Center Ridge from 1810 to the 1880’s

The following is shared by one of our members, who loves researching the history of our hometown.  We hope you enjoy this look into the past of our main route through town.

Center Ridge was the first choice location for homesteads in 1810 by the first settlers, who had top priority land choices.  The ridge was darkened by a thick forest canopy.  Yes, it was the site of an Indian trail, but in places, it was so densely undergrown that it could be hard to see your own feet, or to see the person you were hiking with.  The western end was also obstructed by a windfall zone of tornado-leveled large trees.  However, the quality and depth of the soil did not escape pioneer’s notice.  Intense labor and fire were required to clear this forest for farming.

In general, Ridgeville followed the wisely popular sequence of quick, but adequate temporary structures first.  These log structures were often lost to fire as the logs dried out.  As planned, longer lasting structures took their places.  However, some settlers opted to begin with more quality.  At the northwest corner of Center Ridge and Center Road (Avon Belden) Joel Terrell took full advantage of two round trips back to Connecticut in 1810 and 1811.  He constructed a sizeable Terrell House Inn.  He also finished clearing the road to Cleveland.  The original inn and replacement structures remained in the family for sixty years.  This Inn was also known as the Indian Tavern because of its popularity with natives going to and from their Sandusky hunting grounds.

The settlers were not tree-adverse- quite the contrary!  Fruit trees had a high priority and fared very well in cleared areas.  The first settlers also recognized and treasured the connectivity of Center Ridge- both eastward and westward.  Far, far better connectivity than the swamps that dreadfully hindered early north-south travel.  By the early 1820s the settlers had improved road connections.  They also had the foresight and ambition to plant sugar maples along both sides of the cleared Center Ridge Road.  Foresight and ambition was also implemented in roadside construction.  Two War of 1812 veterans began buildings in 1818 that amazingly still exist today.  Joseph Cahoon began the skilled meticulous labors that became the Cahoon House near our west end.  (the beautiful brick home just west of Beckett Engineering).  Philander Terrell built and operated the Stagecoach Inn near the east end of town, now known as the Century Tavern.  By 1869 a two-story brick school graced the town center.  At the east and west ends of Center Ridge were two other schools for grades 1-8 and soon seven more were scattered about town.  The town center was busy. The First Congregational Church (begun in 1822) was well advanced.  Just east of the church Mooer’s Ridgeville Chair Works was producing in high volume.  St Peter Church began nearby the Ridge on Center Road in 1875.

The 1880’s began with a leap of modernization.  In 1881, a new stone bridge was built over Center Creek- just west of St. Peter Church.  It used the stone-arch construction proven effective from at least as far back as Roman times.  This bridge endured, but became buried under the growing road as time progressed into the 20th century.  During 21st Century road widening only the signature keystone could be saved.  This keystone is anxiously awaiting a suitable display home.

In 1882 a new Town Hall was authorized, and construction began later that year.  An “1882” keystone for the doorway arch was aptly fabricated for the project.  The Town Hall was completed speedily and dedicated in December of 1883.  Our “1883” Town Hall as we now call it, has strongly earned its place on the National Registry of Historic Places.  Early bicyclist, Thomas Stevens, highly praised the refreshing shade trees, lush orchards and rideable ridges on the North Ridgeville portion of his high wheel ride across America in 1884.  North Ridgeville epitomized all of these and offered him an inviting array of architecture as well.