Bridgeport, Ohio

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Bridgeport, Ohio
settlement_type = Village
nickname =
motto =

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image_

mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Bridgeport, Ohio


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Ohio
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Belmont

government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
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established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 3.6
area_land_km2 = 3.6
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 1.4
area_land_sq_mi = 1.4
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 2186
population_density_km2 = 605.8
population_density_sq_mi = 1569.0

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes = GR|3
elevation_m = 200
elevation_ft = 656
latd = 40 |latm = 4 |lats = 20 |latNS = N
longd = 80 |longm = 44 |longs = 37 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 43912
area_code = 740
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 39-08560GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1064487GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Bridgeport is a village in Belmont County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Wheeling, West Virginia Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,186 at the 2000 census. It lies across the Ohio River from Wheeling, West Virginia, and is connected by two bridges to Wheeling Island in the Ohio River.

Geography

Bridgeport is located at coor dms|40|4|20|N|80|44|37|W|city (40.072092, -80.743542),GR|1 along the Ohio River at the mouth of Wheeling Creek. [cite book| title= Ohio Atlas & Gazetteer |year=1991 |publisher= DeLorme |location=Yarmouth, Me. |isbn= 0-89933-233-1 |pages= pp. 62-63]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 2,186 people, 973 households, and 586 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,569.0 people per square mile (607.2/km²). There were 1,090 housing units at an average density of 782.3/sq mi (302.8/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 90.81% White, 7.55% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.55% from other races, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.50% of the population.

There were 973 households out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.0% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.8% 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 2.89.

In the village the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.4 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $25,685, and the median income for a family was $33,231. Males had a median income of $24,156 versus $18,333 for females. The per capita income for the village was $14,723. About 11.5% of families and 16.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.1% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Notable natives and residents

Distinguished athletes:

* Johnny Blatnik, (1921-2004) Major League Baseball, Philadelphia Phillies (1948-1950) and St. Louis Cardinals (1950). Had .407 Slugging Pct in first season with Phillies. Played baseball at Bridgeport High School, and in Bridgeport High School Sports Hall of Fame.
* Bobby Douglas, Olympic wrestler, United States Olympic Team and Iowa State University wrestling coach, and National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee, was a member of Bridgeport High School's state championship wrestling team in 1959.
* John Havlicek (1940- ), NBA basketball player and Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, was a three-sport standout at Bridgeport High School. Bridgeport high school's Gymnasium is also named after Havlicek.
* Bill Jobko, (1935-2004) National Football League football player at Bridgeport High School and Ohio State University. Drafted by Los Angeles Rams (1958), played line backer with Rams 1958-1962, with Minnesota Vikings (1963-1965), and was on original Atlanta Falcons team (1966). Worked as scout for NFL Falcons after retiring as player.
* Joe Niekro (1944-2006), Major League Baseball player and, with his brother Phil (see below), part of the winningest brother combination in MLB history; was a baseball Bulldog at Bridgeport High School.
* Phil Niekro (1939- ), Major League Baseball player and Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, learned his famous knuckleball while at Bridgeport High School.
* Bill White (1860-1924) born in Bridgeport, Major League Baseball player with Pittsburgh Alleghenys (1884), predecessor of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Louisville Colonials (1886-1888), and the "original" St. Louis Browns (1888) predecessor of the St. Louis Cardinals. Teammate of Charlie Comisky.

Distinguished scientists, artists, businessmen, philanthropists, politicians:

* Earl W. Oglebay (1849-1926), donor of Oglebay Park to the city of Wheeling in 1926 and owner of the Oglebay Norton Corporation, lived in Bridgeport.
* Joseph Henry Sharp (1859-1953), eminent painter, and "Father" of Taos New Mexico Art Colony, was born and raised in Bridgeport.
* E.M. Statler (1863-1928), "Father of the American Hotel" and founder of the Statler Hotel chain, spent his boyhood years here.
* Thomas Clarke Theaker (1812-1883), Republican Member of the 36th U. S. Congress (17th District) at the outbreak of the Civil War (1859-1861) and U.S.Commissioner of Patents (1865-1868), was formerly a machinist and wheelwright in Bridgeport.
* Rep. Charles A. "Charlie" Wilson (1943- ), Democratic Member of Congress for the 6th District of Ohio, was born in Bridgeport.
* John Todd Zimmer (1889-1957), leading American ornithologist, was born in Bridgeport.

ee also

*List of cities and towns along the Ohio River

References

External links

* [http://www.bevs.k12.oh.us Bridgeport Exempted Village School District]
* [http://www.mfpl.org/bridgeport.asp Martins Ferry Public Library - Bridgeport Branch]