CHAPTER II

CULTURAL RESOURCES

SUMMARY AND PLANNING ISSUES

The demands upon cultural resources will increase based upon current and expected demographic trends. As demand rises, devising sources of funds will need to be explored. The basic spatial distribution of such facilities in the county may need to be examined.

The contribution of the arts is an essential element in the county, especially as a component of education of students. Coincidentally, the arts should expand programming to create new audiences for activities, including theater and dance. An example may be the Geauga Lyric Theater Guild’s conversion of the former Geauga Cinema in the City of Chardon to offer stage shows and related activities. Other opportunities may exist in the county to reuse buildings for the promotion of the arts.

Cultural resources have an effect upon the quality of life in the county and the region. Other impacts include enhancing interaction of residents and promotion of travel and tourism. This section of the plan brings into play historic, archaeological, and cultural resources. Such resources should be inventoried, and to the extent possible, protected. Encroachment of incompatible development upon historic areas should be discouraged.

HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

Geauga County was originally part of the tract known as the Connecticut Western Reserve. The Colony of Connecticut claimed title to the land (see Map II-1). In 1795, Connecticut conveyed title to about 3,000,000 acres of the easterly portion of the Western Reserve to the Connecticut Land Company for $1,200,000.00. The officers of the land company decided to subdivide the region east of the into townships about five miles square.

The townships were subsequently divided into sections approximately one-mile square. Some sections were further carved into tracts and lots. Geauga County was established in 1806. The creation of the various townships and municipalities followed (see Map II-2).

By the end of 1800, there were about thirty-two settlements in the Reserve. However, no organized government existed. Geauga County was the second county established in the Reserve. Geauga’s name was derived from the Indian name for the present day Grand River, “Sheauga Sepe,” or Raccoon River. The county was created by an act of the legislature in 1805. In 1806, Geauga County government was established and the first meeting of the Board of County Commissioners was held. The contract to build the first courthouse was entered into in 1807. In 1811, the county seat was established in Chardon, named after Peter Chardon Brooks, the owner of the tract of land where the

II-1 Geauga County, General Plan town was founded. Geauga’s total land area was reduced in the early 1800’s when Ashtabula County and Cuyahoga County were created. In 1840, Lake County was organized by taking seven northern townships from Geauga. The population of Geauga County at that time was 16,297 persons.

The first courthouse in the county was a simple log building with a single room. The jail was built in Chardon and was attached to a tavern. The courthouse was replaced in 1813. It burned along with many of the other wooden structures in Chardon in the great fire of 1868. The courthouse was rebuilt after the fire out of brick and remains on the square in Chardon today.

Map II-1

II-2 Geauga County, Ohio General Plan The following is a historical sketch of each community in Geauga County (see map II-2)

Auburn Township: Bildad Bradley, in 1815, settled the township of Auburn. It was the twelfth township to be settled in Geauga County. Early settlers migrated primarily from Massachusetts, Virginia, and New York. Auburn was a central point in stagecoach days, situated halfway between and Warren. During the early years, a steady influx of settlers created a thriving community at Auburn Corners. Auburn was home to a diverse industrial economy. Some industries included a stove works, a basket factory, a cheese box mill, sawmills, and cheese factories. The first cheese factory to become operational was located about two and one-half miles north of Auburn Center. By 1936, with a decrease in prior population counts of nearly 50 per cent and the immense competition from the encompassing region, factories began closing and farming became a primary occupation.

Bainbridge Township: In 1811, the first settler of Bainbridge, David McConoughy, purchased and built a log cabin on 100 acres of land situated in the southeast corner of the township. Other early settlers followed suit, and the land which once had an abundance of trees, including maple, cherry, and oak, was cleared to plant wheat and build dwellings. By 1820, the first saw mill was put into operation, enabling the millers the opportunity to use the trees, which had been cleared for open land. The maple trees were also tapped for maple sugar production. As was the case across Geauga County, cheese production was an important industry in Bainbridge. The area of Geauga Lake was settled in approximately 1826. Geauga Lake Amusement Park opened nearly 60 years later, in 1884. The oldest road in Bainbridge, Chillicothe Road (State Route 306), was surveyed in 1801 by Edward Paine. The first rail service to pass through the township was established in 1856. From 1900 to 1915, an electric car line ran between Chagrin Falls and Garrettsville, passing through Bainbridge.

Burton Township and Village: Burton Township was the first settlement in Geauga County. It was founded by Thomas Umberfield, Isaac Fowler, and Amariah Beard, all originally from Connecticut, in July of 1798. The first town hall was constructed in 1871 at the northeast corner of the square. The township relied heavily upon its agricultural economy. Dairying was significant through the early 1900’s along with the manufacturing of cheese. Colonel Henry A. Ford sold the land used as the fairgrounds to the county in 1856. In 1874, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad line opened a stop in Burton, known as the Burton Station. The Burton and Mantua Hack Line also ran daily, passing through South Newbury, Auburn Corners, Mantua Corners, and to Mantua Station. The first passengers of the Burton-Middlefield Line of the Cleveland and Eastern Railroad were transported on February 22, 1900 and it remained operational until 1925. This line allowed for regular trips to Cleveland as well. Burton Village was incorporated in 1895.

Chardon Township and City of Chardon: The first settlers arrived in Chardon in 1808. Peter Chardon Brooks, an early settler from Boston, dedicated the public square provided that the county seat be located in Chardon and that his middle name (a French word meaning “thistle”) would become the official name of the community. The central square began to function as the focal point for the early settlers, and would continue to do so over the years that followed. The square was used as a field for raising crops as

II-3 Geauga County, Ohio General Plan well as for grazing. In addition, many celebratory events were held on the square, such as carnivals, concerts, and political events. Chardon Village was established in 1851. In 1868, a devastating fire completely destroyed Chardon’s business section as well as the courthouse. The buildings and courthouse were subsequently rebuilt. Chardon has hosted a diverse set of industries over the years. Since the earliest days, farmers came from surrounding areas for the purpose of trading goods. Several saw mills and cigar manufacturing establishments helped define the economy, as did the production of other items such as cider and cheese. Stone quarries and brick making operations were also established due to the availability of large deposits of sandstone and clay. The Chardon Macaroni Company and the Chardon Rubber Company were early industrial firms. The Painesville and Hudson Railroad Company ran a line through Geauga County in the mid to late 1800’s. The company constructed a narrow gauge track between Painesville and Chardon. From 1871 to 1872, the Painesville and Youngstown Railroad Company continued this track. When the line was purchased by the Pittsburgh and Western in June of 1886, the existing gauge was changed to the standard gauge. Service on this new line began in late summer of the same year. At the turn of the century, rail service became available to Cleveland on the Cleveland and Eastern Railway Company. This electric railroad ran from Chardon to Cleveland as well as from Burton to Middlefield. The line remained operational until March of 1925.

Chester Township: Chester Township was preliminary surveyed in 1796 and settled in 1801 by Justice Miner. It was the fourth settlement in Geauga County and was named Chester for Chester, Massachusetts because a number of settlers were originally from there. Farming and dairying were the early major activities in the township. The Moss Farm Dairy was one of the major dairy farms in the township. Chester was found to be a good locality for fruit trees. From 1910 to 1915, there were large plantings of fruit trees, especially apples. Austin Turner built the first store in Chester in the early 1840’s at the northwest corner of the intersection of Center and Chillicothe Roads. About 1870, a store at Mulberry corners was built. After World War II, Chester gradually changed from a farming community to being more business oriented. Several successful business enterprises were established and included a lumberyard, sheet metal operation, a refrigeration company, paint rollers manufacturing, thermostatic controls, heater manufacturing, and an upholstery business. Chester’s early post offices were usually located in an existing store. From the earliest history, there was one located near the intersection of Mayfield and Chillicothe Roads. The address for this area was written as Chester X Roads. When the township grew, the postal address changed and the name adopted was Chesterland. The first rural delivery was established in 1902. The first school building was established in 1810 and was known as the Old Settlement. It was located on Mayfield Road west of Fullertown Road. In 1904, the township high school was established. Chester and Russell Townships schools were united in 1948 forming the West Geauga School District. Fire protection in Chester started in 1923. The Chester Township Fire Association was formed in 1943. Chesterland Light and Power Company was organized in 1920 and was sold to the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company in 1925. The increased demand for home sites in Chester brought about the opening of several residential allotments. The first one being Merlin Heights which was situated south off Mayfield Road. Others along Opalocka and Ward Drives followed.

II-4 Geauga County, Ohio General Plan Claridon Township and Aquilla Village: Claridon Township was settled in 1808 by Asa Cowles and Seth Spencer. Early settlers relied heavily upon an agriculturally based economy, which included dairying, poultry, and potato crops. Several cheese factories were built in the township, including the Hall Cheese Factory constructed in 1863. Other industries were blacksmith shops, carpentry shops, maple sugaring, and Nathaniel Spencer’s chair factory (the oldest manufacturing business in the township, built in 1811). A railroad was constructed in 1872, with a line running through the eastern and northern sections of Claridon. This aided in shipping butter, eggs, cheese, and maple syrup to other communities. One of the oldest roads in Geauga County, Old State Road (State Route 608), runs diagonally across the eastern part of Claridon. In 1932, the City of Akron started a reservoir project, seeking to supply the city with fresh water. Known as East Branch Reservoir, it is situated partially within Claridon Township.

Aquilla Village was formed in 1946. Located on Aquilla Road, adjacent to the Aquilla Lake Wildlife Area, the area was used as a summer retreat until the mid 1900’s. With assistance from federal grants, the roads were paved and a centralized sewage treatment plant was installed in the 1980’s.

Hambden Township: The land comprising Hambden Township was purchased by Oliver Phelps in November of 1798. It was settled by Dr. Solomon Bond and others from Connecticut in 1801. Bond had purchased 12,000 acres of land from Phelps, upon which he built a house in the southwest corner of the township. In 1810, the Bondstown Logging Society was founded. The township was called Bondstown until 1819, when it became Hambden. Many of the early settlers came from New York and Vermont, resulting in a New England character to the township. Hambden’s economic base was largely agricultural. Cattle, sheep, and some poultry were introduced soon after land had been cleared. With the opening of a cheese factory in the early 1860’s, the dairy industry grew rapidly.

Huntsburg Township: The township of Huntsburg (spelled Huntsburgh until the 1880’s) was settled by Stephen Pomeroy in 1807. Many of the early settlers were of Russian and Polish descent, with people of Hungarian, Czechoslovakian, Italian, Finn, and German extraction arriving in the early twentieth century. The Old Order Amish also migrated to Huntsburg, many coming from Middlefield Township. Currently, Huntsburg is home to a sizable Amish population, which has helped maintain its rural character. Settlers in the 1800’s were involved primarily in farming, however, other industries were in existence. There were two apple jelly factories, a mill for dressing and planing lumber, a number of cider mills, and several cheese factories. The current town hall was built in 1908.

Middlefield Township and Village: The township of Middlefield was settled by Isaac and James Thompson in 1799, the year following the first settlement (Burton) in Geauga County. Farming was the primary occupation of the early settlers, although around 1810 a distillery, a sawmill, and a gristmill were established in the Swine Creek area. A railroad was built through the township in 1873, linking Middlefield with Painesville and Warren (it has since been abandoned). Various industries were established in the early 1900’s. These included basket making and a pail factory. Beginning in 1887, Old Order

II-5 Geauga County, Ohio General Plan Amish families began migrating to the area. The Amish presence in Middlefield remains today. Middlefield Village was incorporated in 1901.

Montville Township: Roswell Stevens settled the Montville area in 1815. Agriculture was the primary industry in the community. Early farming involved raising livestock and crops. Milk and cheese were difficult to transport in the early days due to a lack of sufficient roads and the distance to rail lines. Montville eventually had a number of industries. A variety of mills, in addition to tanneries, wood carving shops, wagon and blacksmith shops, bowl factories, and chair factories were some of the first enterprises in the township. Jack Randall started the production of cheese, with the opening of the first factory near the town center in 1865. For many years, Montville was also noted for the manufacturing of cutters and sleighs. With the introduction of mass production and the advancement of transportation systems, however, these small enterprises found it hard to compete. By the end of the 1800’s, many of the small businesses found in the town center had declined.

Munson Township: Munson Township was among the last settlements in Geauga County. Samuel Hopson settled it in 1816. The first gristmill became operational in 1818 and soon several other mills were built. A cheese factory at Sand Hill opened in 1869 and it remained in business for nearly 50 years. Between 1899 and 1925, the Cleveland and Eastern Traction Company operated an electric line through Munson. This assisted in the transport of farmers’ goods to other markets in the region. On May 4, 1948, a rural zoning resolution was passed by Munson Township voters. It was the first rural zoning resolution adopted in the State of Ohio.

Newbury Township: Newbury was settled in 1810 by Lemuel Punderson. Manufacturing began to grow after 1815. Some industries at the time included saw mills, a box factory, a woolen mill and dyeing plant, cheese factories, and a furniture factory. Blacksmith shops, a wagon maker shop, tanneries, and a distillery were established as well. The interurban railway lines linked Newbury with surrounding communities and the Cleveland area. Service was abandoned around 1925.

Parkman Township: The area, which comprises Parkman Township, was purchased by Samuel Parkman and General Joseph Williams in 1797. In 1803, Samuel Parkman surveyed lots and by 1804 his nephew, Robert Breck Parkman, had settled 600 acres of land in the area. The township was the first to be settled in the southern tier of townships in Geauga County. At one time, Parkman consisted of three settlements: Little Ireland, Smithville, and Bundysburg. A gristmill was built along the Grand River in 1805. A general store was opened in 1808 and it was the only one operating in the county at the time. Processing milk and cheese was once a staple in the Parkman economy. The business section of town, which had been comprised of wooden structures, suffered a great loss as a result of a fire in 1899. Brick buildings replaced those, which had been destroyed. The migration of Old Order Amish families to Parkman began in the late 1880’s. Sam Weaver was the first Amish settler in the Parkman region.

Russell Township, South Russell Village, and Hunting Valley Village: Russell Township was settled in 1817 by William Russell. Agriculture was the primary focus of economic

II-6 Geauga County, Ohio General Plan activity. In the late 1890’s, the Cleveland and Eastern Electric Railroad were built. Two interurban rail lines traversed the township. The rail linkages enhanced the market for agricultural products. South Russell Village was created in 1923. A portion of Hunting Valley Village, incorporated in 1924, is located along the westerly portion of Russell Township.

Thompson Township: Dr. Isaac Palmer originally settled Thompson Township in 1800. Early settlers established a diversity of industries, such as chair factories, cheese factories, creameries, a tannery, cooper shops, wagon shops, and blacksmith shops. By the 1830’s, South Thompson had become a center for commercial activity. Seven water wheels, all built on a stream from an established pond, were the sources of power for a gristmill; a carding mill, a cider mill, a chain factory, a shingle mill, and two saw mills. For over 70 years, stone quarries provided large blocks of sandstone, which were used for road culverts, railroad bridges, and road bridges. R. W. Sidley started the first major quarry operation in approximately 1932.

Troy Township: Jacob Welsh first settled the township of Troy in 1811. Other settlers soon followed, coming from Connecticut and Massachusetts. A township government was established by 1820 and the township was named Welshfield. Fifty acres of land were to be given to the township by Welsh under the condition that the township be named after him. Within several years, citizens petitioned to change the name of the community from Welshfield to Troy. Shops were established by wagon makers, shoemakers, coopers, tanners, blacksmiths, carpenters, and masons. Agriculture, however, was the primary component of Troy’s economic base. Dairying was undertaken by a large number of farmers. Cheese factories were established as a result of the large dairy industry. With subsequent changes in transportation and production technologies, the factories eventually disappeared. Nevertheless, agriculture has remained a significant element in the community. The Chagrin Falls and Eastern Electric Railroad completed a line between Chagrin Falls and Middlefield in 1900, and between Steele’s Crossing and Garrettsville the following year. Although the portion of the line between Steele’s Crossing and Middlefield was abandoned due to competition from the Cleveland and Eastern Electric Railway, the line that ran through Troy to Garrettsville remained in operation for a number of years. This enabled farmers to transport milk to Cleveland in the morning and produce to the city in the afternoon. The rail service remained operational until 1915, at which time it was terminated due to financial hardships resulting from a decrease in service. Ohio Route 16, running through Troy and now known as U.S. Route 422, introduced the reinforced concrete road to Geauga County in November of 1922. Of great importance to the township was the change in its social make-up, which began in the 1890’s, when the first members of what was to develop into a sizable Old Order Amish population settled in Troy.

II-7 Geauga County, Ohio General Plan Map II-2

II-8 Geauga County, Ohio General Plan HISTORIC PLACES

Geauga’s rich history has left its citizens with numerous examples of Western Reserve style architecture. The county has a number of buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places (see Map II-3). There are various historical societies and organizations in the county that have a keen interest in preservation.

Historic properties exist throughout Geauga County. There are seven categories relating to historic properties. Categories “one” and “two” have already been professionally identified and meet criteria for National Register and/or Ohio Historic Markers (see Map II-3 and Table II-1). Categories “three” and “four” are properties with the potential for National Register designation and Ohio Historic Marker designation (see Table II-2). Category “five” consists of properties that need to be protected until historical research or archaeological excavation can be done (see Table II-3). Categories “six” and “seven” are sites important in community memory but have already been significantly changed.

Table II-1

Historic Properties Categories One & Two Geauga County

Category One Properties On The National Register Township / Map Symbol Description Municipality 1 Auburn Free Will Baptist Church 2 Burton Village Burton Village Historic District 3 Bainbridge Lost Lane Farm (private residence) 4 City of Chardon Courthouse Square 5 Chester Hawken School 6 Claridon Congregational Church, Lot Hathaway House Middlefield 7 Batavia House / Century Inn Village 8 Munson Fowlers Mill Historic District 9 Russell Lucius Tambling House 10 Troy Fox-Pope Home Category Two Properties With Ohio Historic Markers 1 Bainbridge Burns Lindow Building 2 Burton Village Geauga County Fairgrounds 3 Newbury Union Chapel 4 Thompson Thompson Ledges Park

Source: Geauga County Archives 2003

II-9 Geauga County, Ohio General Plan Map II-3

II-10 Geauga County, Ohio General Plan Table II-2

Historic Properties Categories Three & Four Geauga County

Category Three Properties With Potential For National Register Township / Description Municipality LaDue Reservoir Auburn Taborville Burton Lake Kelso / Fern Lake Chardon Little Mountain Holden Arboretum City of Chardon Old Post Office Claridon Pleasant Hills County Home Huntsburg Town Hall Munson Bass Lake Newbury American Society of Metals Parkman Town Center Category Four Properties With Potential For Ohio Historic Markers Bainbridge Chagrin Falls Park Geauga County Fairgrounds Interurban Station Burton Village Welton Cemetery Memorial Cemetery Chardon Big Creek Rocky Cellar Pilgrim Christian Church City of Chardon Geauga Theatre Municipal Cemetery William Wilbur House Chester Chester Caves Lake Aquilla & Village East Claridon Methodist Church Claridon Durkee House East Brach Reservoir Huntsburg Pioneer Cemetery Middlefield Middlefield Cheese House Munson Mayfield Road Drive-In Centennial Oak Ansel’s Cave at West Woods Newbury Punderson Lake & Manor House The Rookery Parkman Community Center, Old Cheese Factory Russell Briar Hill / River Cemetery Thompson Town Center

Source: Geauga County Archives 2003

II-11 Geauga County, Ohio General Plan Table II-3

Historic Properties Category Five Geauga County

Category Five Properties That Need Historical Research Township / Description Municipality Burton Township Park Property if Native American Artifacts City of Chardon St. Mary’s Catholic Diocese Office Newbury Morton House Parkman Indian Mounds Near Grand River Thompson Charles Martin Hall Troy Eldon Russell Park

Source: Geauga County Archives 2003

CULTURAL RESOURCES

Significant ranges of cultural resources are found in the county. For example, the Fairmount Theater for the Performing Arts in Russell and the Geauga Lyric Theater Guild in Chardon offer regular programs. Civic organizations in the county include the local chambers of commerce, Kiwanis, Rotary, and Lions Club. Numerous religious denominations are represented in the area.

The Amish community is primarily settled in the southeastern section of the county and consists of about 5,600 persons. The Amish adhere to a lifestyle based upon church activities and manual labor. Their presence in the county contributes to its rural nature.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Goals

Cultural resources should be protected utilizing a combination of federal, state, and local government and private initiatives.

Objectives

The following are the objectives of this section.

Continue to inventory, preserve, and protect historic and cultural resources.

Encourage rehabilitation and preservation of county owned buildings and structures.

Recommend designation of buildings on the National Register of Historic Places with the support of property owners.

II-12 Geauga County, Ohio General Plan Pursue the designation of potential National Historic Register and Ohio Historical Marker properties.

Preserve historic building facades.

Identify and protect historic farm buildings, particularly barns, from destruction.

Recognize outstanding preservation efforts.

Development that may be intrusive upon historic or culturally significant sites should be discouraged and negative impacts addressed.

IMPLEMENTATION

The following implementation activities may be undertaken to carry out the plan.

Utilize the county’s Geographic Information System (GIS) to map and create an inventory of historic and archeological significant sites. This tool may be used to evaluate development proposals, permits, and in grant applications.

Preserve county-owned buildings through sensitive rehabilitation and ongoing maintenance; particularly the Courthouse, Courthouse Annex, and the Opera House.

Extend support for publicly and privately held buildings of historic and cultural significance in the municipalities and townships through educational initiatives as well as endorsement of state and federal grant applications.

Sustain historic preservation districts and assist property owners who desire to place buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.

Encourage the granting of historic preservation easements to protect historic building facades and structures.

Examine the formation of a “Barn Again” program with the Ohio Historic Preservation Office to protect historically significant barns.

Create an annual award for outstanding preservation efforts involving a building, structure, or use.

Discourage rezoning applications and the extension of infrastructure that may be intrusive upon historic areas.

Nourish the arts and culturally related organizations by promoting activities on a countywide basis.

II-13 Geauga County, Ohio General Plan