On March 28, 2008, The Times Leader reported that Elm Middle School, as well as the former high hchool, were set to be demolished. Demolition cost a reported $458,000. The high school area is now an empty lot. The lot where Elm Middle School was has become a person's residence. Both North School and South School remain closed, awaiting bids for the space.

Community

There are 14 churches providing places of worship for Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Nazarenes, Pentecostals, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Greek Orthodox Christians, Episcopalians and non-denominational Christians. There are also a number of clubs and organizations for veterans, ethnic groups and senior citizens.

The city has multiple cemeteries, including Riverview Cemetery, St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery and Walnut Grove Pioneer Cemetery. The latter is the burial place of local heroine, Betty Zane, who saved Fort Henry in Wheeling during one of the last battles of the American Revolutionary War by hiding gunpowder inside her dress. Her brother, Ebenezer Zane, who cut Zane's Trace from Wheeling to Maysville, Kentucky, opening the west for settlement, is also buried in Walnut Grove Pioneer Cemetery, along with Absalom and Ebenezer Martin and other important early settlers.

Events

The volunteer fire department celebrates Betty Zane Frontier Days annually, in honor of American Revolutionary War participant Elizabeth "Betty" Zane.

In early Spring, the city hold a Soap Box Derby going down Hanover Street and the pit boxs are where the original High School Was. The 2010 winner of the race was Jacob Wilkerson

Schools

In 2008, the new High School opened for the area. The previous public High School, known officially as Charles R. Shreve High School, but never called anything but Martins Ferry High School, was closed midway through the 2007-2008 school year.^{[citation needed]}

High School Football

The Martins Ferry Purple Riders began the football program on 1907. Rival Bellaire Big Reds share one of the oldest rivalries in the state of Ohio. Going back to 1908. Bellaire leads the series 52-47-7. In 2004 the two teams met twice with Martins Ferry winning both times when Nate Davis (Ball State standout QB and now NFL QB) was the Big Reds' quarterback. The Purple Riders claimed the prized trophy "SPARKY" in Week 10 and then the two met in Week 12 at Steubenville's Harding Stadium in the Region 15 semifinals. Martins Ferry then met Youngstown's powerhouse Cardinal Mooney Cardinals. The Purple lost 28-6 at Massillon Tigers Stadium to the Cardinals ,who then won the following game. Division 4 State Championship. 2004 was Martins Ferry's best year in football to date having a record of 12-1. The fallowing year, the football program had a unlike Purple Rider peformance going 3-7. then jumping back up in 2006 having a 10-2 record losing to Rival Bellaire ,in the 1st Ever Undefeated vs Undefeated Rivalry Game matchup at Purple Rider Stadium on a cold, wet, and muddy October night and ended up being shutout on 23-0 on State TV , The ONN Netwark, and losing to the New Lexington Panthers in the Regional Championship 2 weeks later in the second round of the OHSAA playoffs. Jeremy Murray's number 9 jersey was retired after the Standout becomes the sole owner of all rushing records. Beating out former owner Chad Brinker. 2007 was the 100 Year Anniversary of the football program. Having a record of 7-3 and just missing the playoffs. 2008 The Purple returned to another great season having Star Running Back Jeremy Murray ,Mount Union running back, at Quarterback. The team started off slow with a loss to the Buckeye Local Panthers in Rayland, Ohio then jumped to a 10 game winning streak. Beating Rival Bellaire and 1st round playoff opponant Columbus Bishop Hartley Hawks at Purple Riders Stadium, then returning to Zanesville Blue Devils Stadium taking on and losing again to New Lexington Panthers in OT 23-17. 2009 the Riders lost the opener to Buckeye Local in Martins Ferry then hosted they're second straight Home Playoff Game to Penninsula Woodridge Bulldogs (who the team made they're first playoff appearance) Ferry lost the game 49-28. Going 9-2. 2010 the Riders finished 9-2. Beating Bellaire and Hosting the Akron Manchester Red Devils. Losing 7-0 in the first round playoffs. 2011 the Riders finished 8-3. Beating Bellaire at Nelson Field. The Riders had a close call to Buckeye 8 Power St. Clairsville at Purple Riders Stadium. the Riders pulled off a 3 OT win 33-28. Later hosting a first round playoff game. Losing to the Coshocton Redskins. The redskins then beat St. Clairsville the following week. Head Coach Dave Bruney took over the Head Coach position as a Purple Rider in 1979 and still remains the Head Coach having one the best Head Coach record's in the Ohio Valley.

Notable residents

• Joe DeNardo - famous Pittsburgh meteorologist
• Alex Groza - Gold Medalist in the 1948 Olympics and star basketball player
• Lou Groza (AKA "The Toe") - NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame Kicker inductee of the Cleveland Browns. Ohio State Buckeyes Standout.
• William Dean Howells - American realist author
• James Wright - Pulitzer Prize winning poet and author who immortalized the blue collar city in his poem, "Autumn Begins in Martins Ferry, Ohio".
• John Havlicek- Hall of Fame former NBA Player
• Chad Brinker- former NFL running back. New York Jets.
• Fred Bruney- Former NFL Defensive Back. Former AFL All-Star 1961-1962. Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns (Drafted), Boston Patriots, L.A Rams, San Francisco 49ers. Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons, Indianapolis Colts. Ohio State Running Back/Defensive Back (1950s), Ohio State All Time Interceptions Leader (2nd-17), 1st Team ALL-BIG 10 (1952)

On the Big Screen

The 2010 hit film "Unstoppable" ,based on a true story starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pine, was partially filmed in Martins Ferry. Mainly on 1st street (Along the Ohio River shoreline. The last 15 minutes of the movie shows 1st Street ,in Martins Ferry, as Denzel Washington saves the train full of student from wrecking. This movie included the cities of Martins Ferry, Bellaire, Mingo Junction, Steubenville, and Brewster, Ohio and in Pennsylvania the cities of Pittsburgh, Emporium, Milesburg, Tyrone, Julian, Unionville, Port Matilda, Bradford, Monaca, Eldred, Turtlepoint, Port Allegany and Carnegie,and also in Portville

See also

• List of cities and towns along the Ohio River

Lewis Elmer Otto - Inventor of the "mute button" for TV's

External links

• The Times Leader
• Martins Ferry Public Library
• Martins Ferry Football and Sports
• Often-anthologized poem: Autumn Begins in Martins Ferry, Ohio, by James Wright