East Palestine sits on the eastern edge of Ohio. What to know about the town
A Norfolk Southern Railroad freight train derailed at 8:55 p.m. Feb. 3 in East Palestine, Ohio.
Within moments of the crash and the ensuing fire, officials knew this was not a typical derailment.
It would take days before officials would acknowledge that life in the small village near the Pennsylvania border might be forever changed.
Environmental concerns:Is the air in East Palestine safe to breathe? Here's what experts and officials say.
Fire consumed many of the damaged rail cars and flames and smoke hovered over the crash site for days after the crash and officials warned of the risk of a major explosion.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro ordered the evacuation on Feb. 6 of any remaining residents so the railroad could execute a controlled release of the rail cars' chemicals.
There are now questions about the potential long-term environmental impacts of the mishap.
What we know about the Norfolk Southern Train
The train was about 150 cars long and some 50 were impacted in the derailment.
The National Transportation Safety Board, says 20 of the 150 cars contained hazardous materials, and 11 of those were involved in the derailment.
Investigators say a mechanical issue with a rail car axle caused the derailment.
Here are some things to know about East Palestine, Ohio
Where is East Palestine, Ohio on the map?
The village of East Palestine is in Columbiana County.
It is situated in Ohio but close to the Pennsylvania border.
It is located about 20 miles south of Youngstown and 40 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. The village is about 70 miles east of Akron.
How many people live in East Palestine?
As of the last Census some 4,761 people live in East Palestine.
The Census says there are 2,131 housing units in the village and some 1,929 households.
The median household income is $44,498 with an employment rate of about 54 percent.
Who is the mayor of East Palestine?
Trent Conaway is the village's mayor/village council president. The Interim Village Manager is Traci Spratt.
What is East Palestine's history?
The town traces its history back to 1828. It was called Mechanicsburg before becoming East Palestine.
One of the town's best-known employers was the East Palestine Pottery Company that later became known as the W. S. George Pottery Company that operated until the 1950s. There were a number of clay pits located near the village.
What do 'American Idol' and Ted Williams have to do with East Palestine?
East Palestine has had a few well-known residents over the years.
American Idol contestant Sarah Burgess was born in the village on born July 14, 1987. She appeared in season six of the popular show.
East Palestine native Wynn Firth Hawkins was a right handed pitcher for Cleveland in the Major League Baseball between 1960 and 1962.
Born Feb. 20, 1936, his footnote in baseball lore is that he gave up Ted Williams 500th home run on June 17, 1960.
Dancer Martha Hill was born in East Palestine on Dec. 1, 1900. Hill went on to be the first director of dance at the Julliard School.
Professional hockey player Jonathan Tanner Miller was born March 14, 1993, in East Palestine. In the NHL, Miller played for the Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning.
George William Morris was born Feb. 24, 1919, in East Palestine. He played professional footballl for the then Cleveland Rams from 1941 to 1942.
How do you pronounce East Palestine?
East PAL-ə-STEEN.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: East Palestine on eastern edge of Ohio. What to know about the town
