Situated on the banks of the Mahoning River lies the city of Warren. The Trumbull County courthouse is prominent on the square Downtown. Many locals come to the square to eat their lunch, relax or take a stroll among the trees and fountain before heading back to work.
For decades this Rust Belt city, of less than 40,000 people, was in decline and struggled to move on from its past.
In many ways, the city reflects much of Northeast Ohio. The issues here are those that many across the state say they are facing as the election nears and voters make choices for future governance.
In the run-up to the 2024 general election, Ideastream Public Media spent time in Warren speaking to residents because the city is, to some extent, a microcosm of the story of much of Northeast Ohio. That means the story of this general election and the issues driving it are playing out here — in Warren, Ohio.
Living in Warren
Lynn Griffith is an attorney who was born and raised here.
“I'm kind of a Warren loyalist," he said.
Griffith is keen to point to the good things happening in the city, including the recent restoration of the historic Robins Theatre, just off the square.
“They have good, good shows that I like to go to," said Griffith. "We've got some restaurants Downtown, and I'm real happy with the way things are going.”
More than two centuries ago, Warren was the seat of power for all of Northeast Ohio. Today, it is the county seat of Trumbull County and the third-largest municipality in the Mahoning Valley.
Trumbull County used to be solidly Democratic. In 2012, the county went for President Barack Obama by 23 points. But four years later, voters here backed former President Donald Trump by more than six points. In 2020, Trump's support grew by more than four points, although the city of Warren itself has remained under Democratic control.
Deindustrialization and suburbanization
The auto industry used to be big in the region. The long-defunct Packard Motor Car Company was founded in Warren. Nearby, General Motors ceased operations at its Lordstown plant after more than five decades in production.
“Warren got hit by the ugly sticks of deindustrialization and suburbanization for decades," said Joshua Nativio, the manager of All American Cards and Comics located on the town square. "Few people who've had positions of power in the city have had the ability to figure out a way to move forward.”
Nativio's outlook is dim.
“Show me where the city is getting better, and I'll happily change my mind," he said.
Transition and transformation
About a mile south of Downtown sits the Second Baptist Church where Pastor Todd Johnson showed off the stained-glass windows and red pews. He is also the city's Ward 1 council member.
Johnson said Warren, which was hit hard by the collapse of the steel industry, is going through transition and transformation.
"We had a day called Black Monday here in the Mahoning Valley, which was the closure or the pending closure of multiple steel mills," said Johnson. "It kind of leaves people searching for an identity and a path forward."
Johnson said the next generation of manufacturing driven by technology offers a glimmer of hope. And through all the economic upheavals that residents have faced, they've still come together. The most recent example, Johnson said, was the community efforts and donations to save two area hospitals from closing after owner Stewart Health Care filed for bankruptcy.
"We come together in phenomenal ways. And I wouldn't trade that for the world," said Johnson. "You know, we're a significant city, and we're part of the fabric of America and Ohio (and) there's a lot to our story and there's yet a lot to be written."
Room to grow
And that story is being written by people like Dylan Trinh. She opened An’s House, a Vietnamese restaurant on the square about six months ago.
"I think for the first month is very good," said Trinh. "Customers just came, and they love my food. Everything's very good for me."
Trinh had been in the U.S. for less than a year. She said the choice of where to start her first business was clear.
"I also visit a lot of space in Ohio, like in Columbus, in Cleveland," said Trinh. "And then when it came to Warren came to this space [it] is so beautiful at this moment and the city looks very peaceful and quiet."
If things continue to go well, Trinh said she would like to add a second location — an indication of the 21st-century opportunities that can exist alongside the economic and social challenges that persist in the Rust Belt region.
