Niles, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Niles is a city in Trumbull County
, Ohio
, United States
. The city's population was 20,932 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Youngstown
-Warren
-Boardman
, OH-PA
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
Located in the nation's former industrial belt
, the city's economy focused initially on iron manufacturing but later diversified to include steel and glass production. Niles was adversely affected by the decline of the manufacturing sector throughout the northern United States in the 1970s.
(editor of the Niles Register, a Baltimore newspaper). In 1843, the name was shortened to Niles. In the early 19th century, Heaton built a forge
and, later, a charcoal blast furnace
in the area just east of what is now the city's central park, on the west side of Mosquito Creek. Heaton is credited with producing the first bar iron in Ohio.
Niles' iron industry thrived until the late 19th century, when the economic depression of 1873 brought about the closure of the community's largest industrial firm, James Ward and Company. Plans to restore the local iron industry foundered because of the exorbitant cost of modernizing outdated mills. By the early 1900s, however, Niles was the site of companies including Ohio Galvanizing, Sykes Metal, the Niles Glass Works of the General Electric
Company, and the Niles Iron and Steel Roofing Company. Between 1900 and 1920, the city's population swelled from 7,468 to slightly over 13,000. The community's efforts to rebuild its industry suffered a temporary setback in the 1910s. Niles was one of many cities affected by statewide floods that struck in the spring of 1913. On March 23, 1913, Easter Sunday, heavy rain throughout Ohio, combined with ice and snow that was still on the ground, precipitated massive flooding. Flooding of the Mahoning River
left extensive damage and numerous casualties in Niles. Damage exceeded $3 million, and 428 people were confirmed dead.
Throughout much of the 20th century, Niles was known to most Ohioans as the birthplace of William McKinley
, the 25th President of the United States
. McKinley was born in Niles on January 29, 1843. He attended school at Niles High School (and the city's high school would eventually be renamed Niles McKinley High School
). President McKinley's assassination in 1901 shocked the nation and particularly saddened residents of northeastern Ohio. In 1915, Youngstown
industrialist Joseph G. Butler, Jr.
, a childhood friend of President McKinley, campaigned for the construction of the Ethan and Drama Memorial in downtown Niles. The facility currently houses the community's library as well as a small museum.
Niles' location in the Mahoning Valley
, a center of steel
production, ensured that the community would become a destination for immigrants from Southern
and Eastern Europe
in the early 20th century. Dramatic demographic change fueled ethnic and religious tension throughout the northern United States
following World War I
, and Niles proved to be no exception to this trend. In the 1920s, regional chapters of the Ku Klux Klan
targeted Niles because of its large Catholic population. The nativist organization marched through the center of Niles in May 1924, and attempted another march in June of the same year. When violence forced the Klan to cancel the second march, the event was rescheduled for November 1, 1924. The local mayor's ultimate decision to issue the Klan a permit for the march outraged many of the community's Italian- and Irish-American residents.
In response to the scheduled Klan march, an anti-Klan organization, the Knights of the Flaming Circle
, pledged to hold their own parade of 10,000 participants on the same day. On October 29, the mayor's house was bombed, due to his refusal to revoke the permit. Tensions escalated from this point on, and the city gained national attention due to the impending marches. Despite the city's pleas for assistance from the militia, they were denied. The result was 18 hours of full-blown rioting. Control was brought to the town, requiring 10 days of martial law
. Between the Klan and anti- Klan participants, 104 people were indicted. The conflict was a turning point in long-running hostilities between nativists and immigrants in the Mahoning Valley, and in its wake, the Klan's influence gradually subsided.
Niles' economy was undermined in the 1970s, when the Mahoning Valley's steel industry–already in decline–collapsed. Amid the economic challenges that followed, the community faced another natural catastrophe. On May 31, 1985, the city of Niles was struck by an F5 tornado that had its origins just west of Newton Falls
, where it destroyed much of that town. The tornado then moved through Lordstown
and Warren
, before wreaking havoc on Niles, where it flattened a skating rink and shopping mall
. The tornado also leveled dozens of houses, ripped through the city's historic Union Cemetery, injured many people, and took several lives. As it progressed toward Pennsylvania, the tornado never left the ground. In the Niles area alone, nine people were killed, and 250 were injured. Nearly 70 homes were leveled and another 65 to 70 were severely damaged. In the Mahoning and Shenango valleys a total of 25 people died and 500 people were injured, and there was $140 million in property damage. A large figure of a gorilla (an advertising tool for a now-defunct ceramic store) is all that remained standing in one district affected by the tornado. The tornado of 1985 took a path through Niles that was almost identical to that of a tornado that struck in 1947.
, the city has a total area of 8.6 square miles (22.3 km²), of which, 8.6 square miles (22.3 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.23%) is water.
of 2000, there were 20,932 people, 8,859 households, and 5,519 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,447.5 people per square mile (945.3/km²). There were 12,512 housing units at an average density of 1,112.7 per square mile (429.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.98% White, 2.27% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races
, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.
There were 5,012 households out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $65,615, and the median income for a family was $76,704. Males had a median income of $35,936 versus $23,888 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $19,410. About 6.5% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.2% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
Niles is known for its ethnic diversity, and the community hosts a large Italian-American community. The local center of Italian-American culture and tradition is Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Catholic Church. The church's annual celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel during July is considered one of Ohio's noteworthy Italian-American festivals.
The Mahoning Valley Scrappers
, a short-season Class A minor league
baseball
team, moved from Erie, Pennsylvania
, to Niles in 1999. The team plays at Eastwood Field
, located behind the Eastwood Mall
on U.S. Highway 422.
Youngstown
based boxer Kelly Pavlik
fought a nationally broadcast fight in Niles on July 1, 2003 against Rico Cason. The fight was broadcast over ESPN
's "Tuesday Night Fights", and Pavlik won the fight by knockout in the second round.
Trumbull County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 225,116 people, 89,020 households, and 61,690 families residing in the county. The population density was 365 people per square mile . There were 95,117 housing units at an average density of 154 per square mile...
, 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...
. The city's population was 20,932 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Youngstown
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
-Warren
Warren, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 46,832 people, 19,288 households and 12,035 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,912.4 people per square mile . There were 21,279 housing units at an average density of 1,322.9 per square mile...
-Boardman
Boardman, Ohio
Boardman is a census-designated place in Boardman Township, Mahoning County, Ohio, United States, just south of Youngstown. Boardman is considered to be a moderately affluent community and is one of two major retail hubs in the greater Youngstown area...
, OH-PA
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Area
The Youngstown Metropolitan Area is a metropolitan area centered on the American city of Youngstown, Ohio. According to the US Census Bureau, the metropolitan area includes Mahoning and Trumbull counties in Ohio and Mercer county in Pennsylvania...
.
Located in the nation's former industrial belt
Rust Belt
The Rust Belt is a term that gained currency in the 1980s as the informal description of an area straddling the Midwestern and Northeastern United States, in which local economies traditionally garnered an increased manufacturing sector to add jobs and corporate profits...
, the city's economy focused initially on iron manufacturing but later diversified to include steel and glass production. Niles was adversely affected by the decline of the manufacturing sector throughout the northern United States in the 1970s.
History
Niles was founded in 1806 by James Heaton, who owned one of the first iron-ore processing plants in Ohio. The town originally went by the name of Heaton's Furnace but was later renamed Nilestown, after Hezekiah NilesHezekiah Niles
Hezekiah Niles, was an American editor and publisher of the Baltimore-based national weekly news magazine, Niles' Weekly Register and the Weekly Register....
(editor of the Niles Register, a Baltimore newspaper). In 1843, the name was shortened to Niles. In the early 19th century, Heaton built a forge
Forge
A forge is a hearth used for forging. The term "forge" can also refer to the workplace of a smith or a blacksmith, although the term smithy is then more commonly used.The basic smithy contains a forge, also known as a hearth, for heating metals...
and, later, a charcoal blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
in the area just east of what is now the city's central park, on the west side of Mosquito Creek. Heaton is credited with producing the first bar iron in Ohio.
Niles' iron industry thrived until the late 19th century, when the economic depression of 1873 brought about the closure of the community's largest industrial firm, James Ward and Company. Plans to restore the local iron industry foundered because of the exorbitant cost of modernizing outdated mills. By the early 1900s, however, Niles was the site of companies including Ohio Galvanizing, Sykes Metal, the Niles Glass Works of the General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
Company, and the Niles Iron and Steel Roofing Company. Between 1900 and 1920, the city's population swelled from 7,468 to slightly over 13,000. The community's efforts to rebuild its industry suffered a temporary setback in the 1910s. Niles was one of many cities affected by statewide floods that struck in the spring of 1913. On March 23, 1913, Easter Sunday, heavy rain throughout Ohio, combined with ice and snow that was still on the ground, precipitated massive flooding. Flooding of the Mahoning River
Mahoning River
The Mahoning River is a river located in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. It joins the Shenango River to form the Beaver River and is part of the Ohio River watershed.- Physical properties :...
left extensive damage and numerous casualties in Niles. Damage exceeded $3 million, and 428 people were confirmed dead.
William McKinley
William McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
, the 25th President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. McKinley was born in Niles on January 29, 1843. He attended school at Niles High School (and the city's high school would eventually be renamed Niles McKinley High School
Niles McKinley High School
Niles McKinley High School is a four-year public high school in Niles, Ohio.As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollment of 932 students and 46.0 classroom teachers Niles McKinley High School is a four-year public high school in Niles, Ohio.As of the 2005-06 school year, the school...
). President McKinley's assassination in 1901 shocked the nation and particularly saddened residents of northeastern Ohio. In 1915, Youngstown
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
industrialist Joseph G. Butler, Jr.
Joseph G. Butler, Jr.
Joseph Green Butler, Jr. was an American industrialist, philanthropist, and popular historian. He is remembered primarily for establishing the first museum in the United States dedicated solely to American art....
, a childhood friend of President McKinley, campaigned for the construction of the Ethan and Drama Memorial in downtown Niles. The facility currently houses the community's library as well as a small museum.
Niles' location in the Mahoning Valley
Mahoning Valley
The Mahoning Valley is a geographic valley encompassing the area of northeast Ohio and northwest Pennsylvania that drains into the Mahoning River. The Mahoning River empties into the Beaver River, which empties into the Ohio River. The Mahoning River flows through Lawrence and Mercer counties in...
, a center of steel
Steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
production, ensured that the community would become a destination for immigrants from Southern
Southern Europe
The term Southern Europe, at its most general definition, is used to mean "all countries in the south of Europe". However, the concept, at different times, has had different meanings, providing additional political, linguistic and cultural context to the definition in addition to the typical...
and Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
in the early 20th century. Dramatic demographic change fueled ethnic and religious tension throughout the northern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
following World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and Niles proved to be no exception to this trend. In the 1920s, regional chapters of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
targeted Niles because of its large Catholic population. The nativist organization marched through the center of Niles in May 1924, and attempted another march in June of the same year. When violence forced the Klan to cancel the second march, the event was rescheduled for November 1, 1924. The local mayor's ultimate decision to issue the Klan a permit for the march outraged many of the community's Italian- and Irish-American residents.
In response to the scheduled Klan march, an anti-Klan organization, the Knights of the Flaming Circle
Knights of the Flaming Circle
The Knights of the Flaming Circle was one of a number of national organizations organized in the 1920s in opposition to the growing influence of the Ku Klux Klan. Unlike many of the other organizations, the Flaming Circle didn't hesitate to fight the Klan's fire with fire...
, pledged to hold their own parade of 10,000 participants on the same day. On October 29, the mayor's house was bombed, due to his refusal to revoke the permit. Tensions escalated from this point on, and the city gained national attention due to the impending marches. Despite the city's pleas for assistance from the militia, they were denied. The result was 18 hours of full-blown rioting. Control was brought to the town, requiring 10 days of martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
. Between the Klan and anti- Klan participants, 104 people were indicted. The conflict was a turning point in long-running hostilities between nativists and immigrants in the Mahoning Valley, and in its wake, the Klan's influence gradually subsided.
Niles' economy was undermined in the 1970s, when the Mahoning Valley's steel industry–already in decline–collapsed. Amid the economic challenges that followed, the community faced another natural catastrophe. On May 31, 1985, the city of Niles was struck by an F5 tornado that had its origins just west of Newton Falls
Newton Falls, Ohio
Newton Falls is a city located within Newton Township in Trumbull County, Ohio in the United States. The population was 5,002 at the 2000 census...
, where it destroyed much of that town. The tornado then moved through Lordstown
Lordstown, Ohio
Lordstown is a village in Trumbull County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Warren
Warren, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 46,832 people, 19,288 households and 12,035 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,912.4 people per square mile . There were 21,279 housing units at an average density of 1,322.9 per square mile...
, before wreaking havoc on Niles, where it flattened a skating rink and shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
. The tornado also leveled dozens of houses, ripped through the city's historic Union Cemetery, injured many people, and took several lives. As it progressed toward Pennsylvania, the tornado never left the ground. In the Niles area alone, nine people were killed, and 250 were injured. Nearly 70 homes were leveled and another 65 to 70 were severely damaged. In the Mahoning and Shenango valleys a total of 25 people died and 500 people were injured, and there was $140 million in property damage. A large figure of a gorilla (an advertising tool for a now-defunct ceramic store) is all that remained standing in one district affected by the tornado. The tornado of 1985 took a path through Niles that was almost identical to that of a tornado that struck in 1947.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 8.6 square miles (22.3 km²), of which, 8.6 square miles (22.3 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.23%) is water.
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 2000, there were 20,932 people, 8,859 households, and 5,519 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 2,447.5 people per square mile (945.3/km²). There were 12,512 housing units at an average density of 1,112.7 per square mile (429.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.98% White, 2.27% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.22% 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 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.
There were 5,012 households out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 13.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.7% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $65,615, and the median income for a family was $76,704. Males had a median income of $35,936 versus $23,888 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 $19,410. About 6.5% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.2% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those age 65 or over.
Niles is known for its ethnic diversity, and the community hosts a large Italian-American community. The local center of Italian-American culture and tradition is Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early to mid 13th centuries...
Catholic Church. The church's annual celebration of the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel during July is considered one of Ohio's noteworthy Italian-American festivals.
Attractions
- The Eastwood MallEastwood Mall (Niles)The Eastwood Mall is an indoor shopping center located in Niles, Ohio, USA, serving the Youngstown-Warren area. It contains over 200 stores and restaurants....
, built by area developer William M. CafaroWilliam M. CafaroWilliam M. Cafaro was an American pioneer in mall development who founded the Cafaro Company, one of the nation's largest commercial real estate developers.- Early years :...
, was named the largest mall complex in the United States in the spring of 2007. - Eastwood FieldEastwood FieldEastwood Field is a minor league baseball stadium located in Niles, Ohio, United States. It is currently the home of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, the Cleveland Indians affilliate in the New York - Penn League....
, home of the Mahoning Valley ScrappersMahoning Valley ScrappersThe Mahoning Valley Scrappers are a minor league baseball club based in Niles, Ohio, a city in the valley of the Mahoning River. The Scrappers play in the Pinckney Division of the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League and are affiliated with the Cleveland Indians Major League...
. - The National McKinley Birthplace MemorialNational McKinley Birthplace MemorialThe National McKinley Birthplace Memorial Library and Museum is the national memorial to President William McKinley located in Niles, Ohio. Also known as the McKinley Memorial Library, Museum & Birthplace Home, the Memorial is a 232 foot by 136 foot by 38 foot marble monument with two wings. One...
Library and Museum in downtown Niles to remember William McKinley in 1915.
Sports
| Club | League | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahoning Valley Scrappers Mahoning Valley Scrappers The Mahoning Valley Scrappers are a minor league baseball club based in Niles, Ohio, a city in the valley of the Mahoning River. The Scrappers play in the Pinckney Division of the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League and are affiliated with the Cleveland Indians Major League... |
NYPL New York - Penn League The New York – Penn League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the northeastern United States. It is classified as a "Short-Season A" league; its season starts in June, after major-league teams have signed their amateur draft picks to professional contracts, and ends in early... , Baseball |
Eastwood Field Eastwood Field Eastwood Field is a minor league baseball stadium located in Niles, Ohio, United States. It is currently the home of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, the Cleveland Indians affilliate in the New York - Penn League.... |
1999 | 1 |
The Mahoning Valley Scrappers
Mahoning Valley Scrappers
The Mahoning Valley Scrappers are a minor league baseball club based in Niles, Ohio, a city in the valley of the Mahoning River. The Scrappers play in the Pinckney Division of the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League and are affiliated with the Cleveland Indians Major League...
, a short-season Class A minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team, moved from Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
, to Niles in 1999. The team plays at Eastwood Field
Eastwood Field
Eastwood Field is a minor league baseball stadium located in Niles, Ohio, United States. It is currently the home of the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, the Cleveland Indians affilliate in the New York - Penn League....
, located behind the Eastwood Mall
Eastwood Mall (Niles)
The Eastwood Mall is an indoor shopping center located in Niles, Ohio, USA, serving the Youngstown-Warren area. It contains over 200 stores and restaurants....
on U.S. Highway 422.
Youngstown
Youngstown, Ohio
Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
based boxer Kelly Pavlik
Kelly Pavlik
Kelly Pavlik is an American professional boxer. He was The Ring, WBC, & WBO middleweight champion from when he beat Jermain Taylor on September 29, 2007 until he lost his titles to Sergio Martinez on April 17, 2010....
fought a nationally broadcast fight in Niles on July 1, 2003 against Rico Cason. The fight was broadcast over ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's "Tuesday Night Fights", and Pavlik won the fight by knockout in the second round.
Notable residents
- Joseph BangustJoseph BangustJoseph Bangust, born in Niles, Ohio, on May 30, 1915, enlisted in the United States Navy on November 16, 1938 at the Naval Training Station, San Diego, California.-Navy career:...
, World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
naval hero; received Navy CrossNavy CrossThe Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
in 1941, born in Niles - Jim CapuzziJim CapuzziJim Capuzzi is a former defensive back and quarterback in the National Football League.-Career:Capuzzi played with the Green Bay Packers for two seasons. He played at the collegiate level at University of Cincinnati and Marquette University.-References:...
, professional footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
athlete; defensive back and quarterback for the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
, born in Niles - John HlayJohn HlayJohn Hlay is a former college football running back. He was a fullback and linebacker for the Ohio State University Buckeyes from 1950 to 1952.-High school:Hlay was an All-State football player at Niles McKinley High School...
, professional football athlete; runningback, fullback and linebacker for Ohio State UniversityOhio State UniversityThe Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
in 1950s; born in Niles - Sonny HorneSonny HorneGeorge "Sonny" Horne was a professional boxer in the 1940s who faced off against opponents such as Rocky Graziano, Kid Gavilán, Pete Mead, and Artie Levine...
- professional boxer; fought Rocky GrazianoRocky GrazianoRocky Graziano, born Thomas Rocco Barbella in New York City , was an Italian American boxer. Graziano was considered one of the greatest knockout artists in boxing history, often displaying the capacity to take his opponent out with a single punch...
, Pete MeadPete MeadFelix G. "Pete" Mead was an American middleweight boxer who fought in the ring from 1942 to 1951. He was defeated in his last fight by Rocky Graziano of New York City. In 1989, Mead wrote his autobiography, Blood, Sweat and Cheers, a collector's item that can sell for as much as $135...
, Kid GavilánKid GavilanGerardo González , better known in the boxing world as Kid Gavilan, was a former world welterweight champion from Cuba...
, and others; born in Niles - William McKinleyWilliam McKinleyWilliam McKinley, Jr. was the 25th President of the United States . He is best known for winning fiercely fought elections, while supporting the gold standard and high tariffs; he succeeded in forging a Republican coalition that for the most part dominated national politics until the 1930s...
(January 29, 1843 – September 14, 1901) - 25th President of the United States, born in Niles - A. F. MoritzA. F. MoritzAlbert Frank Moritz is a poet, teacher, and scholar.Born in Niles, Ohio, Moritz was educated at Marquette University. Since 1975, he has made his home in Toronto, Ontario where he has worked variously as an advertising copywriter and executive, editor, publisher, and university professor...
, poet, born in Niles - Kenneth PatchenKenneth PatchenKenneth Patchen was an American poet and novelist. Though he denied any direct connection, Patchen's work and ideas regarding the role of artists paralleled those of the Dadaists, the Beats, and Surrealists...
(December 13, 1911 - January 8, 1972) - poet and noted figure of the Beat era, born in Niles - Bo ReinBo ReinRobert Edward "Bo" Rein was an American football and baseball player and football coach. He was a two-sport athlete at Ohio State University and served as the head football coach at North Carolina State University from 1976 to 1979, compiling a record of 27–18–1...
- former Ohio State University football and baseball player, football coach at North Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State UniversityNorth Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
and Louisiana State UniversityLouisiana State UniversityLouisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
; born and raised in Niles - Tim Ryan - U.S. Representative for the 17th district of Ohio, born in and current resident of Niles
- David ShermanDavid ShermanDavid Sherman is an American novelist who deals overwhelmingly with military themes at the small-unit tactical level. His experiences as a United States Marine during the Vietnam War show prominently in his work.-Biography:Sherman was born in Niles, Ohio...
, author, born in Niles - W. Aubrey Thomas, 19th century U.S. Representative and industrialist; resided in Niles
- Harry Mosley Stevens, inventor of the hotdogHotDogHotDog is the name of the HTML web editing tool developed by Sausage Software in the mid-1990s. At the time of its development, there were only a small number of HTML editors available on the market and HotDog gathered significant interest from web users due to its ease of use and "What you see...
; there is a park in the city named after him - Dayna VonThaer, author, born in Niles, graduated Niles McKinley High School 1994