Ohio

Most of Ohio's residents live in the major metropolitan areas, including Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Columbus, the state capital. Smaller metro areas include Akron, Toledo, Dayton, and Youngstown. Ohio ranks as the 7th most populated state with over 11.4 million residents. The majority of Ohioans identify themselves as Caucasian (84 percent), followed by African American (12 percent), and Hispanic/Latino (2 percent). However, examining geodemographical data provides only a small glimpse into the social networks of Ohio. Cultural and religious groups, workforce and educational institutions, and entertainment and sports connections provide a richer perspective of Ohio's social networks.

The history of Ohio's cultural networks predates immigration and the Westward Expansion. For example, Native American culture is abundant throughout Ohio. Features of Native American culture are found at the numerous Indian burial grounds, or mounds, that populate the state. The burial grounds, noted by the earth wall enclosures, geometric patterns, and mounds of various shapes, attract networks of visitors including Native Americans, historians, and anthropologists. The Hopewell Culture National Historical Park is home to some of these burial grounds. In fact, the term hopewell is used to describe, in part, the network of spiritual beliefs among Native American groups. Beyond Hopewell, there is evidence of ancient burial mound building in Columbus, near the Scioto and Olentangy Rivers.

The state capital was named for explorer Christopher Columbus. In 1992, on the Scioto River near downtown Columbus, a full-scale replica of the Santa Maria was created to commemorate the 500-year anniversary of Christopher Columbus' landing in America. Columbus is widely credited for creating the first meaningful contacts between Europeans and the indigenous Native American Indians.

Economic and Educational Networks

Many social networks have developed around the major cities of the state, based primarily on the leading industries of those areas. For example, workforce networks have been created in Akron, centered on the production of rubber; in Cincinnati, for jet engine production; in Cleveland, for automobile assembly and parts; and in Youngstown, for steel. Although Ohio was once a leader in steel and manufacturing, these jobs have declined due to shifts in the economy. Northeast Ohio is considered to be part of the Rust Belt, the informal term used to describe the line of closed, rusting steel mills that stretch from Cleveland to Youngstown and beyond.

Another notable network that has been in decline for the last century is farming. Areas of western and central Ohio are considered part of the Grain and Corn Belts, [Page 674]terms used to describe the prairie-region states and the networks of grain farmers that populate those areas.

Rubber-and-steel tracks for army vehicles are cured in a Goodrich plant in Akron, Ohio, in 1941. Large networks formed around the steel and rubber industries in their heydays. Now in decline, the string of closed steel mills in the northeast is known as the Rust Belt.

One of the largest universities in the nation, Ohio State University enrolls over 56,000 undergraduate and graduate students. What makes Ohio State a fascinating social network is its alumni association, comprised of over 126,000 paid members. This number does not account for the vast number of Ohio State graduates who attended the school but opted not to join the association. Ohio State alumni have created a social network that includes over 250 worldwide societies and clubs.

...