Centerburg, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Centerburg is a village in Knox County
, Ohio
, United States
, along the North Fork of the Licking River
. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 1,773.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.
Although Centerburg lies near the geographic center of the state, hence the name, the actual center of the state is located about 25 miles north-northeast of Columbus
, in Delaware County
.
of 2000, there were 1,432 people, 504 households, and 363 families residing in the village. The population density
was 2,228.5 people per square mile (863.9/km2). There were 537 housing units at an average density of 835.7 per square mile (324.0/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 97.91% White, 0.49% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.07% from other races
, and 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.07% of the population.
There were 504 households out of which 42.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples
living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the village the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $39,750, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $34,097 versus $27,353 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $16,764. About 3.6% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
all run near or through Centerburg.
During the days of early Ohio history, it served as a stagecoach
stop, then later a railroad town. The Big Four Division of the New York Central Railroad
and the Panhandle Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad
used Centerburg as a rural stop during the peak of passenger train travel in the US.
The Centerburg Local Schools have recently gone through a major makeover in the facilities. A new high school/junior high school campus was opened in 2003. The existing Elementary campus also went through renovations. The Mayor's office and council currently use the recently renovated Masonic Temple
as city hall. In addition, the Centerburg Public Library is one of the oldest independent libraries in Central Ohio.
The Old Time Farming Festival, the Centerburg USA 4th of July
Festival, and the nearby Hartford Fair are major events for people in the area.
The village and Hilliar Township is protected by the Knox County
Sheriff's Department for law enforcement. The Central Ohio Joint Fire District takes care of fire and rescue duties with Hilliar, Liberty, Milford townships in Knox County; as well as South Bloomfield township in Morrow County and mutual aid to other parts of Central Ohio.
's fictional hero Homer Price
's hometown, but there appear to be few similarities between the actual town and McCloskey's storied version.
Centerburg was featured in part in the documentary ...So Goes the Nation, representing rural Ohio (and in turn rural America) during the 2004 presidential election
.
In 2009, the Centerburg Local School Board voted to cancel that year's graduation ceremony in response to a cheating scandal, even though only one person out of the entire 97-student graduating class was ever proven guilty of cheating. Television stations in nearby Columbus
covered the unofficial graduation ceremony held at Hillar Park.
Ohio-native filmmaker Blake Hutchison is currently working on a documentary project currently titled "Innocent until Proven Guilty" which will include a piece on the class of 2009.
Knox County, Ohio
Knox County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of 2010, the population was 60,921. Its county seat is Mount Vernon and is named for Henry Knox, an officer in the American Revolutionary War who was later the first Secretary of War....
, 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...
, along the North Fork of the Licking River
Licking River (Ohio)
The Licking River is a tributary of the Muskingum River, about 40 mi long, in central Ohio in the United States. Via the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River.-Course:...
. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 1,773.
Geography
Centerburg is located at 40.304377°N 82.695580°W.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 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.
Although Centerburg lies near the geographic center of the state, hence the name, the actual center of the state is located about 25 miles north-northeast of Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, in Delaware County
Delaware County, Ohio
Delaware County is a fast-growing suburban county in the state of Ohio, United States, within the Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. According to the United States Census Bureau's 2004 population estimates, Delaware County's population of 142,503 made it the fastest growing county in...
.
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 1,432 people, 504 households, and 363 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 2,228.5 people per square mile (863.9/km2). There were 537 housing units at an average density of 835.7 per square mile (324.0/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 97.91% White, 0.49% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.07% 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 0.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.07% of the population.
There were 504 households out of which 42.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% 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, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.8% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the village the population was spread out with 29.3% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $39,750, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $34,097 versus $27,353 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 $16,764. About 3.6% of families and 5.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
About
State Route 3, US Route 36, and State Route 314Ohio State Route 314
State Route 314 is a north–south state highway in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. The southern terminus of SR 314 is at a T-intersection with the duplex of U.S. Route 36 and SR 3 in Centerburg...
all run near or through Centerburg.
During the days of early Ohio history, it served as a stagecoach
Stagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
stop, then later a railroad town. The Big Four Division of the New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
and the Panhandle Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
used Centerburg as a rural stop during the peak of passenger train travel in the US.
The Centerburg Local Schools have recently gone through a major makeover in the facilities. A new high school/junior high school campus was opened in 2003. The existing Elementary campus also went through renovations. The Mayor's office and council currently use the recently renovated Masonic Temple
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
as city hall. In addition, the Centerburg Public Library is one of the oldest independent libraries in Central Ohio.
The Old Time Farming Festival, the Centerburg USA 4th of July
Independence Day (United States)
Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain...
Festival, and the nearby Hartford Fair are major events for people in the area.
The village and Hilliar Township is protected by the Knox County
Knox County, Ohio
Knox County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of 2010, the population was 60,921. Its county seat is Mount Vernon and is named for Henry Knox, an officer in the American Revolutionary War who was later the first Secretary of War....
Sheriff's Department for law enforcement. The Central Ohio Joint Fire District takes care of fire and rescue duties with Hilliar, Liberty, Milford townships in Knox County; as well as South Bloomfield township in Morrow County and mutual aid to other parts of Central Ohio.
Notable residents
- Doug DavisDoug Davis (American football)Douglas Sherone Davis is a former professional American football tackle for seven seasons for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League.He died on the 10 February 2011, he was 66....
- lineman for the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
during the 1960s
Publicity and Media
Centerburg is also the name for Robert McCloskeyRobert McCloskey
Robert McCloskey was an American author and illustrator of children's books. McCloskey wrote and illustrated eight books, two of which won the Caldecott Medal, the American Library Association's annual award of distinction for children's book illustration.Many of McCloskey's books were set on the...
's fictional hero Homer Price
Homer Price
Homer Price is the title character of a pair of children's books written by Robert McCloskey. Homer Price was published in 1943, and Centerburg Tales in 1951.-Characters:Homer lives in Centerburg, a small town in Ohio just north of Columbus...
's hometown, but there appear to be few similarities between the actual town and McCloskey's storied version.
Centerburg was featured in part in the documentary ...So Goes the Nation, representing rural Ohio (and in turn rural America) during the 2004 presidential election
United States presidential election, 2004
The United States presidential election of 2004 was the United States' 55th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. Republican Party candidate and incumbent President George W. Bush defeated Democratic Party candidate John Kerry, the then-junior U.S. Senator...
.
In 2009, the Centerburg Local School Board voted to cancel that year's graduation ceremony in response to a cheating scandal, even though only one person out of the entire 97-student graduating class was ever proven guilty of cheating. Television stations in nearby Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
covered the unofficial graduation ceremony held at Hillar Park.
Ohio-native filmmaker Blake Hutchison is currently working on a documentary project currently titled "Innocent until Proven Guilty" which will include a piece on the class of 2009.