Community
Rich History, Vibrant LivingExplore Ravenna, a community with a rich history and a great future. Today, the community is experiencing a downtown revival with new shops, restaurants, businesses and a 7-screen state of the art movie theater that makes our city a nightlife destination. Just seconds from downtown you’ll find grocery stores, banks, more restaurants and retail – a thriving business community with more spaces in development to meet the growing needs of our community.
The county seat is a center of government. The open space in front of our court house – showcasing a monument to all who serve our country – is also a gathering place for exciting events.
Ravenna is home to many fun events. One of the most anticipated is the annual Balloon A-Fair parade and festival celebration. People of all ages enjoy looking up at the sky at the many colorful real-life hot air balloons. The wonders never cease to amaze – especially for those who enjoy an aerial view of our beautiful city in their balloon rides.
Our community is home to Northeast Ohio’s largest one day Cruise-In car show (more than one thousand cars in a single show!) Watch for it every year the Wednesday before Labor Day.
Watch our events calendar to learn about our many events.
Quality of Life and Culture
Ravenna’s everyday amenities add to our high quality of life: The University Hospitals Portage Medical Center, located in Ravenna, is a Level III Trauma Emergency Department, two urgent care facilities, comprehensive imaging facilities, a network of physician practices, and outpatient centers and medical facilities throughout the county.
Greater Ravenna also offers many restaurants of all calibers for people to meet, do business or just socialize. Nearby hotels and lodging make it easy for guests to stay and visit for fun or business. And Ravenna’s city and other nearby parks provide up-to-date recreation from playgrounds to athletic facilities to bike trails that cross counties – including a children’s playground constructed with the help of nearly 3000 area volunteers. Now that’s community.
Transportation
Residents can get around on PARTA buses – the county’s mass transit system that serves Portage County and provides convenience for those who need it– including ADA compliance, free rides for Medicaid recipients and routes to Akron and Cleveland.
History
Before any European settlers established the community that became Ravenna, several nomadic Native American tribes lived in the area. The Senecas, whose reservation is now located in upstate New York, hunted throughout Portage County before being dispersed in the early 19th Century. Some Native American artifacts have survived and can be viewed at the Portage County Historical Society. Ravenna’s history is rich with the name Tappan. It’s carved into buildings. Till 2013, it was the name of a neighborhood school. It comes from Benjamin Tappan, a Massachusetts transplant who arrived in what is now known as Ravenna in 1799. Tappan named the town after Ravenna, Italy and the population grew to 1,2000 residents in under 50 years. Since then, a steady flow of new agriculture, industry, commerce, transportation (roads and railroads) led to expanded neighborhoods and growing population that supported numerous newspapers and many churches.
Need More Information?
Ravenna residents enjoy reliable, easy access to city services. If you can’t find the information you need, the City of Ravenna welcomes your questions.