[edit] History

Steubenville was platted as a town in 1797, immediately after the creation of Jefferson County. It was built on the site of Fort Steuben which was erected in 1786–1787 and named in honor of Baron Frederick William von Steuben. Steubenville received a city charter in 1851. The city was also a stop along the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad that connected Pittsburgh to Chicago and St. Louis.

[edit] Geography

Steubenville is located at 40°21′56″N, 80°37′53″W (40.365535, -80.631483)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 26.8 km² (10.3 mi²), all land. The city lies along the Ohio River, with the city spreading west from the floodplains to the hills that surround the city.

[edit] Government and politics

[edit] Political corruption

Steubenville has had a poor reputation of political corruption. The Department of Justice alleged that the city and the police force had subjected numerous individuals to "excessive force, false arrests, charges, and reports" and had engaged in practices regarding "improper stops, searches, and seizures." The report from the Department also states that excessive force was levied against individuals who witnessed incidents of police misconduct, and against those who were known critics of the city and its police force. Those individuals were also falsely detained if the city and the police agreed that they were "likely to complain of abuse." It also stated that the officers involved also falsified reports and tampered with official police recorders so that "misconduct would not be recorded." <ref>"Federal Civil Actions." Shielded from Justice. 8 Nov. 2006 [1].</ref> <ref>United States of America v. City of Steubenville, Steubenville Police Department, Steubenville City Manager, in his capacity as director of Public Safety, and Steubenville Civil Service Commission, Civil No. C2 97-966, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, August 28, 1997.</ref>

Over a period of 20 years, the city lost or settled out of court, 48 civil rights lawsuits involving its police force. The city paid out more than $800,000, $400,000 of which was between 1990 and 1996. As a result the city's police force earned the dubious distinction of being the second city in the nation to sign a consent decree with the federal government due to an excessive number of civil rights lawsuits. The decree signed on September 4, 1997 under the "pattern or practice" provision. Under this agreement, the city agreed to improve the training of its police officers, implement new guidelines and procedures, establish an internal affairs unit, and establish an "early warning system."

[edit] Speed cameras

The speed camera program began in 2005 and netted the city $600,000 in revenues; nearly 7,000 tickets at $85 each were issued during that timespan. In March 2006, the Jefferson County Court of Common Pleas ruled that the city ordinance of giving support to the speed camera program was illegal and unconstitutional. The city refused to remove the cameras, however, because it stated it was "bound by contract to continue the services" of Traffipax, a German corporation. Despite attempts to remove the cameras, the city continued to defy the judge's order and reinstated an identical ordinance to continue issuing citations.

In mid-2006, Attorney Gary Stern filed a class-action lawsuit against the city of Steubenville for illegally collecting fines and generating unnecessary revenue from motorists. He won the case and the city was forced to refund thousands of tickets. Gary Stearn also gathered enough signatures from the residents of the city to put forth a referendum that posed the question of whether the city's ordinance authorizing the speed camera program should continue. On November 8, 2006, the voters of Steubenville voted to end the city's speed camera program with a 76.2 percent majority <ref>"Steubenville, Ohio Voters Overwhelmingly Reject Speed Cameras." 8 Nov. 2006. theNewspaper. 8 Nov. 2006 [2].</ref>.

[edit] Demographics

City of Steubenville Population by year from the U.S. Census
2005 - 19,314 2000 - 19,015 1990 - 22,125

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 19,015 people, 8,342 households, and 4,880 families residing in the city. The population density was 711.4/km² (1,842.2/mi²). There were 9,449 housing units at an average density of 353.5/km² (915.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 79.55% White, 17.25% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.73% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 1.70% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.97% of the population.

There were 8,342 households out of which 23.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.2% were married couples living together, 14.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.5% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.86.

In the city the population was spread out with 21.2% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 85.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,516, and the median income for a family was $36,597. Males had a median income of $36,416 versus $21,819 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,830. About 15.3% of families and 20.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.2% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Population

From 1980 to 2000, census figures show that the Steubenville–Weirton population dropped faster than any other urban area in the United States ^{[citation needed]}. The population, which decreased steadily due to employment losses regarding the nearby steel industries, has rebounded with 314 new residents within the past six years.

[edit] Economy

Image:Steubenvillecourthouse.jpg

Image:Fourthstreet.jpg

Steubenville and the communities that surround it, especially Weirton, West Virginia, have experienced sluggish growth in their local economies since the steel industry waned during the 1980s. Corporations such as Weirton Steel have had to reduce their workforce in order to become more efficient and competitive against other steel producers and lower steel prices worldwide.

One local organization, Progress Alliance, has been promoting the city as a low-cost suburban area that is less than 30 minutes away from western Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh International Airport. The organization also touts the fact that Jefferson County provides free college education at Jefferson Community College. This, it is promoted, means that the area has a skilled labor pool with potential employees who probably will not demand the high pay and benefits which are usually associated with jobs that require college-level education. As a result, business costs would most likely be much lower in Steubenville than in a major city such as Pittsburgh or Columbus, Ohio.

A recent survey, conducted by business representatives from Weirton, showed that many of Pittsburgh's residents still do not know how close in proximity Weirton and Steubenville are from western Pennsylvania. In an effort to combat the survey's results, Progress Alliance has advertised on U.S. Route 22 through a billboard campaign.

The new Findlay Connector is being built in western Pennsylvania as a toll-access highway between Pittsburgh International Airport at PA Route 60 and U.S. Route 22 in northwestern Washington County. Its unintended effect is a great one for the Steubenville area's economic development. It will make the trip between western Pittsburgh, an economically burgeoning section, and eastern Ohio and the northern panhandle of West Virginia even shorter and more streamlined.

One major company has already invested millions of dollars in the Upper Ohio Valley region. Walmart has built an 800,000 sq. ft. distribution center at the largest development site in eastern Ohio, located within five miles of Steubenville. Other various companies have come as well because the county has made such an effort to provide low taxes, tax breaks for job creation, and utilities on-site from the beginning. Much of the site still remains unoccupied with shell buildings ready for final completion by whichever type of business that might locate there.

[edit] Culture

[edit] Sports

The city's high school football team, Steubenville Big Red, went 15–0 in the 2005 season, ending as Ohio Div-III State Champions. As of 20 October 2006, they have won 38 straight regular season games. Steubenville went 15-0 in the 2006 season, and repeating as Ohio Div-III State Champions. Big Red has won 30 straight games in a row... The Steubenville Stampede is a member of the Continental Indoor Football League .

[edit] Music

Steubenville was home to the rock band Wild Cherry which became famous for their hit song Play that Funky Music. The city was also the birthplace of Dorothy Sloop, whom the official rock song of Ohio is named after.

The Best Band in Buckeye Land also resides in Steubenville, Ohio. The Steubenville High School Marching Band is a great tradition of Steubenville, Ohio. The band consists of about 90 members and has always kept the enthusiastic nature of its marching style alive. The SHS band performs at each SHS football game. The band is notorious for their First Class All The Way attitude.