Hudson, Ohio

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Hudson, Ohio
native_name =
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =


imagesize =
image_caption = View of Hudson from Veteran's Way bridge


image_shield =


mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Ohio

---

mapsize1 = 250px
map_caption1 = Location within Summit County, Ohio
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Ohio
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Summit
subdivision_type3 =
subdivision_name3 =
subdivision_type4 =
subdivision_name4 =
government_type = Council-Manager
leader_title = Council President
leader_name = Mike Moran
leader_title1 = City Manager
leader_name1 = Anthony J. Bales
leader_title2 = Mayor
leader_name2 = William A. Currin
leader_title3 =
leader_name3 =
established_title = Settled
established_date = 1799
established_title2 = Incorporated
established_date2 = 1837
established_title3 = Village/Township Merger
established_date3 = 1994
area_magnitude = 1 E8
area_total_km2 = 67.0
area_total_sq_mi = 25.9
area_land_km2 = 66.3
area_land_sq_mi = 25.6
area_water_km2 = 0.7
area_water_sq_mi = 0.3
area_water_percent =
area_urban_km2 =
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_metro_km2 =
area_metro_sq_mi =
population_as_of = 2006
population_note = estimate
population_total = 23154
population_density_km2 = 338.6
population_density_sq_mi = 876.9
population_metro =
population_density_metro_km2 =
population_density_metro_sq_mi =
population_urban =
population_density_urban_km2 =
population_density_urban_sq_mi =
timezone = EST
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
latd = 41 |latm = 14 |lats = 23 |latNS = N
longd = 81 |longm = 26 |longs = 27 |longEW = W
elevation_m = 325
elevation_ft = 1066
postal_code_type = Zip code
postal_code = 44236
area_code = 330, 234
website = http://www.hudson.oh.us
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 39-36651GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1048857GR|3
footnotes =

Hudson is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 22,439 at the 2000 census, making it the 389th largest city in the midwest. This number rose to 23,154 at the 2006 census estimates [ http://factfinder.census.gov/ United States Census Bureau: American FactFinder. Retrieved 13 July 2007. ] . It is an affluent exurban community and is part of the Akron, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area according to the U.S. Census Bureau, but is also commonly considered a Cleveland suburb. Consequently, it is also part of the larger Cleveland-Akron-Elyria Combined Statistical Area.

Geography

Hudson is located at coord|41|14|36|N|81|26|20|W|city GR|1. According to the Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.9 square miles (67.0 km²), of which, 25.6 square miles (66.3 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.7 km²) of it (1.04%) is water.

Neighbors

Hudson's neighbors are, starting at the northern corporate boundary and proceeding clockwise:
* Northfield Center Township (meets at Hudson's northwest corner)
* Macedonia (western quarter of Hudson's northern boundary)
* Twinsburg Township (remainder of Hudson's northern boundary)
* Aurora (meets at northeast corner)
* Streetsboro (entire eastern boundary)
* Franklin Township (meets at southeast corner)
* Stow (entire southern boundary)
* Cuyahoga Falls (meets at southwest corner)
* Boston Township (southern third of Hudson's western boundary)
* Boston Heights (remainder of western boundary)

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. [ http://www.hudson.oh.us/departments/ISGIS/maps/MajorWatersheds_11x17.pdf City of Hudson Major Watersheds. City of Hudson, Department of Public Works, GIS Division. retrieved July 9, 2006. ]

ZIP codes

Hudson is covered by United States Postal Service ZIP code 44236. According to the Postal Service, 44237 is allocated to the Allstate Insurance Company as a unique ZIP Code. [ http://www.usps.com United States Postal Service] While not listed in the USPS's online ZIP Code search, 44238 is also a unique ZIP code given to the Mid-Continent Telephone Co. (now known as Windstream Communications). [ [http://www.placesnamed.com/4/4/44238.asp 44238 ] ]

Communication

Hudson lies within the 330/234 area code overlay. Until 1996, Area Code 216 also included Hudson. The following telephone exchanges are used within the 44236 ZIP code: 650, 653, 655, 656, 342, 528, and 463. [ http://www.telcodata.us/telcodata/coinfo?clli=HDSNOHXA Telcodata. US Central Office Information, retrieved July 9, 2006. ]

Cable television in Hudson is provided by Time Warner Cable. Hudson was formerly part of the Adelphia Western Reserve system.

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, the traffic congestion is considered a problem by many. Recent and future connector streets aim to reduce these problems. Another inconvenience to Hudsonites is the busy railroad passing through town. Two at-grade crossings, one on Hines Hill Road and the other on Stow Road, can lead to backups. The presence of the railroad, as well as the Turnpike, have limited new road construction due to the expense of crossing them.

History

Hudson, Ohio is known for its historical value. Hudson's past included important people and events that shaped the surrounding region. The preservation and research of this history is important to many of its residents.

The city is named after its founder, David Hudson. Hudson moved here from Goshen, Connecticut in 1799.

The Underground Railroad passed through Hudson, which was also John Brown's childhood home. (John Brown was born in Torrington, Connecticut in 1800. His family removed to Hudson Ohio in 1805. see John Brown biography.)

James Ellsworth and his wealth helped modernize Hudson in the early twentieth century. His son, Lincoln Ellsworth, was a polar explorer, and also the only Hudsonite ever featured on a U.S. postage stamp.

Dante Lavelli, a Pro Football Hall of Fame member, played for Hudson High School's football team.

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. [ http://www.nr.nps.gov/ National Register Information System. retrieved July 9, 2006. ]

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.

In July 2003, heavy, constant rains led to minor to severe floods in Hudson. Two Hudsonites died in this 100-year flood event.

Education

The Hudson City School District is one of the top-rated districts in the state and country. The largest school in the district is Hudson High School. Other schools include the Hudson Montessori School and Seton School.

There are also many private schools in the area. Hudson was the original home of what is now Case Western Reserve University and remains home to the Western Reserve Academy, a co-ed prep school of good reputation. Western Reserve Academy is also home to Encore School for Strings, the summer session of the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Government

From 1837 to 1994, the area that is now the City of Hudson was in two parts, the Village of Hudson and Hudson Township. In 1994, voters approved a merger uniting the city.

Council, Mayor, and City Manager

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. [ http://www.hudson.oh.us/government/council/index.asp Council of the City of Hudson. ] Hudson has a council-manager government. At present, the Council President is Mike Moran. The current City Manager is Anthony J. Bales. The current Mayor is William A. Currin.

Hudson Cable Television

In 1996, Hudson Cable Television, a Public-access television cable network, debuted. Station facilities are located in Hudson High School. The network serves Hudson residents by providing equipment, facilities, and technical support for public access programming. Hudson Cable TV, or HCTV, also produces original programming of its own. Government meetings, such as those of the Council of the City of Hudson and the Hudson Board of Education, are recorded and broadcast to cable TV subscribers within the Hudson area. Hudson High School sport events, community music performances, and lectures are often recorded by Hudson Cable Television or public-access users.

Business

Commercial and industrial

Hudson was once home to General Motors Euclid Division, Terex. Today, the headquarters of Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. are located in the former Terex plant.

Other notable businesses located in Hudson:
*MGA Entertainment's brand Little Tikes. On September 11, 2006, it was announced that the brand would be sold by Newell Rubbermaid [ http://www.mgae.com/press_releases/press_releases.asp MGA Entertainment press release. retrieved September 12, 2006. ] .
*The Flood Company [ http://www.flood.com/Flood/DIY/AboutFlood/CompanyHistory.htm Flood Company History. retrieved July 9, 2006. ]
*Allstate Insurance
*Windstream Communications, Inc. (previously Alltel, Western Reserve Telephone Company, Mid-Continent Telephone Company)
*Little Tikes manufacturing, development, and distribution for infant/toddler toys in North America.
* LeafFilter North, Inc. - Largest LeafFilter Gutter Protection Dealer in North America

Retail

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. A unique McDonald's restaurant, built to look like a farmhouse, opened in 1985. The building's design was one of many that McDonald's submitted to appease Hudson's Architectural and Historic Board of Review. Expansions of the plaza continued through the 1990s. The original building, housing Acme, was extensively renovated in 2000.

Most of the remaining retail is located along Darrow Road, about one mile (1.6 km) south of the center of town. These are additional small retail plazas and freestanding buildings.

2004 marked the opening of [http://www.firstandmainhudson.com First & Main] , a mixed-use development just west of North Main Street. The Hudson Library & Historical Society relocated here in 2005.

Public transportation

Almost no public transportation. There are some services from METRO RTA. However, everything is completely accessible by foot or bike.

Culture and religion

In 1984, Hudson and Landsberg am Lech, Bavaria, Germany, became sister cities. [ http://www.hudson.oh.us/profile/sistercity.asp City of Hudson: Sister City. retrireved July 9, 2006. ]

There are many churches and other places of worship in Hudson.
* The First Congregational Church of Hudson, United Church of Christ [http://www.hudsonucc.org/ web]
* St. Mary Catholic Church [http://www.stmaryhudson.cc/ web]
* Gloria Dei Lutheran Church [http://www.gloriadeihudson.org web]
* Hudson United Methodist Church [http://www.gbgm-umc.org/hudsonumc/ web]
* Evangelical Covenant Church of Hudson [http://www.eccoh.org/ web]
* Christ Church Episcopal [http://www.christchurchhudson.org/ web]
* Holy Trinity Anglican Church [http://www.hudsonanglican.com web]
* Church of Christ, Scientist
* Hope Community Church
* Rejoice! Lutheran Church [http://www.rejoicelc.org/ web]
* Western Reserve Christian Church
* Hudson Community Chapel [http://www.hudsonchapel.org web]
* Grace Presbyterian Church
* Hudson Presbyterian Church
* Presbyterian Church of Hudson PCUSA
* Western Reserve Community Church [http://www.westernreserve.org web]

Synagogue:
* Temple Beth Shalom [http://www.tbshudson.org web]

Parks and recreation

The Hudson Park Board oversees more than one thousand acres (4 km²) of parkland in the city [ http://www.hudson.oh.us/elements/parks%20brochure.pdf Hudson Parks brochure. retrieved July 9, 2006. ] . The most prominent property is Hudson Springs Park, which has a lake, a walking trail, and docks. 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.

On multiple occasions, High Point Park has been the subject of criminal mischief in the Hudson Hub, a local newspaper. In 2000, the park's natural gas well was set on fire and contributed to a blaze that scorched 1-2 acres of grassland. Three juveniles were charged with arson. The park has also been home to some of the largest tree houses in Ohio. Police have dismantled three forts colloquially known as "moon towers," each standing in excess of convert|40|ft|m and visible from Google Earth. [cite web | url = http://earth.google.com | title = Google Earth | publisher = Google]

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, 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/sq mi (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.

The community is quite affluent, with a median income for a household in the city of $99,156, and a median income for a family of $107,612. 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. In places with a population higher than 10,000, Hudson has the highest median household income in Ohio and the 69th highest in the US.

Historical census population figures

Number of Township and Village residents:
*1950: 2,877
*1960: 4,977
*1970: 8,395
*1980: 12,643
*1990: 17,128 [ Caccamo, James F. The Story of Hudson Ohio. Hudson, Ohio: The Friends of the Hudson Library, Inc. 1995. p. 43 ]

ee also

*Hudson Township, Summit County, Ohio
*

References

External links

* [http://www.hudson.oh.us/ The City of Hudson (local government)]
* [http://www.thinkohiothinkhudson.com/ Hudson Economic Development]
* [http://www.hudson.edu/ Hudson City School District]
* [http://www.hudsonrugbyclub.org/ Hudson Rugby Club Website]
* [http://www.hudsonlibrary.org/ The Hudson Library & Historical Society]
* [http://www.wra.net/ Western Reserve Academy]
* [http://hha.wrsg.net/ Hudson Heritage Association]
* [http://www.hudsoncoc.org/ Hudson Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.explorehudson.com/ Explore Hudson - Your Online Guide to Hudson]
* [http://www.hudsonnewcomers.org/ Hudson Newcomers]
* [http://www.hudsonohonline.com/ Hudson Ohio Community and Online Shopping]
* [http://www.discoverhudson.com/ Discover Hudson, Ohio]
* [http://www.hudsonsoccerohio.org/ Hudson Soccer Association]
* [http://www.hudsonplayers.com/ The Hudson Players Guild - Community Theatre]
* [http://www.hudson.oh.us/hudsongis/default.htm/ City of Hudson GIS Server]
*cite web
url = gnis3|2394437
title = Hudson, Ohio
work = Geographic Names Information System
publisher = USGS
accessdate = 2008-05-06