Wick Avenue 1940-1967 : Millionaire's Row and Youngstown State University

Abstract

The Wick Avenue neighborhood in Youngstown, Ohio was "Millionaire's Row" during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Among the cultural institutions that they encouraged to locate on Wick Avenue was one that would both preserve and irrevocably change Wick Avenue. It began as the education department of the YMCA and eventually became Youngstown State University. Local businessmen supported the university and encouraged its growth. They knew that Wick Avenue was declining as a residential neighborhood and believed that the cultural institutions, especially the school, could help the area to retain some of the prior character. James L. Wick, Jr., in particular, worked with Youngstown College (later University) president Howard Jones toward this goal. He headed the Board of Trustees for several years and served in other capacities for decades. The campus included only a few blocks along Wick Avenue, utilizing mainly donated buildings during the early years. Funds were always short, but they always believed that the school would grow. The two of them, supported by many other area businessmen and every Wick Avenue cultural institution, fought every change that could limit its growth. They were unable to prevent all commercial encroachment and zoning change, but they were able to slow the rate of these changes. In the early 1960s, urban renewal came to Youngstown. The University was able to add a project that extended the campus west to a plan for downtown Youngstown. The current Youngstown State University is the product of this plan, and of the work of these few people who dedicated most of their time to this tiny school.