Wikipedia

Wood County, Ohio

Wood County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 132,248.[2] Its county seat is Bowling Green.[3] The county was named for Captain Eleazer D. Wood, the engineer for General William Henry Harrison's army, who built Fort Meigs in the War of 1812.[4] Wood County is part of the Toledo, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its diagonal northwest border is formed by the Maumee River, which has its mouth at Maumee Bay on Lake Erie.

Wood County
County
Wood County Courthouse and Jail in Bowling Green, Ohio
Wood County Courthouse and Jail in Bowling Green, Ohio
Flag of Wood County
Flag
Official seal of Wood County
Seal
Map of Ohio highlighting Wood County
Location within the U.S. state of Ohio
Map of the United States highlighting Ohio
Ohio's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°22′N 83°37′W / 41.36°N 83.62°W / 41.36; -83.62
Country United States
State Ohio
FoundedApril 1, 1820[1]
Named forCaptain Eleazer D. Wood
SeatBowling Green
Largest cityBowling Green
Area
 • Total
620 sq mi (1,600 km2)
 • Land617 sq mi (1,600 km2)
 • Water3.3 sq mi (9 km2)  0.5%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
132,248 Increase
 • Density210/sq mi (80/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts5th, 9th
Websitewww.woodcountyohio.gov

History

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Wood County was established on February 12, 1820, following a treaty and land purchase from local Indian tribes.[5] Perrysburg was the first county seat, and remained the county seat until 1870, when it was moved to Bowling Green.[6]

Wood County established its first health department in 1920.[7][8]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 620 square miles (1,600 km2), of which 617 square miles (1,600 km2) is land and 3.3 square miles (8.5 km2) (0.5%) is water.[9]

Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1820733—
18301,10250.3%
18405,357386.1%
18509,15770.9%
186017,88695.3%
187024,59637.5%
188034,02238.3%
189044,39230.5%
190051,55516.1%
191046,330−10.1%
192044,892−3.1%
193050,32012.1%
194051,7962.9%
195059,60515.1%
196072,59621.8%
197089,72223.6%
1980107,37219.7%
1990113,2695.5%
2000121,0656.9%
2010125,4883.7%
2020132,2485.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2020 [2]

2000 census

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As of the census[14] of 2000, there were 121,065 people, 45,172 households, and 29,678 families living in the county. The population density was 196 people per square mile (76 people/km2). There were 47,468 housing units at an average density of 77 units per square mile (30/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.83% White, 1.27% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.03% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.45% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. 3.33% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 36.3% were of German, 9.9% American, 8.2% English, 8.0% Irish and 5.8% Polish ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 45,172 households, out of which 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.90% were married couples living together, 8.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.30% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.70% under the age of 18, 17.20% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 93.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $44,442, and the median income for a family was $56,468. Males had a median income of $40,419 versus $26,640 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,284. About 4.70% of families and 9.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.40% of those under age 18 and 5.80% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

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As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 125,488 people, 49,043 households, and 30,923 families living in the county.[15] The population density was 203.3 inhabitants per square mile (78.5 inhabitants/km2). There were 53,376 housing units at an average density of 86.5 units per square mile (33.4 units/km2).[16] The racial makeup of the county was 92.8% white, 2.4% black or African American, 1.5% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 1.3% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.5% of the population.[15] In terms of ancestry, 40.8% were German, 14.4% were Irish, 10.4% were English, 6.7% were Polish, and 5.2% were American.[17]

Of the 49,043 households, 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 36.9% were non-families, and 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.98. The median age was 35.3 years.[15]

The median income for a household in the county was $53,298 and the median income for a family was $69,768. Males had a median income of $51,038 versus $35,472 for females. The per capita income for the county was $26,671. About 6.4% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.[18]

Politics

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Wood County formerly was a Republican stronghold county, but since 1964 the county has become a bellwether county.[19] Wood County has voted for the losing candidate twice since then, Gerald Ford in 1976 and Donald Trump in 2020.

United States presidential election results for Wood County, Ohio[20]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 36,877 54.56% 30,016 44.41% 693 1.03%
2020 35,757 52.89% 30,617 45.29% 1,226 1.81%
2016 32,498 50.13% 27,318 42.14% 5,010 7.73%
2012 29,704 46.37% 32,802 51.21% 1,553 2.42%
2008 29,648 45.50% 34,285 52.61% 1,231 1.89%
2004 33,592 53.03% 29,401 46.41% 353 0.56%
2000 27,504 52.70% 22,687 43.47% 2,003 3.84%
1996 20,518 41.58% 23,183 46.98% 5,642 11.43%
1992 20,579 38.68% 20,754 39.01% 11,870 22.31%
1988 26,013 57.89% 18,579 41.35% 341 0.76%
1984 29,750 64.74% 15,907 34.62% 297 0.65%
1980 23,315 55.23% 14,139 33.49% 4,759 11.27%
1976 19,331 52.06% 16,926 45.58% 874 2.35%
1972 21,080 59.17% 13,494 37.88% 1,051 2.95%
1968 16,111 53.81% 10,867 36.30% 2,961 9.89%
1964 12,142 42.68% 16,304 57.32% 0 0.00%
1960 18,952 64.17% 10,581 35.83% 0 0.00%
1956 16,844 66.32% 8,553 33.68% 0 0.00%
1952 17,269 65.32% 9,168 34.68% 0 0.00%
1948 13,197 57.28% 9,725 42.21% 119 0.52%
1944 16,016 66.62% 8,025 33.38% 0 0.00%
1940 16,998 63.64% 9,711 36.36% 0 0.00%
1936 11,716 47.28% 11,255 45.42% 1,807 7.29%
1932 10,566 47.34% 11,332 50.78% 420 1.88%
1928 15,409 76.56% 4,612 22.92% 105 0.52%
1924 10,665 65.33% 3,291 20.16% 2,369 14.51%
1920 12,042 69.72% 4,965 28.75% 265 1.53%
1916 5,034 45.32% 5,796 52.18% 278 2.50%
1912 2,020 20.15% 4,356 43.46% 3,648 36.39%
1908 5,904 49.57% 5,625 47.23% 381 3.20%
1904 7,025 61.50% 3,630 31.78% 767 6.72%
1900 7,153 54.29% 5,752 43.66% 271 2.06%
1896 7,290 51.54% 6,653 47.04% 201 1.42%
1892 5,314 49.10% 4,748 43.87% 760 7.02%
1888 5,199 51.68% 4,431 44.05% 430 4.27%
1884 4,549 53.06% 3,753 43.78% 271 3.16%
1880 4,305 54.16% 3,441 43.29% 203 2.55%
1876 4,079 55.59% 3,245 44.23% 13 0.18%
1872 2,994 60.95% 1,896 38.60% 22 0.45%
1868 2,957 60.99% 1,891 39.01% 0 0.00%
1864 2,614 63.60% 1,496 36.40% 0 0.00%
1860 2,011 59.85% 1,330 39.58% 19 0.57%
1856 1,319 55.03% 935 39.01% 143 5.97%

Government

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See also: Ohio county government

County officials

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Office Name Party
Commissioner Doris Herringshaw Republican
Commissioner Craig LaHote Republican
Commissioner Dr. Theodore Bowlus Republican
Auditor Matthew Oestreich Republican
Clerk of Court of Common Pleas Douglas F. Cubberley Republican
Coroner Douglas W. Hess Republican
Engineer John Musteric Republican
Prosecuting Attorney Paul A. Dobson Republican
Recorder Jim Matuszak Republican
Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn Republican
Treasurer Jane Spoerl Republican
Judge of the Common Pleas Court Mary L. Mack Republican
Judge of the Common Pleas Court Joel M. Kuhlman Democrat
Judge of the Common Pleas Court Matthew Reger Republican
Judge of the Common Pleas Court (Probate) David W. Woessner Republican

Source:[21]

Libraries

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The main branch of the Wood County District Public Library
 
Way Public Library, 1892

While there is no countywide library entity, the Wood County District Public Library serves Bowling Green and other portions of the county, not otherwise served by another library entity, from its main location in Bowling Green and a branch in Walbridge.[22] In 2019, the library had a total circulation of 783,166 items and provided 1,473 programs to its patrons.[23] Total holdings in 2019 were 158,861 print materials, 21,469 video recordings, 12,967 audio recordings, and 171 periodical subscriptions.[23]

Additional libraries include:

A small portion of the county located in the Fostoria city limits is served by the Kaubisch Memorial Public Library, located in the Seneca County portion of the city.

All Wood County and Fostoria library locations participate in Woodlink, a joint catalog system.[24]

Communities

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Map of Wood County, Ohio with municipal and township labels

Cities

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Villages

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Townships

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[25]

Census-designated places

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Unincorporated communities

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Economy

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According to the 2019 Wood County Comprehensive annual report, these were the largest employers in the county.[26]

# Employer # of employees
1 Bowling Green State University 3,300
2 Magna 2,200
3 First Solar, Inc 1,200
4 Owens Community College 1,000
5 Waltrust/Walgreen Company 1,000
6 Wood County Hospital 875
7 Wood County 842
8 FedEx Ground 800
9 Fiat Chrysler Automobiles 800
10 Home Depot 750

Community Resources

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The Cocoon

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The Cocoon is a protective shelter for sexual and domestic violence victims in Wood County, Ohio. Beyond providing housing for survivors and their families, The Cocoon provides medical counsel, legal counsel, and support in finding permanent employment and residence.[27] Organizing for the shelter began in 2000 with Bowling Green State University's Women's Center and Transformation Project in response to a rise in domestic violence homicides in Wood County. The Cocoon began operation in June 2005, and by 2012 all of its services were being conducted from its undisclosed location. By October 2015, The Cocoon had integrated sexual violence recovery and support as part of its programs.[28]

Like many community organizations, The Cocoon faced sharp budget cuts during the COVID-19 Pandemic. When the United States began lock downs in March 2020, The Cocoon witnessed a forty percent increase in calls from survivors and a fifty percent increase in sexual violence reports. In 2019, At the same time, the Victims of Crime Act’s fund, which provides The Cocoon with approximately half of its funding (approximately $300,000),[29] was cut by thirty-nine percent in October 2020. Although this did not halt operations, it significantly impacted The Cocoon’s ability to provide comprehensive support for survivors.[30]

In 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act granted Woods County $25 million in pandemic relief funds, of which Director Mulls requested $800,000. The Wood County Commissioners approved the request in March 2022. Commissioner Andrew Kalmar noted, “They’ve had a substantial reduction in revenue in the past few years, primarily because they’ve lost grant money from the federal government.”[31]

See also

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ "Ohio County Profiles: Wood County" (PDF). Ohio Department of Development. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 21, 2007. Retrieved April 28, 2007.
  2. ^ a b "2020 Population and Housing State Data". Census.gov.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ "Wood County data". Ohio State University Extension Data Center. Retrieved April 28, 2007.[dead link‍]
  5. ^ "History". www.woodcountyohio.gov. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  6. ^ "A Brief History of Perrysburg". www.waylibrary.info. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  7. ^ "National Public Health Week recognizes major health impacts over 100 years". Sentinel-Tribune. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  8. ^ "Health department celebrates 100-year anniversary". Sentinel-Tribune. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  9. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on May 4, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  10. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  11. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  12. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  13. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
  14. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  15. ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  16. ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  17. ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  18. ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2015.
  19. ^ David Wasserman (October 6, 2020), "The 10 Bellwether Counties That Show How Trump Is in Serious Trouble", The New York Times
  20. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  21. ^ "Wood County, Ohio | Elected Officials". www.woodcountyohio.gov.
  22. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on September 10, 2016. Retrieved October 14, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  23. ^ a b "2019 Ohio Public Library Statistics". State Library of Ohio. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  24. ^ "Woodlink". Archived from the original on September 26, 2017. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
  25. ^ "TOWNSHIP WEBSITES | Ohio Township Association". www.ohiotownships.org. Archived from the original on July 15, 2016. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  26. ^ Oestreich, Matthew. "Comprehensive Annual Financial Report" (PDF). Retrieved June 18, 2021.[permanent dead link‍]
  27. ^ "Services – The Cocoon". Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  28. ^ "About Us – The Cocoon". Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  29. ^ Writer, Peter Kuebeck, Sentinel-Tribune Staff. "BG Council asked to consider funding for Cocoon". Sentinel-Tribune. Archived from the original on November 20, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  30. ^ Perricone, Sophia (November 10, 2020). "Bowling Green domestic violence shelter faces changes after funding cut". WNWO. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  31. ^ "Cocoon – BG Independent News". Retrieved May 4, 2022.

Further reading

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  • Robert L. Blake and Cathy J. Meadows, A History of Lake Township, Wood County, Ohio. Ada, OH: Ada Herald, 1998.
  • Michael E. Brooks, The Ku Klux Klan in Wood County, Ohio. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing/The History Press, 2014.
  • Richard M. Helwig, Wood County. Galena, OH: Center for Ghost Town Research in Ohio, 1990.
  • Henry Howe, History of Wood County, Ohio, 1820-1889. Knightstown, IN: Bookmark, 1977.
  • Paul Willis Jones, Human Interest History of Wood County, Ohio. Bowling Green, OH: Wood County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, 2007.
  • M.A. Leeson, Commemorative historical and biographical record of Wood County, Ohio : its past and present : early settlement and development ... biographies and portraits of early settlers and representative citizens, etc. Chicago, IL: J.H. Beers & Co., 1897.
  • Daniel A Masters, Index to the Civil War Letters of Wood County, Ohio: From the Pages of the Wood County Independent and the Perrysburg Journal. n.c.: Daniel A. Masters, 2003.
  • John P. Nass, A Description and Quantitative Analysis of Artifacts Recovered from Fort Meigs (1813-1815), Wood County, Ohio. MA thesis. Western Michigan University, 1980.
  • Wood County Historical Society, Black Swamp Chanticleer: Newsletter of the Wood County Historical Society. Bowling Green, OH: Wood County Historical Society, 1973-
  • Wood County Historical Society, Pioneers of Wood County, Ohio: A Listing of Family Surnames Taken from a Commemorative, Historical and Biographical Record of Wood County, Ohio. Evansville, IN: Unigraphic, 1973.
  • A Brief History of Wood County and Bowling Green. Bowling Green, OH: n.p., 1908. OCLC 6545954.
  • History and Government of Wood County, Ohio: Sesquicentennial 1803-1953. Bowling Green, OH: Wood County Board of Education, 1953.
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41°22′N 83°37′W / 41.36°N 83.62°W / 41.36; -83.62

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