Findlay is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hancock CountyGR: 6. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio approximately 50 miles (80 km) south of Toledo. The population was 38,967 at the 2000 census. It is home to The University of Findlay. The city's official nickname is "Flag City, USA". Findlay is one of only two cities in Hancock County, along with Fostoria.

History

The city derives its name from a fort erected on its site in 1812 as a local outpost in the War of 1812, which was commenced by Col. James Findlay and named in honor of that officer. The history of Findlay as a village began on the 3rd of July, 1821, when Joseph Vance of Urbana, William Neill of Columbus and Elnathan Cory of New Carlisle entered the area and laid out the site. It was incorporated as a city in 1887.

During the 1880s, Findlay was a booming centre of oil and natural Gas production though the supply of petroleum had dwindled by the early 20th century. The completion of I-75 in the sixties added to the growth to Findlay.

On March 31 1892, the only known lynching in the history of Hancock County occurred when a mob of 1,000 men, many "respectable citizens", broke into the county jail in Findlay. They lynched Mr. Lytle, who had fatally injured his wife and two daughters with a hatchet the day before, by hanging him twice (first from the bridge, then a telegraph pole) and finally shooting his body over a dozen times. The authorities had intended to secretly convey the prisoner to a suburb at 1 o'clock, where a train was to have been taken for Lima, but their plans were frustrated by the mob.

Geography

Findlay is located at (41.042843, -83.642216)GR: 1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.3 square miles (44.8 km²), of which, 17.2 square miles (44.5 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (0.64%) is water.

The Blanchard River travels through the City of Findlay, flowing east to west.

Findlay is considered one of the fastest growing mid-population cities in the country.

Demographics

As of the censusGR: 2 of 2000, there were 38,967 people, 15,905 households, and 10,004 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,266.3 people per square mile (875.2/km²). There were 17,152 housing units at an average density of 997.6/sq mi (385.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.70% White, 1.40% African American, 0.19% Native American, 1.76% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.66% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.95% of the population.

There were 15,905 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.1% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.93.