MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, incorporated as a village in 1927 and as a city in 1961, occupies 8 sq. mi. It is located 13 miles southwest of Cleveland, bounded by BROOK PARK on the north, PARMA on the east, STRONGSVILLE on the south, and BEREA on the west. Middleburg Hts. was originally part of MIDDLEBURG TWP. An attempt by the village of Berea to annex Middleburg Twp. in the 1920s led to the incorporation of Middleburg. In 1925 many farms were taken when the City of Cleveland began to develop what became the CLEVELAND-HOPKINS INTL. AIRPORT. The Depression and the appropriation of 294 acres by the U.S. government in 1942 for a bomber plant further altered the course of development (see I-X CENTER). During the postwar movement to the SUBURBS, Middleburg Hts. grew from 2,500 residents to 7,282 in 1960. The population increased to 12,367 by 1970, to 14,702 by 1990, and to 15,542 by 2000. The city has adopted the mayor-council form of government. Middleburg Hts. contains small businesses and few industries. Southwest General Hospital and United Parcel Service were its largest employers in 1980; the major business district was the Southland Shopping Center. The city has a branch of the CUYAHOGA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM.
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