Cortland

History

Samuel Bacon established a settlement in what is now Cortland by acquiring land along the Mahoning River in 1807. In 1816, he traded this land for a lumber mill. The mill relied on a dam built in 1809, but it was limited to spring use due to water levels. As the area developed, J.H. Post and H.G. Scovill built a larger dam that powered a custom and planning mill and grist mill. The area became known as Baconsburg in the 19th century. Minister Orrin Gates, who was from Cortland, New York, helped convert the area's oldest church into a Disciple Church in 1832. Baconsburg officially incorporated as the village of Cortland in 1873, named after the city in New York. The village grew, with a new town hall built in 1874 and later replaced in 1986. The Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1820, a cheese factory opened in 1875, and the Union School was constructed in 1877. In 1981, Cortland officially became a city after its population surpassed 5,000 and later adopted a charter government.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land. It lies along the eastern shore of Mosquito Creek Lake and the accompanying Mosquito Lake State Park. Cortland is north of Youngstown.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  8,596
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  8,198
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  7,659
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  7,417
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  7,098
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  6,447
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  6,441
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  6,199

Most recent

• M 2.9 — 2026-03-05
  3 km SW of Madison, Ohio
• M 2.7 — 2026-01-06
  4 km ENE of North Madison, Ohio
• M 2.5 — 2025-05-12
  4 km ESE of Madison, Ohio
• M 2.6 — 2024-06-01
  1 km E of Madison, Ohio
• M 3 — 2024-03-30
  2 km SSW of Maple Ridge, Ohio
• M 2.6 — 2024-01-05
  3 km SE of Madison, Ohio