Block
Parma, Ohio
16 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1903 and the latest in 1994. It stands in Parma City. It lies in ZIP code area 44129. The Survey maps it on the Cleveland South quadrangle. 81,146 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 866 feet above sea level.
Population over time
2 figuresParma fell from 81,601 to 81,146 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 81,601 | |
| 2020 | 81,146 | -455 (-1%) |
Then and now
1903 to 1994The same ground, surveyed 91 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.
Topographic sheets covering this place
16 sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1903 USGS Cleveland quadrangle1:62500
- 1903 USGS Cleveland quadrangle1:62500
- 1953 USGS Cleveland South quadrangle1:24000
- 1956 USGS Cleveland quadrangle1:250000
- 1956 USGS Cleveland quadrangle1:250000
- 1956 USGS Cleveland quadrangle1:250000
- 1962 USGS Cleveland quadrangle1:250000
- 1963 USGS Cleveland South quadrangle1:24000
- 1963 USGS Cleveland South quadrangle1:24000
- 1963 USGS Cleveland South quadrangle1:24000
- 1963 USGS Cleveland South quadrangle1:24000
- 1963 USGS Cleveland South quadrangle1:24000
- 1963 USGS Cleveland South quadrangle1:24000
- 1986 USGS Cleveland South quadrangle1:100000
- 1994 USGS Cleveland South quadrangle1:24000
- 1994 USGS Cleveland South quadrangle1:100000
What happened here
An account from the chapter on Parma city, The inset identifies its exact source book and publication year.
Burial Places
The first graveyard laid out by white settlers in Rockport occupied the site of the Cliff House. Here, it.is said, were buried the bodies of a number of sailors drowned off the "point" in 1812. Henry Alger was buried there as was also Daniel Miner, two of the pioneers, but their bodies were afterward removed elsewhere.
In the county-history sources
11,932 words on this townshipHistory of Cuyahoga County Ohio, published 1870 names this settlement in its chapter on Parma City. These are the passages that mention it, exactly as the scans read.
Parma, one of the youngest townships in Cuyahoga, covers an area of five miles square, being the territory of survey-township six, in range thirteen. Brooklyn township lies on the north, Royalton on the south, Independence on the east, and Middleburg on the west. Of the population of fifteen hundred, reported by the last census, full two-thirds are estimated to be Germans and other foreigners - the former largely predominating, and manifesting their usual energy as thrifty, industrious husbandmen. They concentrate in settlements, have churches of their own, and, although somewhat clannish, are liberally represented in the administration of public affairs.
Passage source: History of Cuyahoga County Ohio, published 1870.
Parma has no streams of any consequence, nor has it any railway communication within its own lmits, although that convenience is near at hand. It contains a strictly agricultural community, and has no village within its borders. Nevertheless, its schools are excellent, its churches are plentiful, and the people generally appear to be in a prosperous condition.
Passage source: History of Cuyahoga County Ohio, published 1870.
Previous to making his western journey Bliss had determined to marry a certain fair young damsel of Connecticut as soon as he got matters well shaped in anew home. So, after laboring upon his clearing a few years, until he thought he had prepared a fitting home for his bride, he set out for Connecticut on foot, living, it is said, upon salt pork during the entire trip. He reached his destination in due time (that is, in due time by that kind of conveyance), married the girl of his heart, and with her returned to Greenbrier; the wedding tour being made in a lumber wagon drawn by an ox-team, owned by Edwin Foot, of Connecticut, who was himself on the way to Brooklyn, Ohio. Bliss resided in Parma until his death. Ile had but one child - a daughter - who moved to Michigan.
Passage source: History of Cuyahoga County Ohio, published 1870.
Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.
Read the whole chapter on Parma City - it names this place 20 more 20 times.
Fires near this place
1 since 2018Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 1 fire within 5 miles of Parma between 2018 and 2018, burning about 0 acres in total. 1 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Natural | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 March 2018 | Natural | under an acre | Cuyahoga Valley National Park | HILLSIDE ROAD |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Specimens collected near this place
12 of 3,148 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. Museums hold 3,148 specimens collected within 10 miles of Parma between 1849 and 1975: 2,701 Animalia, 217 Fungi, 146 Plantae, 77 Protozoa, 5 Unrecorded, 1 Chromista, 1 incertae sedis. 12 distinct Species records are shown. Collected by A. D. Huryn, A. D. Selby, A. G. Newhall and others. Each is a physical object with a catalogue number, and each entry opens the museum's record. This is what was collected and kept, not a survey of what lives here - nothing can be concluded from a species being absent.
| Image | Species | Year | Collected by | Where, as recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Monilia sitophila (Mont.) Sacc. | 1894 | Seymour, Arthur Bliss | Cleveland, O. [Ohio] |
 | Osmunda claytoniana L. | 1894 | Winkler, H.J. | Cleveland. |
 | Camptosorus rhizophyllus (L.) Link | 1895 | Ashcraft, G.B. | Berea |
 | Setophaga americana (Linnaeus, 1758) | 1849 | Jared P. Kirtland | Rockport |
| Boraginaceae | 1850 | not recorded | Cleveland. | |
 | Carex canescens L. | 1850 | Illegible collector name | Cleveland. |
 | Catillaria tricolor (Lam.) Th.Fr. | 1854 | G. Dixon | Cleveland, Bousdale Hill |
 | Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) | 1854 | Robert Kennicott | Cleveland |
 | Abrothallus parmeliarum (Sommerf.) Nyl., 1869 | 1860 | Mudd Wm. | Cleveland |
 | Thryothorus ludovicianus ludovicianus (Latham, 1790) | 1860 | not recorded | Cleveland |
 | Colaptes auratus luteus Bangs, 1898 | 1871 | Collector(s): unknown | Cleveland |
 | Timmia megapolitana Hedw. | 1871 | E. N. Claassen |
All 3,148 specimens within 10 miles, at the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
Mines and quarries near this place
5 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 5 workings within 5 miles of Parma: 3 past producers, 2 producers. 2 still produce. What was taken out: Clay, Bloating Material, Limestone, General. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence | Bloating Material | Producer | Sedimentary | |
| Quarry Division Quarry | Limestone, General | Past Producer | Sedimentary | |
| Hydraulic Press Brick Company Pit | Clay | Past Producer | Sedimentary | |
| Hydraulic Press Brick Company Pit | Clay | Producer | ||
| Independence Clay Pit | Clay | Past Producer |
Storms near this place
31 since 1994Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Parma in 31 storm reports between 1994 and 2026: 17 thunderstorm wind, 13 hail, 1 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2019 | Flash Flood | Parma | $25,000,000 | During the early afternoon of July 5 thunderstorms with torrential rain fell across portions of Cuyahoga County. Radar estimates put storm total rain amounts between 2.5 and 3 inches in the City of Parma. However the public reported a measurement near Ridge and Pleasant Valley Road of 4.12 inches. Another nearby rain gage supports this estimate with a measurement of 2.6 inches during the storm. Rainfall rates averaged 2 inches an hour during this event, peaking around 256 PM with rates estimated 4 to 6 inches an hour for approximately 15 minutes dropping over an inch of rain. A storm spotter in North Royalton reported 2 inches in 30 minutes around 230 PM. Flooding started to effect low lying and poor drainage areas around 230 PM, but the increase in intensity near the top of the hour resulted in rapid flash flooding. By 315 PM some water was inundating homes in North Royalton, mainly in basements. In Parma, the majority of heavy rainfall was in the southwest corner of the City, South of Pleasant Valley Road. The flooding was mostly concentrated along Big Creek headwaters with extensive damage to homes and businesses. At least two homes on Stormes Drive foundations gave way and are no longer inhabitable. Other homes were inundated in their first floor by 2 to 3 feet of water on Stormes Drive. Its estimated that in Parma alone, more than 1000 homes and businesses were flooded, primarily in the area located south of Ridgewood Drive to Sprague Road, as well as between State Road and West 130th Street, several of which had never experienced flooding before. A nursing home near Pleasant Valley Road and Ridge Road sustained over 6 million dollars in damages with nearly 100 residents displaced and 17 cars in the parking lot totaled. Parking lot and garage of University Hospital flooded and resulted in several cars damaged or destroyed. |
| May 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | $35,000 | Trees down in Parma and a Wall collapsed at Brookpark Auto Auction due to thunderstorm winds. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | $25,000 | Trained spotters estimated thunderstorm winds at 65 mph. Numerous trees were reported down. At least one vehicle was damaged by a fallen tree. |
| September 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | $25,000 | Thunderstorms produced downburst winds that downed numerous large tree limbs. At least one utility pole was downed, along with several power lines. A three season porch was destroyed by the downburst winds. |
| May 2011 | Hail | Parma | $20,000 | Thunderstorms produced half dollar size hail. |
| August 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | $5,000 | A large tree was blown down onto an exterior garage on Haverhill Ave near Parma. |
| May 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | $5,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed one large tree. |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | $5,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed several large tree limbs and slightly damaged a house. |
| June 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | $5,000 | Several trees were downed, some on power lines. |
| July 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | $5,000 | Large hail fell in Parma Heights. Utility poles were downed on some cars in a parking lot in Parma. |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | $2,000 | A few large limbs reported down. |
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | $2,000 | Thunderstorm winds downed many large tree limbs. |
| June 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | $1,000 | Thunderstorm winds blew over 50 feet of fence and damaged an awning on a house. |
| March 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | - | Tree downed about two-miles east of Brooklyn. |
| April 2026 | Hail | Parma | - | Hail up to quarter-size in Parma. |
| March 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | - | Tree downed and peak gust of 63 mph from thunderstorm in Parma. |
| July 2023 | Hail | Parma | - | Hail up to ping pong ball-size in Parma. |
| March 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | - | A spotter's anemometer recorded a peak gust of 58 mph when a rain shower was overhead. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | - | Tree fell onto house and caused minor damage in Parma. |
| March 2017 | Hail | Parma | - | Quarter sized hail was observed. |
| July 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | - | A trained spotter measured a 60 mph thunderstorm wind gust. |
| June 2014 | Hail | Parma | - | The public reported nickel size hail 8 miles east of Hopkins Airport. |
| May 2011 | Hail | Parma | - | Thunderstorms produced a swath of nickel to quarter size hail. Nickel hail was observed for a period of five minutes in North Royalton. |
| May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Parma | - | Thunderstorm winds downed several large branches. |
| June 2008 | Hail | Parma | - | Quarter size hail was observed. |
| August 2002 | Hail | Parma | - | Dime size hail was observed. |
| September 2000 | Hail | Parma | - | Dime sized hail covered the ground. |
| July 1999 | Hail | Parma | - | no account filed |
| June 1996 | Hail | Parma | - | no account filed |
| April 1996 | Hail | Parma | - | no account filed |
| April 1994 | Hail | Parma | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadview Gardens | 2.0 miles | 16 | |
| Brooklyn Acres | 2.2 miles | 16 | |
| Parma Heights | 2.2 miles | 21 | |
| Brooklyn Heights | 2.3 miles | 16 | |
| Brooklyn | 2.5 miles | 16 | |
| Seven Hills | 2.6 miles | 16 | |
| South Brooklyn | 2.7 miles | 16 | |
| Pleasant Valley | 3.6 miles | 16 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Parma | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q862711 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 1049063. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Specimens. Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), https://www.gbif.org/. Only records licensed CC0 or CC BY are used. Records licensed CC BY-NC are excluded because this site carries advertising. Images are checked individually and any whose licence is non-commercial, no-derivatives or unreadable is refused.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.