Boardman Township, Mahoning County, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Boardman Township is one of the fourteen townships
of Mahoning County, Ohio
, United States
. The 2000 census
found 42,518 people in the township. Large portions of the township constitute the community of Boardman, Ohio
, recognized as a census-designated place
by the US Census Bureau.
Several populated places are located within the original boundaries of Boardman Township:
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the township has a total area of 23.78 square miles (61.6 km²), of which, 23.68 square miles (61.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.42%) is water.
in the late 1780s. It is the only Boardman Township statewide. Though the northern areas of Boardman are suburban spillover from Youngstown
, Boardman was traditionally an agricultural community with grain crops and apple orchards. Around the turn of the century, the railroad led to Southern Park, a horse racing facility on Washington Boulevard. Thus the area was an early draw for Youngstown urbanites.
Because of its agricultural nature, Boardman was ripe for strip development starting as early as 1950.
. It moved from Youngstown to make its headquarters in Boardman. After DeBartolo's death in 1994, the malls were acquired by Simon Realty of Indianapolis
.
Boardman Plaza on U.S. Route 224
(west of Market Street) was one of the first strip mall
s in the country. Established in 1950 by DeBartolo, the Plaza had three full-service grocery stores within a few hundred feet of each other. Today one must travel at least three miles (5 km) to get the same food service. Later, circa 1970, DeBartolo opened the more contemporary Southern Park Mall
, near the intersection of US 224 and Market Street.
The fast food
chain Arby's
opened its first location in Boardman in 1964. The store remains open on Route 224 near the Southern Park Mall, owned and operated by the now internationally-known chain.
Also around 1950, the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, one of the great steel
makers in the country, opened a modern new suburban headquarters in Boardman (right across Market Street from the DeBartolo Corporation). Here, a whole new "suburban" work environment was started; with a white shirt dress code, it was antiseptic and wholly removed from the dirt and grit of the Mahoning Valley
farther north.
When Youngstown Sheet and Tube closed around 1980, a nice campus was left for others to develop. Today, the former headquarters is the center of many medical offices and a branch of Youngstown State University
.
Bernie Kosar
, the former Cleveland Browns
quarterback
, grew up in Boardman. Kosar's eight year career with the Browns made him one of the most popular football players in Ohio history.
.
Civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
of Mahoning County, 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 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
found 42,518 people in the township. Large portions of the township constitute the community of Boardman, Ohio
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...
, recognized as a census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
by the US Census Bureau.
Geography
Centered at 41°2'20" North, 80°39'55" West in the central part of the county, it borders the following townships and municipalities:- YoungstownYoungstown, OhioYoungstown 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...
- north - StruthersStruthers, OhioStruthers is a city in Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. The population was 12,036 at the 2000 census. Struthers is served by a branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County. It is part of the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :John...
- northeast - Poland TownshipPoland Township, Mahoning County, OhioPoland Township is one of the fourteen townships of Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 14,711 people in the township, 11,845 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
and PolandPoland, OhioPoland is a village in Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. The population was 26,866 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
- east - Springfield TownshipSpringfield Township, Mahoning County, OhioSpringfield Township is one of the fourteen townships of Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 6,054 people in the township.-Geography:...
- southeast - Beaver TownshipBeaver Township, Mahoning County, OhioBeaver Township is one of the fourteen townships of Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 6,466 people in the township, 6,104 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
- south - Canfield TownshipCanfield Township, Mahoning County, OhioCanfield Township is one of the fourteen townships of Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 14,624 people in the township, 7,250 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
- west - Austintown TownshipAustintown Township, Mahoning County, OhioAustintown Township is one of the fourteen townships of Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 38,001 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northern part of the county, it borders the following townships:...
- northwest corner
Several populated places are located within the original boundaries of Boardman Township:
- Part of the village of PolandPoland, OhioPoland is a village in Mahoning County, Ohio, United States. The population was 26,866 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, in the east - Part of the city of YoungstownYoungstown, OhioYoungstown 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...
, in the northeast - The census-designated placeCensus-designated placeA census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
of BoardmanBoardman, OhioBoardman 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...
, all the rest of the township except the southeastern and southwestern corners
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 township has a total area of 23.78 square miles (61.6 km²), of which, 23.68 square miles (61.3 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.42%) is water.
Name and history
Boardman Township was founded by Elijah BoardmanElijah Boardman
Elijah Boardman was a United States Senator from Connecticut. Born to a noted and politically connected Connecticut family, he served in the United States Army before becoming a noted merchant and businessman. Becoming involved in property and land ownership in Connecticut and Ohio, he founded the...
in the late 1780s. It is the only Boardman Township statewide. Though the northern areas of Boardman are suburban spillover from 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...
, Boardman was traditionally an agricultural community with grain crops and apple orchards. Around the turn of the century, the railroad led to Southern Park, a horse racing facility on Washington Boulevard. Thus the area was an early draw for Youngstown urbanites.
Because of its agricultural nature, Boardman was ripe for strip development starting as early as 1950.
A mall and more
One person who made a huge mark in the area was Edward DeBartolo, Sr., who is best remembered as the father of the American shopping mallShopping 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...
. It moved from Youngstown to make its headquarters in Boardman. After DeBartolo's death in 1994, the malls were acquired by Simon Realty of Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
.
Boardman Plaza on U.S. Route 224
U.S. Route 224
U.S. Route 224 is a spur of U.S. Route 24. It currently runs for 289 miles from New Castle, Pennsylvania at Pennsylvania Route 18 to Huntington, Indiana at U.S. Route 24. It passes through the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana...
(west of Market Street) was one of the first strip mall
Strip mall
A strip mall is an open-area shopping center where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front...
s in the country. Established in 1950 by DeBartolo, the Plaza had three full-service grocery stores within a few hundred feet of each other. Today one must travel at least three miles (5 km) to get the same food service. Later, circa 1970, DeBartolo opened the more contemporary Southern Park Mall
Southern Park Mall
The Southern Park Mall is a shopping mall in Boardman, Ohio. Originally owned by the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation when it opened in 1970, it is now owned by the Simon Property Group...
, near the intersection of US 224 and Market Street.
The fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
chain Arby's
Arby's
Arby's is a fast food restaurant chain in the United States and Canada. Roark Capital Group owns 81.5% of the company, with Wendy's Company owning the other 18.5%. It is primarily known for selling roast beef sandwiches and curly fries. The Arby's menu also includes chicken sandwiches, appetizers,...
opened its first location in Boardman in 1964. The store remains open on Route 224 near the Southern Park Mall, owned and operated by the now internationally-known chain.
Also around 1950, the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company, one of the great steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
makers in the country, opened a modern new suburban headquarters in Boardman (right across Market Street from the DeBartolo Corporation). Here, a whole new "suburban" work environment was started; with a white shirt dress code, it was antiseptic and wholly removed from the dirt and grit of 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...
farther north.
When Youngstown Sheet and Tube closed around 1980, a nice campus was left for others to develop. Today, the former headquarters is the center of many medical offices and a branch of Youngstown State University
Youngstown State University
Youngstown State University, founded in 1908, is an urban research university located in Youngstown, Ohio, United States. As of fall 2010, there were 15,194 students and a student-faculty ratio of 19:1. It is recognized as being one of the premier schools in the country, comparable to Ivy League...
.
Bernie Kosar
Bernie Kosar
Bernard Joseph "Bernie" Kosar, Jr. is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. Kosar played for the Cleveland Browns from 1985 to 1993 and then finished his career with the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Dolphins.-Early life and high school career:A Hungarian-American...
, the former Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, grew up in Boardman. Kosar's eight year career with the Browns made him one of the most popular football players in Ohio history.
Government
The township is governed by a three-member board of trustees, who are elected in November of odd-numbered years to a four-year term beginning on the following January 1. Two are elected in the year after the presidential election and one is elected in the year before it. There is also an elected township fiscal officer, who serves a four-year term beginning on April 1 of the year after the election, which is held in November of the year before the presidential election. Vacancies in the fiscal officership or on the board of trustees are filled by the remaining trustees.Education
Local students attend either West Boulevard, Stadium Drive, Robinwood Lane, or Market Street Elementary schools, Boardman Center or Boardman Glenwood Middle Schools, and Boardman High SchoolBoardman High School (Mahoning County, Ohio)
Boardman High School is a public high school in Boardman, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Boardman Local School District. The first high school, located on Market Street, is now Boardman Center Middle School. In 1969, the new high school was built on Glenwood Ave...
.