Kenton, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Kenton is a city in and the county seat
of Hardin County
, Ohio
, United States
, along the Scioto River
. The population was 8,262 at the 2010 census. It is named for Kentucky/Ohio frontiersman, Simon Kenton
. It is the seat of Hardin County.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (11.9 km²), of which, 4.5 square miles (11.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.97%) is water.
. It started out as a center for agriculture trade, then in the late 19th century developed industry common to 19th century America. Kenton was home to the Gene Autry
toy cap gun manufacturing plant for some time.
of 2010, there were 8,262 people, 3,351 households, and 2,092 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,836 people per square mile (712.2/km²). There were 3,773 housing units at an average density of 838.4 per square mile (325.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.2% White, 0.9% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.9% from other races
, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.90% of the population.
There were 3,351 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.1% were married couples
living together, 6.6% had a male householder with no wife present, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.4 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.1% under the age of 20, 6.5% from 20 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.2 years. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males.
2010 Data for income was unavailable, the following is 2000 census data. The median income for a household in the city was $29,065, and the median income for a family was $37,170. Males had a median income of $31,225 versus $19,413 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,324. About 11.6% of families and 16.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 17.2% of those age 65 or over.
, and Westview, a kindergarten.
Simon Kenton, a special education school, is run by a different Board of Education and is connected with Harco Workshop for Developmental Disabilities.
is Kenton High School, with the nickname, the "Wildcats". The Wildcat football team won consecutive state championships in 2001 and 2002 in division IV and runner-up in 2003 in division III.
, a radio station; and The Kenton Times
, a daily newspaper.
in 2001 which ended in Kenton. The train, led by CSX Transportation SD40-2 #8888, left its Walbridge, Ohio rail yard and rumbled on a 66-mile journey through northwest Ohio with no one at the controls, due to the throttle being applied on full instead of a brake. Two of the train's tank cars contained thousands of gallons of molten phenol, a toxic ingredient of paints and dyes harmful when it is inhaled, ingested, or comes into contact with the skin. For two hours, the train traveled along at speeds up to 47 miles per hour until the crew of a second train coupled onto the runaway and slowly applied its brakes. Once #8888 was slowed down to a speed of 11 miles per hour, a CSX employee, trainmaster Jon Hosfeld, ran alongside the train and climbed aboard, shutting down the locomotive. The train was stopped just southeast of Kenton.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Hardin County
Hardin County, Ohio
Hardin County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 32,058. Its county seat is Kenton and is named for John Hardin, an officer in the American Revolution.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, along the Scioto River
Scioto River
The Scioto River is a river in central and southern Ohio more than 231 miles in length. It rises in Auglaize County in west central Ohio, flows through Columbus, Ohio, where it collects its largest tributary, the Olentangy River, and meets the Ohio River at Portsmouth...
. The population was 8,262 at the 2010 census. It is named for Kentucky/Ohio frontiersman, Simon Kenton
Simon Kenton
Simon Kenton was a famous United States frontiersman and friend of Daniel Boone, Simon Girty, Spencer Records and Isaac Shelby.-Family and early life:Simon Kenton was alive even before Ohio was a state...
. It is the seat of Hardin County.
Geography
Kenton is located at 40°38′48"N 83°36′31"W (40.646555, -83.608706).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (11.9 km²), of which, 4.5 square miles (11.7 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.97%) is water.
History
In 1845 Kenton was incorporated as a village, and became a city in 1886. Kenton is named after frontiersman Simon KentonSimon Kenton
Simon Kenton was a famous United States frontiersman and friend of Daniel Boone, Simon Girty, Spencer Records and Isaac Shelby.-Family and early life:Simon Kenton was alive even before Ohio was a state...
. It started out as a center for agriculture trade, then in the late 19th century developed industry common to 19th century America. Kenton was home to the Gene Autry
Gene Autry
Orvon Grover Autry , better known as Gene Autry, was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s...
toy cap gun manufacturing plant for some time.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2010, there were 8,262 people, 3,351 households, and 2,092 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,836 people per square mile (712.2/km²). There were 3,773 housing units at an average density of 838.4 per square mile (325.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.2% White, 0.9% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.9% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.90% of the population.
There were 3,351 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.6% had a male householder with no wife present, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.4 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.1% under the age of 20, 6.5% from 20 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.2 years. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males.
2010 Data for income was unavailable, the following is 2000 census data. The median income for a household in the city was $29,065, and the median income for a family was $37,170. Males had a median income of $31,225 versus $19,413 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,324. About 11.6% of families and 16.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 17.2% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Kenton is home to the Kenton City School district. There are three elementary schools, Espy, Northwood, and Hardin Central, Kenton Middle School, Kenton High SchoolKenton High School (Kenton, Ohio)
Kenton High School is a public high school in Kenton, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Kenton City Schools district. Their nickname is the Wildcats. They are members of the Western Buckeye League.-OHSAA State Champions:* Football – 2001, 2002...
, and Westview, a kindergarten.
Simon Kenton, a special education school, is run by a different Board of Education and is connected with Harco Workshop for Developmental Disabilities.
Sports and recreation
The local high schoolSecondary education in the United States
In most jurisdictions, secondary education in the United States refers to the last six or seven years of statutory formal education. Secondary education is generally split between junior high school or middle school, usually beginning with sixth or seventh grade , and high school, beginning with...
is Kenton High School, with the nickname, the "Wildcats". The Wildcat football team won consecutive state championships in 2001 and 2002 in division IV and runner-up in 2003 in division III.
Media
There are two media outlets currently operating in Kenton: WKTNWKTN
WKTN is one of two radio stations operating in Hardin County, Ohio, United States. The other station is WONB, a college radio station that is a part of the Ohio Northern University.-Format and ownership:The format of WKTN is an A/C Mix Variety....
, a radio station; and The Kenton Times
The Kenton Times
The Kenton Times is one of two newspapers operating in Hardin County, Ohio. The other is The Ada Herald, a local newspaper operating in Ada, Ohio.-Staff:...
, a daily newspaper.
Attractions
Kenton has a variety of attractions and available activities. The Hardin County Courthouse is a historical site in the center of Kenton. Kenton is home to one library, the Mary Lou Johnson Hardin County District Library (http://www.mljlibrary.org). It has two museums; The Hardin County Historical Museum and The Organette House Mechanical Music Museum. In terms of entertainment, Kenton has the Kenton Theater or the Hi-Road Drive in. For fun you can also go to the local YMCA to play basketball, lift, or swim. There is also an outdoor pool that is now run by the YMCA during the summer months. There are many one of a kind options to eat such as BR Brunsons, a homestyle restaurant. There is also En Lai, a Chinese Restaurant, Salsa's Mexican Restaurant, Michael Angelo's Pizza and Jolene's Cozy Cafe, among many others. Kenton also has a large Amish population where you can buy produce, baked goods, and get furniture. The week of Labor Day is the duration of the Hardin County Fair.CSX 8888 Incident
The movie Unstoppable is loosely based on the "Crazy Eights" unmanned train incidentCSX 8888 incident
The CSX 8888 incident, also known as the Crazy Eights incident, involved an unmanned runaway train led by CSX Transportation locomotive #8888, an EMD SD40-2, that was pulling a freight train consisting of 47 cars, some of them loaded with hazardous chemicals. The train ran uncontrolled for two...
in 2001 which ended in Kenton. The train, led by CSX Transportation SD40-2 #8888, left its Walbridge, Ohio rail yard and rumbled on a 66-mile journey through northwest Ohio with no one at the controls, due to the throttle being applied on full instead of a brake. Two of the train's tank cars contained thousands of gallons of molten phenol, a toxic ingredient of paints and dyes harmful when it is inhaled, ingested, or comes into contact with the skin. For two hours, the train traveled along at speeds up to 47 miles per hour until the crew of a second train coupled onto the runaway and slowly applied its brakes. Once #8888 was slowed down to a speed of 11 miles per hour, a CSX employee, trainmaster Jon Hosfeld, ran alongside the train and climbed aboard, shutting down the locomotive. The train was stopped just southeast of Kenton.
Notable natives and residents
- John R. GoodinJohn R. GoodinJohn Randolph Goodin was a nineteenth century politician, lawyer, judge and editor from Ohio and Kansas....
, DemocraticDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
congressman from Kansas - William Lawrence, RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
congressman involved with the attempt to impeach Andrew JohnsonAndrew JohnsonAndrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American... - Jacob ParrottJacob ParrottJacob Wilson Parrott was the first recipient of the Medal of Honor, a new military award first presented by the United States Department of War to several soldiers for their participation in the Great Locomotive Chase....
, first recipient of the Medal of HonorMedal of HonorThe Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her... - Paul RobinsonPaul Robinson (comic strip artist)Paul Dowling Robinson was a comic strip artist best known for his long-run Etta Kett comic strip.Born in Kenton, Ohio, Robinson was the son of an iron moulder, and the Robinson family were farmers in Buck, Ohio by 1910...
, creator of the long-run Etta Kett comic strip for King Features SyndicateKing Features SyndicateKing Features Syndicate, a print syndication company owned by The Hearst Corporation, distributes about 150 comic strips, newspaper columns, editorial cartoons, puzzles and games to nearly 5000 newspapers worldwide... - Brigadier GeneralBrigadier GeneralBrigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
John (Mike) Murray, Deputy Commanding General (Maneuver), 1st Cavalry Division1st Cavalry Division1st Cavalry Division can refer to several cavalry units:* 1st Cavalry Division * 1st Cavalry Division * 1st Cavalry Division * 1st Cavalry Division * 1st Indian Cavalry Division...
, United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...