Sidney, Ohio

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sidney is a city in Shelby County, Ohio, United States. The population was 20,211 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Shelby County^GR6.

1 Geography
2 Architecture
3 Demographics
4 History
5 Yellow Jackets
6 Railroad History
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Geography

Sidney is located at 40°17′23″N, 84°9′40″W (40.289683, -84.161040)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 27.2 km² (10.5 mi²). 27.0 km² (10.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.67%) is water.

Sidney has a small municipal airport located south of the city limits. The airport is used mostly for hobbyists and private airplanes.

[edit] Architecture

Image:00.jpg

Sidney downtown, with the municipal courts in the Monumental Building.

Shelby County courthouse.

Sidney features some unusual architecture for a small town, including the 1883 Italianate courthouse, the 1877 Gothic revival Monumental Building, dedicated to the county's Civil War dead,the 1918 early-modern Thrift Building, designed by Louis Sullivan, a National Historic Landmark, and the "smallest house in Sidney" on Shelby Street.

The Big Four Bridge is a local landmark that has carried rail traffic since 1923.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 20,211 people, 7,981 households, and 5,371 families residing in the city. The population density was 748.2/km² (1,938.5/mi²). There were 8,557 housing units at an average density of 316.8/km² (820.7/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 92.61% White, 3.06% African American, 0.24% Native American, 1.87% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 1.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.30% of the population.

There were 7,981 households out of which 34.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 27.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city the population was spread out with 28.1% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $38,663, and the median income for a family was $45,672. Males had a median income of $35,127 versus $22,497 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,075. About 9.4% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.5% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] History

Unusual architecture of the 1918 Thrift Building, home to the People's Federal Savings and Loan.

Sidney has two railroad lines. Both were built independently in the 1850s.

Until the 1960s one could board the Knickerbocker in Sidney and then step down in Grand Central Terminal in New York City. The east-west line was built as the Bellefontaine and Indiana Railroad which ran from Galion, Ohio to Union City on the Ohio-Indiana border. It was built in conjunction with the Indianapolis and Bellefontaine Ralroad, thus providing a route from Cleveland and the East to Indianapols, and later St. Louis. In 1864, the two were merged into the "Bee" Line: the Bellefontaine Railway, in 1869, into the first "Big Four": the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railway, and in 1889, into the second "Big Four": the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway. In the early 1920s, this railroad relocated its tracks from downtown Sidney to the south edge of the city over the then new Big Four concrete arch bridge. Early in the twentieth century, it was leased by the New York Central System. Later the Big Four was taken over by the Penn Central, then Conrail, and finally CSX Transportation.

In the 1950s one could board a train in Sidney and step down in Cincinnati or New Orleans. The north-south line was built as the Dayton and Michigan Railroad. In the 1860s it was leased by the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad. It was taken over by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad early in the twentieth century. Later the line was taken over by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, then by CSX Transportation.

The town of Buckeye, Arizona was originally named after Sidney. Malin M. Jackson, who built Arizona's Buckeye Canal, was from Sidney.^[1]

[edit] Yellow Jackets

Sidney High School sports teams are Yellow Jackets (see External links below). The Yellow Jackets went 10-0 three straight seasons from 1968-1970 for a 30-0 record. When the school built a new stadium in 2004, it was named Sidney Memorial Stadium at 30 & O Field. The stadium is located on Campbell Road across from Copeland Industries in Sidney and also hosts home games for Lehman Catholic High School's Cavaliers.

[edit] Railroad History

Sidney has two railroad lines. Both were built independently in the 1850s.

Until the 1960s you could board the Knickerbocker in Sidney and then step down in Grand Central Terminal in New York City. This east-west line was built as the Bellefontaine and Indiana Railroad which ran from Galion, Ohio to Union City on the Ohio-Indiana border. It was built in conjunction with the Indianapolis and Bellefontaine Ralroad thus providing a route from Cleveland and the East to Indianapolis, and later St. Louis. In 1864, the two were merged into the "Bee" Line: the Bellefontaine Railway, in 1869, into the first "Big Four": the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railway, and in 1889, into the second "Big Four": the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway. In the early 1920s, this railroad relocated its tracks from downtown Sidney to the south edge of the city over the then new Big Four concrete arch bridge. Early in the twentieth century, it was leased by the New York Central System. Later the Big Four was taken over by the Penn Central, then Conrail, and finally CSX Transportation.

In the 1950's you could board a train in Sidney and step down in Cincinnati or New Orleans. This north-south line was built as the Dayton and Michigan Railroad. In the 1860's it was leased by the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad. It was taken over by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad early in the twentieth century. Later the line was taken over by the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, then by CSX Transportation.