Hamilton is a city located in Butler County, Ohio. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 60,690. It is the county seat of Butler County. 2003 estimates show slight population increase.
The city's mayor is Mr. Donald Ryan. Most of the city is in the Hamilton City School District, which has been named the number one urban school district in Ohio, and its superintendent, Janet Baker, has been named Ohio's superintendent of the year.
Hamilton is located at 39°23'45" North, 84°33'54" West (39.395806, -84.564920).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 57.2 km2 (22.1 mi2). 56.0 km2 (21.6 mi2) of it is land and 1.2 km2 (0.5 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 2.13% water.
As of the census of 2000, there are 60,690 people, 24,188 households, and 15,867 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,084.3/km2 (2,808.2/mi2). There are 25,913 housing units at an average density of 463.0/km2 (1,199.0/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 88.94% White, 7.55% African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.46% from other races, and 1.28% from two or more races. 2.58% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 24,188 households out of which 31.5% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% are married couples living together, 15.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% are non-families. 29.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 11.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.45 and the average family size is 3.02.
In the city the population is spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 89.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $35,365, and the median income for a family is $41,936. Males have a median income of $32,646 versus $23,850 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,493. 13.4% of the population and 10.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 18.1% of those under the age of 18 and 9.8% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Hamilton is the 12th largest city in Ohio.
Hamilton was laid out as Fairfield in 1794, but took the name of Fort Hamilton, the army post established there by General Arthur St. Clair and named for Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton. From there, St. Clair and General Richard Butler, namesake of the county, marched north in 1791 to fight Indians. Butler was killed in the expedition. The 'father of Hamilton' and a leading statesman was James McBride.
Hamilton was first incorporated by act of the Ohio General Assembly in 1810, but lost its status in 1815 for failure to hold elections. It was reincorporated in 1827 with Rossville, the community across the Great Miami River in St. Clair Township but the two places severed their connection in 1831 only to be rejoined in 1854. It became a city in 1857. On March 14, 1867, Hamilton withdrew from the townships of Fairfield and St. Clair to form a paper township.
The paper industry, iron works, and manufacturing works thrived in Hamilton in the early to mid twentieth century due to the migration of skilled German immigrants and presence of a good water supply needed by industry; in the forms of the Great Miami River, Miami Aquafier and the old Miami Erie Canal system. Many military supplies needed for WWII were manufactured in Hamilton; including tank turrets, liberty ship and submarine engines, machined and stamped metal parts.
In the 1920s, many Chicago gangsters had second homes in Hamilton. This gave Hamilton the nickname "Little Chicago." John Dillinger is documented to have been a visitor to Hamilton. During WWII, due to the large number of gambling and prostitution establishments such as Madame Freeze's and the long row of prostitution establishments along Wood Street (now called Pershing Ave), the entire city was declared off-limits to military personel.
In the 1980s, in order to gain national recognition, Hamilton changed its name to Hamilton! (with an exclamation point).
The city is the birthplace of the late game-show host Ray Combs, and Joe Nuxhall, a star pitcher and longtime announcer for the Cincinnati Reds baseball team and also the youngest major leaguer ever. James Ruppert who murdered 11 members of his entire family on Easter Sunday in 1975 including 8 nieces and nephews, lived in Hamilton. Captain John Cleves Symmes (died 1829), constructed the Symmes Theory of Concentric Spheres and Polar Voids which contended that the earth was hollow and that the inside could be reached through the polar regions. Singer and movie star Doris Day broke her leg when riding in an automobile which was struck by a train in Hamilton.
Source:
HamiltonOH.com
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