Shawville

Shawville History

The Railroad from Cleveland to Toledo was completed in 1853. The railroad station in North Ridgeville was built about 1868 at the Center Road crossing (Rt 83) on land sold to the Cleveland & Toledo Railroad company in 1867 by Samuel Shaw the uncle of Samuel H Shaw. It was originally called Ridgeville Station but because there was another Ridgeville station to the east, it was renamed Shawville Station in 1890 after the person selling them the land.

A small colony of Catholics principally of Irish descent had settled around the depot in Ridgeville. These settlers were employed by the railroad, had settled around the depot in Ridgeville. For many years these people observed the Sunday by meeting in the home of one of their fellow men and reciting the rosary and other prayers in common. Occasionally they would borrow a handcar from company and travel, as many as could get on, to Elyria or Olmsted Falls, to attend Mass or to receive the Sacraments.

Between 1850 and 1870s, a small settlement sprouted up around the train depot. It grew to include a hotel, a tavern, a post office. The post office opened in 1874. The first postmaster was Orlando H. Ramsdell.  It discontinued operation in 1881 with the mail going to Elyria. In the early 1900s. a coal and supply business operated by the Barnes family.

At one time, as many as 10 trains per day stopped at the station, carrying passengers to Cleveland and Toledo. There were four main tracks plus two sidings.

Besides passengers, the trains transported milk, lumber, and freight or produce. Until 1924, when North Ridgeville opened a high school, students wanting to attend high school had to take the train to Elyria. Passenger service ended in Shawville by the late 1940s.

In 1851 Samual H Shaw married Juliaett Wiley and moved from Bath in Summit County to Ridgeville township. He leased eighteen acres of land, and after improving, he moved to Medina county. In 1859 he returned to Ridgeville township and bought ten acres just north of the railroad tracks at the center road (RT 83) crossing from his uncle. He continued to add to this from time to time until he was the owner of sixty-five acres.

At some time while living near the tracks, Samuel donated his labor at no cost to the railroad to remove a tree that had blown across the tracks.

He and his wife had seven children. Samuel’s son Zimri A Shaw (1852 – 1938} grew up near the tracks, and was fascinated with railroading. When 15 years old he learned to be a telegraph operator – working nights and assisting Olney H Ramsdell, the station agent. Zimri eventually held the agent position for forty-five years (about 1875 to1914). Ezra Knowles later served as the station agent, and the last agent was Robert Nuhn.

The beginning of the decline of the importance of the railroad was due to the popularity of the Green Line interurban or trolley line (!895-1931) which had track along Center Ridge Road. It ran more often, was cheaper, quieter, and more convenient since it had more stops along the Ridge and had more connections with more towns. In addition, by the 1920’s and 1930’s trucks were used more often for shipping freight locally, and automobiles and buses for transporting people, so that by 1940 passenger service was ended at Shawville; and early in 1950 the old Station building was sold and moved by rail to the east side of Elyria where it still stands today.