Ohio Real Estate & Relocation Guide

Barberton, Ohio

Population: 27,899

Located in Summit County

The city of Barberton, Ohio had it's beginnings from a group a small farms owned by various individuals. In January of 1890 Ohio Columbus Barber, through the Barberton Land Development Company, purchased the original 600 acres of land that would eventually become Barberton. William A Johnson, a civil engineer, surveyed and plated the land in 1891.

By 1892, when it was incorporated, the original scattered farms had grown into a city of 1,800. The first factory, National Sewer Pipe, helped to bring workers into the area. 1894 saw O. C. Barber bring workers in from Akron, Ohio to work at his Diamond Match Company plant. In 1899 Columbia Chemical Company opened it's soda ash plant.

In 1906, Babcock & Wilcox purchased the Consolidated Boiler Company of Barberton that eventually produced the boilers for the first nuclear powered merchant ship. In 1910 Ohio Brass bought out the Akron Hi-Potential Porcelain Co, and became the premier porcelain insulator manufacturer to the electric utility industry.

By 1910 the population was 9,400 and this again doubled by 1920 to 18,811 and by 1960 to 33,805. This explosive growth gave the city it's nick name "Magic City". In 1990, the population was 27,623. This reduction is due to the loss of some of the manufacturing companies and the general economic downturn in the northeast area of the United States.

Schools
One of the greatest assets to the community is its school system; which includes my Alma Mater, Barberton High School (Class of '73). Barberton High School has produced many fine scholars and athletes. This fine educational institution that began as 19 rooms in 1915, eventually grew to two buildings in 1939. The second building, The Industrial Arts Building, houses Greynolds Gymnasium. Barberton is in the process of building a new high school with some of the proceeds from selling Barberton Citizens Hospital to Quorum Health Group Inc.

Athletics:

Glenn "Jeep" Davis represented the United States in both the 1956 and 1960 Olympics. He won 3 gold medals in track and field events. A statue of Jeep is proudly displayed on the Barberton Library grounds. Satchel Paige, the famous black baseball player, played on one of the Barberton black baseball teams in the early 1930's. Glenn "Bo" Schembechler, University of Michigan Head Coach, started his athletic career on Barberton High School's baseball team in 1948. Bob Addis became the first Barberton High School graduate to sign a contract with a major league baseball team in 1950 (Boston Braves). George Izo, playing for the Washington Redskins, tied an NFL passing record of 99 yards (against the Cleveland Browns) in 1963. Alvin Robertson, played on the gold metal winning U. S. Olympic Basketball team in 1984. Jack Greynolds, Barberton's Basketball coach for 31 years, set an impressive lifetime record of 518 wins and 125 losses, retired from coaching in 1988.

Local Activities
Barbertonians love to have festivals and parades; and we usually do our celebrating in the middle of town. We have parades and festivals for Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. There is a beautiful spring fed lake, Lake Anna (named for O. C. Barber's daughter), surrounded by a park near the middle of town. Each spring, we hold the Cherry Blossom festival and hope the cherry trees in the park cooperate by blooming "sometime" during the festival. The park includes a gazebo where concerts are held on the weekends in summer. Also in the summer, is the Lake Anna Arts and Crafts Festival; where many talented artists display and sell their work. In the fall, we have Chickenfest (my personal favorite!), this festival celebrates the fact that we have some of the finest fried chicken restaurants in the area. For the horticulturist, we have Mumfest, a corner of the park is decorated with colorful mums provided by Yoder Brothers Nurseries.

Barberton also has a complete exercise facility, including a indoor/outdoor swimming pool and water park called "Magic Waters".