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| Located close to the city's town hall is ]. It has recently been overshadowed in size by the neighboring ], which is located south of Parma, in ]. Nevertheless, the area around Parmatown Mall has seen a good deal of development in the recent past. The wide variety of pet stores such as PetSmart, Parma Pets, and RMS Aquaculture indicate the many shopping options currently available to Parma residents within their city. These particular specialty stores have, for example, collectively sold such diverse species of pets as sting rays, basset hounds, eels, and even octopuses. | |||
| Parma's pet stores also exemplify a trend in Parma's economic history that may parallel that of other cities: the replacement of many of the more traditional, smaller stores by the larger chains. Another example of this trend involves Parma's video stores. Video Theatre, Mr. Z's, Coreno's, and others were familiar places of movie rentals for Parma residents for years. Recently, however, these stores like many of the small pet stores have closed down in Parma, while big chains like Blockbuster currently provide Parma residents with the majority of its video rental options. These visible and physical changes to Parma's economy illustrate how Parma has indeed transformed noticeably from the population and economic boom of the 1950s-1980s, during which time Parma's population soared above 100,000, to the present situation in which Parma's population has declined to just over 80,000. | |||
| ==Education== | ==Education== | ||
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| 2. In 2003, Parma made national news after a 345-kV transmission line failed in the city due to a tree, which played a significant role in the early stages of the ]. | 2. In 2003, Parma made national news after a 345-kV transmission line failed in the city due to a tree, which played a significant role in the early stages of the ]. | ||
| 3. More recently Parma has been plagued by negative press in the local media as a result of perhaps widespread political corruption associated with a group of politicians known as "the Good Old Boys" or the "Parma Machine." The larger conflict between the police and city government has some of its origins from an on-and-off investigation into whether or not former Councilman John Stover stole "files from another council member's briefcase" in 2000. The incident, which has been referred to as "Filegate" by local and regional media sources, has thus far had inconclusive results, but many residents and outside observers have interpreted the escalation in tensions between the police department and city government as one of reprisals and counter-reprisals of which "Filegate" may serve as an early salvo. | |||
| Those who believe in the existence of a Parma political machine led by Prosecutor Bill Mason contend that in order to distract from their own suspect activities, "Good Old Boy" politicians apparently concocted a "Witch Hunt" that wrongfully scapegoated innocent police officers. Ultimately, investigator Dick DiCicco wrote in his official reporter that there “was no evidence presented to” substantiate “the allegation that officers were taking turns calling in sick in order that other officers could earn overtime to maintain minimums,” “there was no actual duplicate billing” concerning officers Kuchler and Robertson as indicated in The Plain Dealer articles, and based “on the review of the above activity no specific pattern of reciprocity was detected” on the part of Officer Mekruit. On page B2 of The Plain Dealer, Joe Wagner quoted Prosecutor Michael Nolan as reportedly declaring that Mayor DePiero and Council President Germana removed the “police tax request from May 3 ballot . . . ‘as an excuse for, apparently, their own inaction.’” | |||
| Further revelations about the "Witch Hunt" (also referred to as the "Blue Scare"), as found in such newspaper articles as "Report clears Parma police in payroll-padding probe," and including the highly questionable retroactive appointment of a special prosecutor who had been prosecuting (in violation of the Ohio Revised Code) select police union representatives who had raised concerns about possible political corruption, has led to calls for the resignations of many members of the current mayoral administration and city council. On March 11, 2005, The ''Plain Dealer'' quoted Councilwoman Stys who summed up the investigation as a “sham.” Statements uttered by the mayor in the local newspaper in 2003 that "heads will roll" along with the press report of an email sent to the mayor by one of his top advisers who referred to Parma as a "fiefdom" and himself as a “samurai” has further fanned the fires of distrust amongst residents for anyone responsible for the costly misadventure that to many has seemingly ruined Parma's image. The long-term consequences of the crisis, which lasted for nearly four years (2003-2006) is yet to be seen. | |||
| ==Mayors== | ==Mayors== | ||
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| * | * | ||
| * | * | ||
| References for the Good Old Boys/Parma Machine: | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| Reference for Filegate: | |||
| * - article cites "Filegate" twice | |||
| References for the Witch Hunt: | |||
| * -- Original version. | |||
| * -- Published version. | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| References for Mayors: | |||
| * | |||
| *Most of the list of mayors came from the city. | |||
| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
Revision as of 16:06, 30 October 2006
Parma is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio and is the largest suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 85,655.
Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 85,655 people, 35,126 households, and 23,323 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,656.9/km² (4,291.3/mi²). There were 36,414 housing units at an average density of 704.4/km² (1,824.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.67% White, 1.06% Black, 0.14% Native American, 1.57% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.
There were 35,126 households out of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 91.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $43,920, and the median income for a family was $52,436. Males had a median income of $39,801 versus $27,701 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,293. About 3.3% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.
With a murder rate of 0.0 per 100,000 residents, Parma ranks as one of the safest cities in the United States with a population between 60,000 and 100,000.
Economy
During the population boom between 1950 and 1980, Parma's commercial sector grew to match its residential sector. Since the 1950s, Parma has fostered the growth of many small businesses and been an operating hub for such well-known companies as General Motors, Modern Tool & Die, the Union Carbide Research Center, and Cox Cable Television.
Education
The City contains 3 public high schools: Parma Senior High School, Valley Forge High School, and Normandy High School. Each school shares a common stadium for football games, also known as Byers Field. The rivalry that exists between these schools is well documented. Normandy High School is located in the South Eastern part of the city, and its population is made up of students from south Parma, and Seven Hills. Valley Forge is located in the South Western portion of the city, and includes students from South Western Parma, as well as Parma Heights. Parma High School is located in the center of the city, and includes students from central and northern Parma.
The city also is home to a positively recognized private Catholic high school named Padua Franciscan High School. Founded in 1961 as a school for boys, Padua Franciscan became co-educational in 1983 and is now the largest private, co-educational secondary school in northeast Ohio. Padua has recently embarked on aggressive expansionism. After initiating the "Greening of Padua" program to improve the overall look of the campus, Padua then acquired Camp Cordé - a 15-acre property to be used for Padua's boys and girls soccer programs. Padua's principal rivalry is with Holy Name High School, located in nearby Parma Heights.
Famous Parmans
- Hector Boiardi, better known as Chef Boyardee, died in Parma in 1985.
- Drew Carey Actor, Comedian
- Sean Faris Actor, graduate of Padua
- Dan Fritsche NHL, Columbus Blue Jackets
- Tom Fritsche NHL, Prospect of Colorado Avalanche
- Michael T. Good, NASA astronaut
- Brian Holzinger NHL, Buffalo Sabres
- Ted Levine Actor, (Silence of the Lambs, The Mangler, The Hills Have Eyes)
- Mike Mizanin Professional Wrestler
- Clint Nageotte Professional Baseball Player
- Alan Ruck Actor (Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Spin City), graduate of Parma High
- Mike Garcia (starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians in the 1950s -- he ran "Big Bear Cleaners" in Parma, Ohio)
- James A. Lovell American Astronaut (Apollo 13 mission) (a native of Cleveland, he spent part of his youth on Parma's north side)
- Ranson E. Olds Automotive pioneer lived in Parma as a boy from 1874 to 1878.
- John D. Rockefeller Standard Oil tycoon & one of the world's richest men ever (when Dr. William Rockefeller left the state of New York for Ohio in 1853, he settled in the area of Pearl & Whitney Roads in Strongsville. Rockefeller was a medicine man who traveled the state. He moved from the Strongsville area to Parma Township in 1854, establishing a base for his oldest son John D., who would become known as the richest man in the world through his involvement with Standard Oil which he formed in 1870.)
Geography
Parma is located at 41°23′31″N 81°43′43″W / 41.39194°N 81.72861°W / 41.39194; -81.72861Invalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (41.391852, -81.728502).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 51.7 km² (20.0 mi²). 51.7 km² (20.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it is water.
Recently, the West Creek Preservation Agency has worked to preserve various historic and natural sites in the city, including the Henninger House and the West Creek Watershed. Henninger House, the oldest home in Parma, which was built in 1849, is planned to be part of the proposed Quarry Creek Historic District.
History
Parma is an incorporated city southwest of Cleveland. It is bounded by Cleveland and Brooklyn on the north, Brooklyn Heights. and Seven Hills on the east, North Royalton and Broadview Heights on the south, and Brook Park, Middleburg Heights, and Parma Heights, on the west. Parma was originally part of Parma Township, created in 1826. The first settlers were the Benaiah Fay family from New York State, who settled along the Cleveland-Columbus Road in 1816. The name was taken from Parma, New York, where it was probably derived from the early-19th century fascination with classical Italy. During the 19th century, Parma remained largely agricultural. In 1912, a portion of the township seceded to form the village of Parma Heights. In 1924, Parma was incorporated as a village, and in 1926 it adopted the mayor-council form of government. In 1931 a proposition to annex it to the city of Cleveland was defeated, and Parma became a city. Parma's tremendous growth came after World War II as young families began moving from Cleveland into the Suburbs. During the Cold War, Parma's Nike Site Park housed Nike missiles located in underground silos. Between 1950 and 1980, Parma's population soared from less than 20,000 to more than 110,000.
Nevertheless, Parma's national image has been marred by three incidents:
1. Such major newspapers as The New York Times covered allegations from the 1970s onwards that Parma's government worked to resist racial integration. Former Parma City Council President Kenneth Kuczma famously said, I do not want Negroes in the city of Parma, and even federal courts ruled on the matter.
2. In 2003, Parma made national news after a 345-kV transmission line failed in the city due to a tree, which played a significant role in the early stages of the 2003 North America blackout.
Mayors
| Frank D. Johnson | 1928 – 1933 |
| Anthony A. Fleger | 1934 - 1935 |
| Roland E. Reichert | 1936 - 1942 |
| Sylvester Augustine | 1942 - 1945 |
| Roland E. Reichert | 1946 - 1949 |
| Lawrence Stary | 1950 – 1951 |
| Stephen A. Zona | 1952 - 1957 |
| Joseph W. Kadar | 1958 – 1959 |
| Sylvester Augustine | 1960 – 1961 |
| John Bobko | 1961 |
| James W. Day | 1962 – 1967 |
| John Petruska | 1967 – 1987 |
| Michael A. Ries | 1988 – 1994 |
| Gerald M. Boldt | 1994 – 2003 |
| Dean DePiero | 2004 – present |
References in Popular Culture
- Parma was, throughout the 1960's and 1970's, the butt of jokes by local movie show hosts Ghoulardi, Hoolihan & Big Chuck, and The Ghoul, due to its white suburbanite makeup. Ghoulardi famously made a series of shorts called "Parma Place."
- Drew Carey's theme song, Moon Over Parma, references Parma and many of Cleveland's suburbs.
References
- "Encyclopedia of Cleveland History: Parma". Case Western Reserve University. June 29, 2003.
- Kubasek, Ernest R., The History of Parma (1976). Parma Chamber of Commerce, Parma (1984). Parma Sesquicentennial, 1826-1976
- Parma City Council President makes national headlines for racism. URL Accessed June 25, 2006
References for Nike missiles in Parma:
- EPA checks for hazards at former Nike site
- Records Relating to Nike Missile Sites at the National Archives and Records Administration-Great Lakes Region
References for presevation efforts:
External links
- City of Parma
- Parma Early Childhood PTA
- City Data
- Parma Ward 6
- Parma-OH.com
- Parma-OH.com Web Forum This forum is now separate from the one currently linked off of the Parma-OH.com website, although this forum is still active.
- Parma, Ohio Community Advocate The handiest local reference guide available for the Parma, Ohio area. Updated daily.
Cleveland Suburb Finder
| North: Cleveland, Brooklyn, Old Brooklyn (Cleveland), Brooklyn Heights |
||
| West: Brook Park, Parma Heights, Middleburg Heights |
Parma | East: Seven Hills, Independence |
| South: North Royalton, Broadview Heights |