Forming a City

The first settlers named their settlement Rootstown in honor of Ephraim Root, the gentleman that they purchased the land from.  The township organized the first Monday in April 1813 at the Terrell Tavern.  The settlement name was changed to Ridgeville due to the numerous ridges.  There were fifteen voters, and they were all at the election, which resulted as follows: Wyllis Terrell, clerk; David Beebe, Sr., Ichabod Terrell and Joel Terrell, Trustees; David Beebe Jr. and John Reading, Constables; Joel Terrell, Justice of the Peace.

In September of 1910, a movement was started in the township toward incorporation as a village. Residents were  concerned that they had no way of securing satisfactory improvements such as sidewalks or street lights,  and they could not control the speed of automobiles on the main thoroughfares in the township. (At the time the speed limit in most areas was 50 mph.)  Nothing was formalized at this time.

The issue to incorporate the Township into a village was a controversial issue for many years.  The issue had been voted down twice, once in 1948 and once in 1954 before the issue carried in 1958.  In August of 1948, a request was filed that the Lorain County Board of Elections conduct a special election in North Ridgeville to decide the question of incorporation.  The concerns of residents at this time were the rapid growth the township was seeing and they wanted to protect themselves and their properties from being invaded by “undesirables” and their homes from being surrounded by a community of shacks.  The Township zoning chairman reported that due to the present state zoning law not being applicable or workable in Ridgeville, the only effective way to control the situation was by incorporating as a village.  (The undesirable housing situation at the time was in the northern section of the township and it was already a serious concern.)

One of the principal concerns at the time was whether incorporating would increase taxes.  Many farmers were concerned that more government would mean higher taxes.  It was stated at a meeting that taxes only had to be raised if the residents wanted more services.  If incorporated the city would  get about 10 times the amount it got at that time in gasoline tax and it would also receive funds from auto license fees.  Additional services that could be added would be their own police protection rather than depending on the County Sheriff, fire protection, enactment of zoning regulations, street lighting and sidewalks.

The vote for incorporation was held September 1, 1948 and was defeated.

In March of 1950 a committee was appointed to make a study of incorporation with a representative from each corner of the township.  It was not until January of 1954 that the representatives met again.  A twelve member committee was appointed to prepare and distribute facts to the townspeople about what had already been done and what was yet to be done to bring about incorporation.  In a discussion at one meeting it was stated the incorporation would give the residents home rule, a power only granted to municipalities and not townships.  They could pass legislation without the permission of the state legislature to enforce any act.  They could establish a credit rating so they could issue bonds.  They could also better negotiate to get water service from an outlying city, something they had been trying to do for 10 years with Elyria, because they would be a more favorable financial risk.  Under the present weak trustee system they had no power to pass legislation under a township setup, whereas a village is granted power by the state legislature to create and enforce ordinances.

A special election was scheduled for October 21st.  The proposal was turned down at the polls. Even though it failed, those who favored incorporation would try a third time.  They stated at the time that two areas in the township that voted against it- Fields and the area south of the New York Central Railroad would be eliminated from voting on the new proposal this time.

In November 1954 plans for the third vote was studied with the two southern districts being excluded from the vote.  In July 1958 another group was formed.  The issues this time were the concern over the  possible increase in school enrollment and the effect on the township tax base as a result of the proposed West Point Homes allotment.  The threat of a partial annexation of the township by Elyria, including the area for the proposed Ridgeview Shopping Center, was also a concern.

The proposal was scheduled for a vote on November 4th.  Unlike other attempts, there was no organized opposition to the incorporation this time.  Provisions were made for the vote to be done in the entire township area.  The third time was a charm and the proposal passed with 74% of the vote!

A special election was held to elect temporary officials of the new village.  These officials would serve from June 1, 1959 to January 1, 1960.  On May 5, 1959 North Ridgeville Village voted on the first village officials.  L. L. Louffman became the first mayor and six councilmen were also voted in.

In November 1959, the village voted for officials to serve two-year terms beginning January 1, 1960.  The entire slate of temporary officials was re-elected.

In July of  1960 – 150 years from the time the first settlers came to Ridgeville, Mayor L. L. Louffman received notification from the Secretary of State that North Ridgeville had become a city!  This stopped all possibilities of annexation.

From Through the Years, History of North Ridgeville by William Noll   (book available for purchase at the Old Town Hall Museum or through our website store)