Each month, we feature an Ohio Legacy City on our #GOPCThread series, #OHCommunitySpotlight. This month, we spotlight Northeast Ohio’s Massillon, a former “canal town” that became a manufacturing hub and a place steeped in football traditions.
Welcome back to the #OHCommunitySpotlight, as this month, we visit Stark County’s #Massillon - an #Ohio #LegacyCity steeped in history & rich in tradition
#Massillon is just 8 miles west of #Canton, 20 miles south of #Akron & 50 miles south of #Cleveland w/ 32,146 residents according to the 2020 U.S. Census. Massillon is the second largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area
Before European Settlers entered the Northwest Territory, many native tribes occupied the land that became Massillon, including the Erie, Iroquois, Huron-Wyandot & Seneca tribes, most of which migrated to Ohio to avoid encroachment by settlers out east
What became Massillon was originally settled in 1812 by Quaker settlers from MA & CT. The first settlement was known as Kendal. In 1826, James Duncan of NH recorded the plot for Massillon on Dec. 6, naming the settlement after Jean Baptiste Massillon, a French Catholic bishop
Soon after the founding of the settlement, the Ohio and Erie Canal began construction. The canal, which would connect Lake Erie with the Ohio River, led to Massillon to becoming a major port town.
Steelmaking & fabrication are integral parts of Massillon's history. Companies like the Massillon Rolling Mill Co., Central Steel Co. & eventually Republic Steel, would employ nearly one-half of the city's workforce by 1959. By the early 21st Century, many of these jobs left town
In 1937, Massillon was the site of the "Little Steel Strike" where the unions attempted to organize Republic Steel. The strike turned violent when police + national guard troops confronted strikers w/ tear gas & gunfire on July 11. 3 strikers were killed & 5 wounded in the mayhem
The Massillon Museum was established in 1933 to preserve the city's rich history is located downtown. The museum's collection encompasses approximately 100,000 objects, 60,000 photos & 18,000 archival & reference documents.
The Immel Circus is one of the museum's most interesting artifacts. Hand-carved by Dr. Robert Immel w/ his dental tools, the 100-square foot miniature circus contains 2,620 pieces including 36 elephants, 186 horses, 102 assorted animals, 91 wagons, 7 tents & 2,207 people.
In 1982, the 1915 Lincoln movie theatre was saved from demolition by the local Lions International Club. The theatre is thought to be one of the oldest purpose-built movie houses in the country still in operation, hosting community events, plays & classic run films on weekends.
While Massillon may have started as a canal town, today the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath Trail brings more than 2.5 million visitors to the 87 mile trail running through Cuyahoga, Summit, Stark & Tuscarawas counties.
The Ralph Regula Canalway Center in Massillon highlights the natural & cultural history of the Ohio and Erie Canalway as well as nature programs, wetland trails & boating.
While steel is no longer at the heart of the local economy, leading businesses in Massillon today include Republic Steel, Crown Cork & Seal (Crown Holdings), Heinz Frozen Foods, Shearer's Foods (potato chips) & Sugardale Foods (hot dogs/pork products)
Of course, you cannot talk about Massillon w/o talking about FOOTBALL. The first great pro football rivalry was between the Massillon Tigers & Canton Bulldogs of the Ohio League. While the Bulldogs would eventually join the early version of the @NFL, the Tigers ended in 1923.
Today, that rivalry endures w/ the high school football rivalry of the Massillon-Washington Tigers & Canton-McKinley Bulldogs, perhaps the greatest high school football rivalry in the nation. The rivalry was the focus of the 2001 documentary film Go Tigers!
Legendary football Coach Paul Brown who led @OhioStateFB to its first national championship, coached the Cleveland @Browns to 3 NFL championships & became the founding owner & first coach of the Cincinnati @Bengals got his start as a coach for the Tigers from 1932-1940
There have been 23 professional players, 3 NFL coaches, & 14 collegiate all-Americans to hail from Massillon, as well as film star Lillian & Gish "The First Lady of American Cinema", legendary basketball coach Bobby Knight, & current Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
Is it any wonder Massillon is known as the "City of Champions". Stop by this summer & enjoy the Summer Concert Series, the Cruise-On-In & Dance Party, Family Fun Fest & many other events around town, or just visit for football Friday night this fall.
Check back next month to see where our next stop in the #OHCommunitySpotlight series might be.