Galion, Ohio

Galion, Ohio
City
The Galion Theatre located on Harding Way West in uptown Galion
Location of Galion, Ohio
Location of Galion in Crawford County
Coordinates: 40°43′59″N 82°47′19″W
Country	United States
State	Ohio
Counties	Crawford, Morrow, Richland
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council
• Mayor	Mayor Tom O'Leary
Area
• Total	7.41 sq mi (19.20 km2)
• Land	7.39 sq mi (19.15 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)
Elevation	1,171 ft (357 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	10,512
• Estimate  (2019)	9,982
• Density	1,350.20/sq mi (521.28/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code	44833
Area code	419
FIPS code	39-29162
GNIS feature ID	1064699
Website	http://www.galion.city

Galion is a city in Crawford, Morrow, and Richland counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 10,512 at the 2010 census. Galion is the second-largest city in Crawford County after Bucyrus.

The Crawford County portion of Galion is part of the Bucyrus Micropolitan Statistical Area. The small portion of the city that is located in Richland County is part of the Mansfield Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the portion extending into Morrow County is considered part of the Columbus Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Galion was laid out in 1831. The etymology of the name Galion is uncertain. A post office called Galion has been in operation since 1825.

Galion was the scene of a spectacle lynching. On Friday, April 28, 1882, Barbara Rettig accused Frank Fisher of raping her. On Sunday, April 30, 1882 a mob took Fisher, an African American, from Galion's jail and hanged him. They left Fisher's body on display for several days after the lynching. A newspaper correspondent at the scene reported a crowd of "at least two thousand people, men, women and children." He concluded his article on the lynching with this summation: "The lynching of Frank Fisher, In broad daylight, upon Sunday, by unmasked men, was one of the boldest affairs that has ever transpired in this county. While the affair is to be regretted the crime was such that he has not a particle of sympathy from anyone who has heard the particulars of the crime for which he has so dearly paid with his life."

Geography

Galion is located in the southeastern corner of Crawford County at 40°43′59″N 82°47′19″W (40.733164, -82.788586).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.63 square miles (19.76 km²), of which 7.61 square miles (19.71 km²) is land and 0.02 square miles (0.05 km²) is water.

The Olentangy River begins near and runs through Galion, and then winds southward toward Columbus and eventually empties into the Scioto River.

Demographics

Galion's Municipal Building on Harding Way East, which houses the city's administrative offices as well as the police and fire departments.

Galion Public Library

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	1,966		—
1870	3,523		79.2%
1880	5,635		59.9%
1890	6,326		12.3%
1900	7,282		15.1%
1910	7,214		−0.9%
1920	7,374		2.2%
1930	7,674		4.1%
1940	8,685		13.2%
1950	9,952		14.6%
1960	12,650		27.1%
1970	13,123		3.7%
1980	12,424		−5.3%
1990	11,859		−4.5%
2000	11,341		−4.4%
2010	10,512		−7.3%
2019 (est.)	9,982		−5.0%
Sources:

2010 Census

As of the census of 2010, there were 10,512 people, 4,484 households, and 2,797 families living in the city. The population density was 1,381.3 inhabitants per square mile (533.3/km²). There were 5,192 housing units at an average density of 682.3 per square mile (263.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.6% White, 0.5% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.3% of the population.

There were 4,484 households, of which 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.7% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.6% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size as 2.89.

The median age in the city was 39.7 years. 24.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.6% were from 25 to 44; 25.7% were from 45 to 64; and 17.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.1% male and 52.9% female.

2000 Census

As of the census of 2000, there were 11,341 people, 4,791 households, and 3,090 families living in the city. The population density was 2,286.5 people per square mile (882.8/km²). There were 5,150 housing units at an average density of 1,038.3 per square mile (400.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.28% White, 0.22% African American, 0.31% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 0.56% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.93% of the population.

There were 4,791 households, out of which 31.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the city the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,513, and the median income for a family was $38,554. Males had a median income of $32,517 versus $19,792 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,113. About 11.9% of families and 14.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.6% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Galion has a Mayor-Council government: it is governed by an elected city council and mayor. Thomas O’Leary has served as mayor since 2013.

Education

The Galion City School District encompasses the entire city of Galion, graduating about 150 students annually. There are a handful of neighborhoods outside of Galion that are also included in the school district, including Blooming Grove. The Galion High School is a public high school located in Galion, Ohio, United States. It serves students ranging from grades 9 through 12. The school colors are blue and orange and its athletic teams are known as the Tigers. The current high school building opened in 2007 following the demolition of the previous home of Galion High School on North Union Street.

The first Galion Union High School was built in 1868 on West Walnut Street and served as Galion High School until 1917. This building was demolished in 1924 and a new junior high school was built on the site in 1925, which was razed in April 2008. The second home of GHS was built in 1917 on the site of a former cemetery on North Union Street. This building was extended in 1962, adding features such as a large gymnasium. This building was in use until the end of the 2006–2007 school year, with the new Galion High School opening in late 2007.

Media

Galion and neighboring communities are served by a semi-weekly newspaper, the Galion Inquirer.

Transportation

"Big Four" train depot

The Erie Railroad also ran through Galion and established large rail yards here, making the city an important rail center. In April, 1851 the Cleveland Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad, later known as the "Big Four" and eventually the New York Central, began operating regular service between Columbus and Cleveland, stopping at Galion along the way. Prior to the end of the 19th century, Galion became a division headquarters for the line.

Galion once boasted two large railroad depots, the Big Four Depot on Washington Street, and the Erie Depot on South Market Street, which was torn down in 1986 due to its poor condition, after having served as a maintenance office for Conrail. With the move of the Erie yards to Marion in the 1910s, the railroads declined, although the city remained a passenger rail center into the 1960s. The Big Four Depot was abandoned; however, it has since been acquired by the City of Galion and is undergoing a slow but thorough restoration.

From 1915 to 1923, Galion was on the original route of the Lincoln Highway, America's first coast-to-coast route. In later years, however, the northern route was improved and became US 30 North, although until approximately 1970 the route through Galion was designated as US 30 South. The new, four-lane US 30 opened in 2005, and passes just north of town, giving the community excellent transportation access.

State routes in Galion include 309, which connects Marion to the southwest with Ontario to the east; 598, which originates in Galion and stretches northward; 19, which heads westward toward the county seat and also south toward Williamsport; 61, which goes south towards Morrow and Delaware Counties and north to Lake Erie, and 97, which goes east through Lexington.

The new Galion High School that opened in late 2007.

Industry

Galion road grader

PECO II Offices in 2007

The Galion brand of heavy equipment (such as road graders, road rollers, and earthmovers) was manufactured in Galion Iron Works, later purchased by Dresser Industries and then by Komatsu.

Galion was once the home of Peabody Galion, a manufacturer of sanitation equipment, primarily dump bodies, as well as front loading, side-loading and rear loading garbage trucks; rivaling the Heil Company for numbers of units sold throughout the world. For a short time, in the early 1970s, Peabody Galion maintained a manufacturing plant in Durant, Oklahoma, known as "Peabody Galion, Durant Division".

Galion was also once home to North Electric Company, a prime supplier of telephone switching systems for government and international markets. It was also producer of the Ericofon, the first ever one-piece telephone designed by Ralph Lysell and Hugo Blomberg. Founded in 1884 by Charles N. North, the company became part of Ericsson in 1951. It was purchased by ITT in the mid-1970s and operated as ITT PowerSystems until the late 1980s, when it was sold to a private consortium and renamed PECO II (the name is derived from North Electric Company's purchase of Power Equipment Company (PECO) in 1960). Peco II purchased the telecommunications product line and associated assets from ITT in 1988. In 2010, PECO II was acquired by Lineage Power of Plano, Texas and has since closed the plant.

Notable people

• Julius H. Block, Minnesota State Treasurer, was born in Galion
• William Montgomery Brown, Episcopal clergyman and author, lived in Galion
• Florence Kling Harding, First Lady of the United States, lived in Galion with her first husband, Henry ("Pete") DeWolfe
• Henry David Lee, founder of the HD Lee Mercantile Company, inventors of Lee Jeans, lived in and operated a business in Galion
• Robert W. Morgan, radio personality, was from Galion.
• Orville Nave, theologian and chaplain, was born in Galion
• J.B. Shuck, professional baseball player in Major League Baseball was born in Westerville, Ohio and raised in Galion, Shuck went to Galion High School.
• Nate Reinking, professional basketball player for the British Basketball League and the Great Britain men's national basketball team; head coach in the NBA G League.

External links

• City website