Port Clinton is a city in and the county seat of Ottawa County, Ohio, United States, about 44 miles east of Toledo. The population was 6,056 at the 2010 census. The city has been nicknamed the "Walleye Capital of the World."
The city is known for its annual Walleye Drop, commemorating the new year as well as its fishing and boating industries, the annual National Rifle Matches at neighboring Camp Perry, and its proximity to a variety of vacation destinations (such as the Lake Erie islands, the Cedar Point amusement park and a number of local wineries). Port Clinton's transient dockage on the Portage River is a safe harbor for Lake Erie boaters. The nearby lake waters are rich with perch, walleye, and many other fish.
Port Clinton is part of the area that is referred to regionally as Vacationland (with includes nearby Sandusky and the Lake Erie Islands) due to the large number of tourists that flock to the area in the summer months.
History
Residents established the community in 1828 on the shores of Lake Erie. They named the town after DeWitt Clinton, a governor of New York who was instrumental in creating the Erie Canal. Port Clinton grew slowly. In 1846, only sixty homes existed in the community. Although the town had an excellent harbor, little shipping occurred. The town remained relatively small throughout the nineteenth century, with a population of 1,600 in 1880 and 2,049 residents in 1890. By 1886, Port Clinton contained three newspaper offices, four churches, and one bank. Several manufacturing businesses existed in the town, with the largest being A. Couche & Company, a sawmill that employed ten workers. Most businesses provided services or products to farmers in the surrounding countryside.
During the twentieth century, Port Clinton's population continued to grow. In 2000, 6,391 residents lived in the community. As a whole, Ottawa County experienced a 2.4 percent increase in population between 1990 and 2000. Many of these new residents had left nearby Toledo, hoping to find a quieter lifestyle in Ottawa County. Numerous Port Clinton residents find employment in the tourism industry, operating restaurants, owning antique stores, or providing tourists with lodging in various inns and bed and breakfasts.
Geography
Port Clinton is located at 41°30â²35â³N 82°56â²25â³W (41.509857, -82.940156).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.28 square miles (5.91Â km2), of which 2.08 square miles (5.39Â km2) is land and 0.20 square miles (0.52Â km2) is water.
Demographics
As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $35,564, and the median income for a family was $44,579. Males had a median income of $38,949 versus $21,651 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,177. About 7.7% of families and 9.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.2% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 6,056 people, 2,633 households, and 1,614 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,911.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,124.1/km2). There were 3,464 housing units at an average density of 1,665.4 per square mile (643.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 93.3% White, 2.3% African American, 0.1% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 1.8% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.8% of the population.
There were 2,633 households of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.2% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.7% were non-families. 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.81.
The median age in the city was 41.5 years. 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24% were from 25 to 44; 28.5% were from 45 to 64; and 17.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.8% male and 52.2% female.
Academics
Port Clinton is served by the Port Clinton City School District which operates two elementary schools (Bataan Memorial Elementary), one middle school (Port Clinton Middle), and one high school (Port Clinton High). The Port Clinton School District has constructed a new middle school and has added expansions to Bataan Memorial.
Notable people
- Robert Putnam - Political scientist, author, and Malkin Professor of Public Policy at the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government; Putnam grew up in Port Clinton and uses the city as a template in his book Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis (Simon & Schuster) to examine changes in the American economic and social landscape.
- Chris Redfern - Former chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party, and former Ohio House Minority Leader.
- Louis C. Shepard - American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient from Ashtabula County, buried in Lakeview cemetery, Port Clinton, Ottawa County, Ohio.
Media
Port Clinton is part of the Sandusky/Lake Erie Islands Vacationland radio market, and is included as part of the Toledo TV market. Canadian radio, such as 89X from Windsor, can be received in Port Clinton.
Port Clinton is home to WPCR - PortClintonRadio.com, "Ottawa County's News, Sports, and Weather Authority." This internet exclusive radio station carries live local sporting events, weather, and fishing reports as well as locally produced programs.
Port Clinton is served in print by the Port Clinton News Herald, the city's only daily newspaper, and is also covered by The Sandusky Register, which is the region's largest newspaper.
References
External links
- City website