Mahoning County was formed in 1846 from parts of Trumbull and Columbiana counties. It takes its name from the Mahoning River, whose name comes from a Lenape word often translated as at the salt lick.
Youngstown grew from a settlement founded by John Young in 1797 into one of the great steel centers of the United States. Blast furnaces and mills lined the river valley for generations and drew families from Italy, Ireland, Slovakia, Poland, Greece, and many other countries. The county seat moved from Canfield to Youngstown in 1876.
The closing of the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Campbell Works, announced on September 19, 1977 and remembered as Black Monday, reshaped the valley. Today the region is known for its resilient neighborhoods, Youngstown State University, health care, manufacturing, and a lively arts scene.
Places to Explore
Mill Creek MetroParks, created in 1891 through the vision of Volney Rogers, the Butler Institute of American Art, the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor, and the Canfield Fair each Labor Day weekend.
Did You Know?
The famous Youngstown wedding cookie table, piled high with homemade pizzelles, kolachi, and other treats, reflects the immigrant traditions that shaped the Mahoning Valley.
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