Research
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Washington Gates
Early Chagrin Falls Mill Owner and Pioneer Businessman Early Life of Washington Gates Washington Gates was born on August 4, 1828, in Gates Mills within Mayfield Township. He is remembered as the first white child born in that community during Ohio’s early pioneer period. Washington Gates died on August 12, 1897, following a severe illness…
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Jehu Brainerd
Artist, Writer, Educator, and Physician Jehu Brainerd (1808–1878) played a fascinating role in the early history of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. An accomplished engraver, woodcut artist, writer, educator, abolitionist, and physician, Brainerd documented early life in Chagrin Falls while later establishing himself as a respected educator and medical professor in Cleveland. Jehu Brainerd’s Woodcuts of Early…
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John S. Bullard
Inventor, Businessman, and Early Leader in Chagrin Falls John S. Bullard was born in Medina County in 1823 and became one of the most respected early citizens of Chagrin Falls. He died on January 23, 1914, at nearly 91 years of age after suffering from a cold. Early Life and Family Background John S. Bullard…
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Early Schools in Chagrin Falls
The History of Chagrin Falls Schools For nearly two centuries, Chagrin Falls schools have played a central role in the community’s identity. The village has long been recognized for its commitment to educational excellence, and the quality of its schools remains one of the primary reasons families choose to live in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Today,…
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E.B. (Elijah) Hill
Early Life of E.B. Hill Elijah B. Hill, commonly known as E. B. Hill, was born on August 9, 1792, in Great Nine Partners, Dutchess County, New York. He died on November 19, 1879, at the age of 87 after living a remarkable life as an early Ohio pioneer and settler. Hill came from a…
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Disciples of Christ
In 1831, Adamson Bentley, a former Baptist minister in Warren, Ohio, organized a Disciples of Christ church in the nearby settlement that would become Bentleyville, Ohio. In 1843 the Disciples began worshiping in Chagrin Falls, and in 1853 relocated to a new church building on Walnut Street. James A. Garfield, the future 20th president of…
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The Methodist Episcopal Church
In 1837 the Methodist Episcopal Church was formed, meeting at private homes and schoolhouses. In 1842 the Methodist Church was officially formed as the Wesley Chapel of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Chagrin Falls. Their first church was built in 1846 on the East side of South Franklin Street. A new church was built on…
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The First Congregational Society
The First Congregational Society was formed in 1835, just two years after the settlement of Chagrin Falls by Noah Graves. The first members of the Church were Thomas and Rebecca West, Alexander and Polly Hart, Timothy and Sarah Osborne, Saloma Crosby, Andrew Dickinson and Thomas Hart. In 1844, the Trustees of the Congregational Society raised…
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Bell Street Park
This park was established in 1931. Prior to its creation, many businesses were located here.
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Township Hall
This building was built in 1848 by Aristarchus Champion as a meeting hall and library. In 1875, it was enlarged to be a 2-story township hall with an Opera House. The top floor was destroyed by a fire in 1943.