Zanesville was named after Ebenezer Zane, who had constructed Zane's Trace, a pioneer road through present-day Ohio. He settled in the area in 1797 with his son-in-law, John McIntire, at the point where Zane's Trace met the Muskingum River.
From 1810-1812, the city was the second state capital of Ohio. The National Road runs through Zanesville as U.S. Route 40. Novelist Zane Grey, a descendant of the Zane family, was born in the city.
The city has two engineering landmarks: the Can Making Factory and its 160-year-old 50p making, designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark; and the Zanesville Y-Bridge, the only such structure in the United States still in use and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Geography
Zanesville is located at 39°56′46″N 82°0′44″W (39.946049, -82.012150), along the Muskingum River at its confluence with the Licking River.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.8 km2 (11.5 sq mi). 11.2 square miles (29 km2) of it is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) of it (2.26%) is water.
The area has important deposits of clay which were exploited by a number of pottery companies in the first half of the twentieth century. Famous companies included the Roseville pottery, Weller pottery, the Mosaic Tile Company, the American Encaustic Tiling Co and the T.B. Townsend Brick Yard under the ownership of T.B. Townsend.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 25,586 people, 10,572 households, and 6,438 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,276.8 people per square mile (878.9/km²). There were 11,662 housing units at an average density of 1,037.8 per square mile (400.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.48% White, 10.76% African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.42% from other races, and 2.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.79% of the population. 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.5% were married couples living together, 18.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% 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 2.99.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.8% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,642, and the median income for a family was $31,932. Males had a median income of $27,902 versus $20,142 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,192. About 19.3% of families and 22.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.3% of those under age 18 and 14.8% of those age 65 or over.
Transportation
The Muskingum River Canal, a major transportation artery in Zanesville in the nineteenth century
The city is served by Zanesville Municipal Airport.
Interstate 70 (I-70), a major east-west Interstate highway, passes through the city. Closely paralleling I-70 is US 40, which roughly follows the route of the original National Road. From the southwest, another US highway, US 22, approaches from Cincinnati. US 22 and US 40 run concurrently east of Zanesville to Cambridge in neighboring Guernsey County, where they split. From there, US 22 continues on a northeasterly course to Steubenville, Pittsburgh, and eventually to the New York City area. US 40 mainly remains close to I-70, and continues eastward to Wheeling, West Virginia, Baltimore, Maryland, and finally its eastern terminus, Atlantic City, New Jersey.
North-south state highways 60 and 93 (which were originally state highways 77 and 75, respectively, being renumbered when Interstates with the same numbers were built in Ohio) also pass through Zanesville. Other state routes include 666, 555, 719, and 146.
The busiest road in town is Maple Avenue, a north-south thoroughfare roughly connecting the downtown area to newer retail centers on the north edge of the city. Some other major roads include Maysville Avenue, which is a north-south route from the historic Putnam Avenue district through South Zanesville to Maysville. It is route 22 and 93. East Pike and West Pike is route 40 on both sides of Zanesville. East Pike is also route 22 and it goes from downtown to the village of New Concord. West Pike goes from Western Zanesville to the West Muskingum area.
Other moderately busy roads include North 7th Street, Sharon Avenue, Wayne Avenue, 9th Street, Underwood Street, Putnam Avenue, Adair Avenue, Newark Road, Dresden Road, Northpointe Drive, Linden Avenue, State Street, Military Road, Pine Street, Pershing Road, Maple Avenue, and Marietta Street.
Moreover, Zanesville has three historic neighborhoods: Putnam, McIntire, and the Brighton area.
Downtown
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| The view of downtown Zanesville from Putnam Hill Park |
The boundary for downtown to the north is Interstate 70, the canal to the south, Underwood Street to the east and the Muskingum River to the west. After the Civil War, the city would grow in size and gain prominence in the state in regards to manufacturing and textiles. The city was also notoriously known for its bootlegging activities in the Prohibition era. At one time, Downtown Zanesville was the premiere economic center of the city with various factories, stores, hotels, theaters, churches, and nearby neighborhoods (largely of Irish or German ethnicity). Since the 1970s, downtown has been on the decline, but the city continues to work on its image and business potential.
The Y-shaped bridge is located downtown and enables locals to give tourists directions that include “turning left or right” in the middle of the bridge. The Y-Bridge has been an aviation landmark for many years. Amelia Earhart was quoted as saying, “Zanesville is the easiest recognized city from the air because of the Y- Bridge.”
The Muskingum County Courthouse is located in Zanesville on U.S. Route 40, the National Road and the city's Main Street. The bell in the courthouse was manufactured by the same company that made the Liberty Bell.
Muskingum County Courthouse, Zanesville
Lock #10 located in Downtown Zanesville features a unique “double lock”. The Muskingum River Parkway and its 160-year-old navigation system were designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in July 2001. Other landmarks so designated are the Hoover Dam, the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge.
A growing artists' colony (10 locations) is located throughout downtown Zanesville. The monthly “First Friday” event is a popular event celebrating the local artists and their work. Two galleries opened on Main Street in November 2007. The artists' colony of Zanesville website is . The Zanesville police station and fire station are also in downtown.
Outdoor art is sited at many locations. A variety of murals depict the city's local heritage and honor war veterans. The newest mural (7th & Market Streets) is a panorama of downtown with an emphasis on the notable Y-Bridge. The John McIntire Library has an outdoor rubbing wall that tells the history of Zanesville and Muskingum County. The wall features custom ceramic tiles with historical inserts.
The Freight Shops on Market Street offer a unique setting for diners and shoppers. Located in the heart of the Zanesville railroad yard area, the Freight Shops are housed in one of the two remaining railroad structures that once supported freight and passenger services to travelers from around the world.
To the northeast of downtown, many restaurants line Underwood Street. In that area are also several hotels. The sternwheeler Lorena is docked along the Muskingum River to the west. Rides and dinners are available on it during the warmer months.
Secrest Auditorium is located on Shinnick and 5th streets. It has various performers yearly. Across 5th Street is the John McIntire Library, also home to the Muskingum County Historical Society's records.
Zanesville Y-Bridge
The Zanesville Y-Bridge, seen from a high bluff south of the river confluence.
A Y-shaped bridge (called the "Y-Bridge") spans the confluence of the Licking and Muskingum rivers. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), it is the only bridge of its type in the United States. One also stands in China. It has been rebuilt numerous times since the 1850s. Visitors to the city are often surprised when they receive directions including the statement, "Drive to the middle of the bridge and turn right."
It is the only bridge in the United States that one can cross and stay on the same side of the river. (New York City's Triborough Bridge spanning the confluence of the East River, Harlem River, and Bronx Kill has some topographic similarities to the Y Bridge, but it consists of three separate bridges which meet at an island junction in the middle of the water.)
Education
High School
Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1820 2,052
—
1830 3,094 50.8%
1840 4,766 54.0%
1850 7,929 66.4%
1860 9,229 16.4%
1870 10,011 8.5%
1880 18,113 80.9%
1890 21,009 16.0%
1900 23,538 12.0%
1910 28,026 19.1%
1920 29,569 5.5%
1930 36,440 23.2%
1940 37,500 2.9%
1950 40,517 8.0%
1960 39,077 −3.6%
1970 33,045 −15.4%
1980 28,600 −13.5%
1990 26,778 −6.4%
2000 25,586 −4.5%
Est. 2008 25,129 −1.8%
Zanesville High School is the high school for the Zanesville City Schools.
Most students living within Zanesville city limits attend Zanesville City Schools, however students with Zanesville addresses but living outside of the city limits may attend Tri-Valley High School, West Muskingum High School, Maysville High School, and Philo High School.
Also, there is one Catholic grade school in the city: Bishop Fenwick Elementary (a combination of the former St. Nicholas and St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Schools).
There are two private high schools–Bishop Rosecrans High School (Roman Catholic) and Zanesville Christian School.
College
Ohio University-Zanesville (OUZ) is a branch campus of Ohio University.
Zane State College, formerly known as Muskingum Area Technical College, is adjacent to OUZ.
Muskingum University is located in nearby New Concord.
Library
Zanesville is served by the Muskingum County Library System.
Notable residents
Kurt Abbott, major league baseball player
Richard Basehart, actor, narrator of closing ceremonies for 1984 Summer Olympics
Thomas Townsend Brown, physicist and part-time researcher in unidentified flying objects
Elwood Bruner, California legislator in the 1890s
Catharinus P. Buckingham, American Civil War general in the Union army
Mark Dantonio, head football coach, Michigan State University
Cass Gilbert, American architect
Charles Champion Gilbert, Union army general
Mortimer D. Leggett, Union army general and superintendent of Zanesville schools
Robert S. Granger, Union army general
Zane Grey, author of Western novels
Kevin Martin, professional basketball player
Dan Patrick, sports commentator
Jay Payton, professional baseball player
Michele Redman, professional golfer
Frederick Hurten Rhead, potter
Fred R. Taylor, basketball coach
Jesse Yarnell, founded Los Angeles Mirror newspaper
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