The following are historical photographs of Warren, Ohio Double click on each picture below to view a larger version.

Warren, Ohio
by Leanne Turner

Origins
In 1798, Richard Storer and Ephriam Quinby selected a site for Warren, "situated on the Mahoning River at a point where the level land of the Western Reserve stretches out for miles in every direction." Named for Moses Warren, who was a member of the original Connecticut Land Planning Co., Warren became the seat of justice for the entire Western Reserve as well as the seat of Trumbull County. This position set the stage for Warren's development as a place known for beauty, culture and 'political prestige'.

From its origins, Warren was oriented toward the Mahoning River. In fact, no other Mahoning Valley town square faces the river. Initially, the lawn at Courthouse Square ran uninterrupted to the riverbank. When the original Courthouse was constructed in 1815, the trees around were chopped down, but citizens graded the land and replanted the trees. Even now, the walkways at Courthouse Square are tree-lined and the banks of the Mahoning River boast a healthy 'riparian zone.'

Growth
In 1802, the Mahoning River was dammed and the first gristmills were completed. The next year was a busy one; the first school was built, the first church was organized, and two hotels were constructed. Within 10 years, the first bank was incorporated, a newspaper had begun and a courthouse was erected. When the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal opened, Warren became a port. Warren continued to grow with the arrival of the Erie Railroad in 1855. Still, there were difficult times. Fires struck Warren -- hard.

First, in 1846, a fire consumed 22 buildings; then, in 1860, a fire destroyed 75 buildings. Two other fires had even more far-reaching consequences. The county courthouse burned in 1895 and the city hall burned in 1916. These fires not only consumed the buildings but destroyed many historical documents of both the City of Warren and the Western Reserve.
Nevertheless, the heritage of downtown Warren survived. (Read more about the fires of the county courthouse and city hall.)

During the industrial revolution, Warren stayed the course of its historical roots while other downtown areas morphed into industrial centers. This pace angered some townspeople and satisfied others. The Board of Trade was founded in 1905. Its mission was to 'sell' Warren, an action that opponents were fearful would ruin the city's beauty and charm. The 'Sell Warren' campaign worked. Early manufacturing included the Packard & Co. Iron Works. (The Packard Family was soon to be known for its motor cars - some of which can be seen today in the National Packard Museum on Mahoning Avenue.) In 1913, the founding of the Trumbull Steel Company began a period of substantial growth. By 1925, Warren was the second largest manufacturer of electric lamps in the world. Warren developed a diversified industrial base, producing iron and steel, electrical products, drinking fountains, cars, and furniture.

Education and culture were important in this, the county seat. Warren had a strong public school system. Music was important, too. Like many towns in the late 1800s, Warren had its own opera house, a downtown landmark on the square that was razed in 1968. There were also "singing schools" that were administered by itinerant music teachers. This system was replaced by the Dana Musical Institute; now called the Dana School of Music, it is a renowned part of YSU. The music tradition in Warren continued with the Kenley Players summer stock theatre, the Packard Band, and other performing groups.

Change
By the middle of the twentieth century, the automobile was "the" form of transportation. The rails gave way to the roads. The roads expanded to highways. The downtown gave way to the mall and the 'strip' in Niles. The urban renewal programs razed whole streets; the area called The Flats" was gone.

In the 1980s, an ambitious program to revitalize the downtown and restore the historic character was undertaken. Thirteen buildings on Courthouse Square were renovated and old Victorian homes were maintained. Now, many structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. By 1991, $19 million of public and private funding had been spent on the restoration of downtown Warren buildings. As one observer noted, "Warren retains the flavor of a small town, a community of neighborhoods...." The history is present in its buildings, parks and river. They also provide for its future.

Current
Warren has plans to enhance the riverfront experience. These plans include the further development of the RiverWalk, the Stephen Foster Promenade, Dana Outdoor Theatre and Biggers Outdoor Stage. This will give Warren a large civic space on the waterfront and reflects its heritage as a city that fosters music and performing arts. Other plans are being carried out to revitalize this river town. On the square, historic buildings are maintained and parking is accessible in a new garage behind the Market Street buildings. The theme "spend a day in yesterday, today" encourages people to enjoy the civic history and natural beauty of Warren.

Maintaining industry has been a struggle for Warren as it has been for many other towns along the Mahoning River. Just to the north and south of the 'city limits' are factories on the river that tell the story of the struggle. North, in Champion and Warren Townships, sets the site of CSC (formerly Copperweld.) A now defunct steel mill, the efforts to keep this plant open were in the news for months before its ultimate demise; it is now a Brownfield.

South of the city in Howland and Warren Townships is the only fully functioning steel mill in the Mahoning Valley: WCI, the former LTV plant (and prior to that, Republic Steel plant.) South of this plant on the west side of the river is the 'Warren Coke Plant' - also a former LTV/Republic Plant. It was sold/not sold and then cold-idled and re-opened recently. Now its name is International Steel Group (ISG.) It may re-hire about 70% of the workforce that was let go. These two plants are in full operation and require regular inspections by the EPA.

Across the Mahoning River from the Coke plant there is another potential Brownfield: the federal government's Warren Depot. This is a stockpile of toxic chemicals located just within the border of Weathersfield Township. This site contains about 621 tons of mercury, a toxic metal. (The Pentagon stockpiled this material for use in defense applications. In the early 1990s, the DNSC - Defense National Stockpile Center - noticed leaks in the storage containers in the Warren Depot. While this has been contained, and is inspected weekly, the government is studying the potential for removal and consolidation at another site.) The Warren Depot is a 160-acre site that stores about 28 chemicals in 7 warehouses. It is on the Mahoning River.

Potential
As the City of Warren proceeds with its waterfront plans, the RiverWalk will extend from the downtown north to join the Western Reserve Greenway. The old power plant has been razed and the Brownfield it left behind will be developed. Now called "Mahoningside," plans exist for a leisure center that will house a restaurant with an outdoor riverside café and shops with parking and other amenities for walkers, biker riders, and boaters. (This site is located at the halfway mark from the initiation of the RiverWalk to Packard Park and is the site of the Summit Street dam - which, hopefully, will be removed during the river cleanup.)

The next phase of revitalization along the Mahoning River, downtown, includes the restoration of the historic Kinsman House, a task that encompasses three buildings, including the replication of the carriage house that burned recently. Eventually, it is hoped that the Kinsman site will house an educational center, museum, gift shop, public 'facilities', and a café. This will complement the new RiverWalk and civic space on the adjacent grounds. To attract visitors, Warren has invited "Trolleyville" service of Cleveland to come to Warren and chauffeur its guests from site-to-site. This accommodation adds some fun and information to the tour of the city.

Says Mayor Angelo, "We strive for balance between history and naturalistic development. That keeps us honest; it preserves our natural and historic treasures and our economic interests as well." About the value of the river cleanup he said, "While there have been some business queries about the potential of the river restoration, it's mostly a quality of life issue here."

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