Cairo, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Cairo is a village in Allen County
, Ohio
, United States
. The population was 499 at the 2000 census
. It is included in the Lima
Metropolitan Statistical Area
. As indicated above, the village's name is pronounced differently from the English name for the Egyptian city
having the same spelling: listen.
(the Lincoln Highway
) and the north-south State Route 65 ("Ottawa Road") in the middle of farming country. In the 1970s, Route 30 was upgraded and moved approximately one mile south of Cairo. Now, the east-west street in Cairo is Main Street. Cairo lies near the following towns:
The elevation of the land area of Cairo (ranges from about 812' at the west end to 842' at the east end of the village above sea level) is benchmarked at 815' above sea level, generally flat and moderately wooded. The nearest stream with year-round flow is Rattlesnake Creek which flows from south of the village and passes just to the west of the village. Water flow in the village is generally from the south and east to the north and west.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 499 people, 181 households, and 148 families residing in the village. The population density
was 2,064.0 people per square mile (802.8/km²). There were 184 housing units at an average density of 761.1 per square mile (296.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.60% White, 0.40% African American, 0.20% Asian, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.
There were 181 households out of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.2% were married couples
living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were non-families. 15.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.7% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $32,917, and the median income for a family was $39,375. Males had a median income of $34,250 versus $25,313 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $14,365. About 6.8% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.
Cairo is the hometown of Robert Franklin Jones
, attorney and United States Congressman from 1939 to 1947.
Main Street in Cairo was a part of the country's first coast to coast road, the Lincoln Highway. At various times, there were Lincoln Highway markers and monuments along Main Street. The log building located at the Northeast corner of Main Street and Route 65 is known locally as the Lincoln Log Cabin.
The village and local farm children once attended elementary school, grades 1 through 8, in Cairo and had a choice of attending either Columbus Grove or Lima Central high schools. The village was formerly a part of the Cairo Local School District. However, after the consolidation of Cairo into Bath Local School District
in the 1970s the children attend the Bath elementary and secondary schools. The Cairo Elementary building was partially demolished. The gymnasium was spared and converted into a community center.
The most distinctive physical feature of Cairo is a painted (white) concrete grain elevator
locally known as a "bean dryer" which is about 150' tall.
Just south of town on Route 65 is Lake Cody Campground.
There is a small war memorial listing the local residents who served in the armed forces
during World War II. The memorial is located on the north side of Main Street about 250 feet west of CSX Transportation
tracks, near the post office.
The former Baltimore & Ohio Railroad ("the B&O",) now a CSX line, passes through Cairo north-south about ½ mile east of and generally parallel to State Route 65. Formerly, the Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad
("the DT&I") passed through Cairo paralleling the Baltimore & Ohio right of way but about 300 feet to the east. The DT&I right-of-way is still obvious but the DT&I track was removed in the 1970s. The DT&I's successor, the Indiana & Ohio, runs through via trackage rights on the CSX. As many as 20-25 trains a day pass through Cairo on this busy rail line.
Cairo has two churches, Methodist and Congregational Christian.
The village has a single traffic control light located at the intersection of Main Street (Lincoln Highway) and Ohio Route 65.
Cairo has been well known for over 50 years as a mecca for local softball teams, highlighted annually by the Labor Day Marathon Tournament. League and tournament play dominate the spring/summer activities at Memorial Park, along with all levels of youth baseball and softball.
Allen County, Ohio
Allen County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. Its population was 106,331 as of the 2010 census. It is included in the Lima, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Lima–Van Wert–Wapakoneta Combined Statistical Area....
, 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 population was 499 at 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...
. It is included in the Lima
Lima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Lima, Ohio metropolitan area
The Lima Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of one county – Allen – in Northwest Ohio, anchored by the city of Lima. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 108,473 .-History:The Lima metropolitan area was first...
. As indicated above, the village's name is pronounced differently from the English name for the Egyptian city
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
having the same spelling: listen.
Geography
Cairo is located at the intersection of what was the east-west U.S. Route 30U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
(the Lincoln Highway
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
) and the north-south State Route 65 ("Ottawa Road") in the middle of farming country. In the 1970s, Route 30 was upgraded and moved approximately one mile south of Cairo. Now, the east-west street in Cairo is Main Street. Cairo lies near the following towns:
- LimaLima, OhioLima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
, about six miles to the south on State Route 65 - Columbus GroveColumbus Grove, OhioColumbus Grove is a village in Putnam County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,200 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Columbus Grove is located at ....
, about six miles to the north on State Route 65 - GomerGomer, OhioGomer is an unincorporated community in northern Sugar Creek Township, Allen County, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1833 by three Welshmen , Gomer was a hub of the Welsh community in America for decades. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 45809...
, about five miles to the west on the old Lincoln Highway route - BeaverdamBeaverdam, OhioBeaverdam is a village in Allen County, Ohio, United States. Its population was 356 as of the 2000 census. It is included in the Lima, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Beaverdam is located at ....
, about six miles to the east on the old Lincoln Highway route
The elevation of the land area of Cairo (ranges from about 812' at the west end to 842' at the east end of the village above sea level) is benchmarked at 815' above sea level, generally flat and moderately wooded. The nearest stream with year-round flow is Rattlesnake Creek which flows from south of the village and passes just to the west of the village. Water flow in the village is generally from the south and east to the north and west.
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 village has a total area of 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), all of it land.
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 499 people, 181 households, and 148 families residing in the village. 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 2,064.0 people per square mile (802.8/km²). There were 184 housing units at an average density of 761.1 per square mile (296.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.60% White, 0.40% African American, 0.20% Asian, and 0.80% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.
There were 181 households out of which 40.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.2% 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, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were non-families. 15.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.7% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 9.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.1 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $32,917, and the median income for a family was $39,375. Males had a median income of $34,250 versus $25,313 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 village was $14,365. About 6.8% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.4% of those under age 18 and 3.8% of those age 65 or over.
Points of interest
Cairo was formerly known as West Cairo.Cairo is the hometown of Robert Franklin Jones
Robert Franklin Jones
Robert Franklin Jones was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio.Robert F. Jones was born in Cairo, Ohio. He graduated from the Lima Central High School in Lima, Ohio, in 1924 and in 1929 from Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio, with a law degree...
, attorney and United States Congressman from 1939 to 1947.
Main Street in Cairo was a part of the country's first coast to coast road, the Lincoln Highway. At various times, there were Lincoln Highway markers and monuments along Main Street. The log building located at the Northeast corner of Main Street and Route 65 is known locally as the Lincoln Log Cabin.
The village and local farm children once attended elementary school, grades 1 through 8, in Cairo and had a choice of attending either Columbus Grove or Lima Central high schools. The village was formerly a part of the Cairo Local School District. However, after the consolidation of Cairo into Bath Local School District
Bath Local School District
Bath Local School District is a public school system located in Bath Township near Lima, Ohio. It is the only school district in Bath Township. They are a member of the Western Buckeye League ....
in the 1970s the children attend the Bath elementary and secondary schools. The Cairo Elementary building was partially demolished. The gymnasium was spared and converted into a community center.
The most distinctive physical feature of Cairo is a painted (white) concrete grain elevator
Grain elevator
A grain elevator is a tower containing a bucket elevator, which scoops up, elevates, and then uses gravity to deposit grain in a silo or other storage facility...
locally known as a "bean dryer" which is about 150' tall.
Just south of town on Route 65 is Lake Cody Campground.
There is a small war memorial listing the local residents who served in the armed forces
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
during World War II. The memorial is located on the north side of Main Street about 250 feet west of CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
tracks, near the post office.
The former Baltimore & Ohio Railroad ("the B&O",) now a CSX line, passes through Cairo north-south about ½ mile east of and generally parallel to State Route 65. Formerly, the Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad
Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad
The Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad was a railroad that operated between its namesake cities of Detroit, Michigan and Ironton, Ohio via Toledo between 1905 and 1983.-Early history:...
("the DT&I") passed through Cairo paralleling the Baltimore & Ohio right of way but about 300 feet to the east. The DT&I right-of-way is still obvious but the DT&I track was removed in the 1970s. The DT&I's successor, the Indiana & Ohio, runs through via trackage rights on the CSX. As many as 20-25 trains a day pass through Cairo on this busy rail line.
Cairo has two churches, Methodist and Congregational Christian.
The village has a single traffic control light located at the intersection of Main Street (Lincoln Highway) and Ohio Route 65.
Sports History
Baseball has long been a significant part of the village's recreational and social activities. In 1985 the Cairo little league team finished the season with a 14-0 record and were Tourney Champs defeating all other local teams.Cairo has been well known for over 50 years as a mecca for local softball teams, highlighted annually by the Labor Day Marathon Tournament. League and tournament play dominate the spring/summer activities at Memorial Park, along with all levels of youth baseball and softball.