Name: Middletown
Brand: David C. Clendenin
SKU: 9780738588667
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Middletown

9780738588667

$24.99

Middletown, Ohio, is a city of over 50,000 people that has a history stretching back over 200 years; this book will look at the last century through postcards. During much of the last 100 years, Middletown had many diverse industrial concerns, including paper, tobacco, and steel. These are all part of the city's history, but there is more. Along with industry came many excellent churches, schools, and civic involvement of its people. As the 20th century started, Middletown still had a horsecar and a canal. Changes came and continue to come to the city, and many will be seen here.

Lyndhurst

9780738584201

$24.99

Moses Cleaveland was sent to survey the lands of the Western Reserve of Connecticut into townships in 1796. Due to a strike, the surveyors were given plots within the new Euclid Township as part of their compensation. They sold these plots to arriving settlers from the east. Aristarkus and Sarah Brainard, the area's first family, arrived in 1831. In 1877, the Mayfield Plank Road was constructed allowing a steady stream of people and goods to easily travel from eastern farms to markets found at Doan's Corners in Cleveland, Ohio. As this part of Euclid Township grew, the area became Euclidville Village, later changed to Lyndhurst Village in 1920. The post-World War II building boom brought many young families to Lyndhurst and transformed the sleepy village into a charming 21st-century suburb.

Cincinnati's Historic Findlay Market

9780738560533

$24.99

Established in 1852, Findlay Market is Ohio's oldest public market in continuous operation.

Located just outside of Cincinnati's city limits on land donated by James Findlay, the area was known as the "Northern Liberties'? for the social liberties taken there beyond the reach of city jurisdiction, such as prostitution, bootlegging, and thievery. In an effort to protect "the housewives'? from shopping there, city officials annexed the Findlay Market area into Cincinnati, but this did little to quell Findlay Market's outlying spirit. This spirit has contributed to its longevity, outlasting every other municipal market in the city, and a rebelliousness that infuse the generations of vendors and shoppers; they have forged strong relationships with one another and continue to demand the City of Cincinnati wrestle with the complex urban challenges surrounding this beloved institution.

North Baltimore and Its Neighbors

9780738560052

$24.99

Located 25 miles south of Toledo, North Baltimore and its neighboring communities have seen dramatic changes since being settled in the 1830s. Pioneers labored to establish small farms and villages in the midst of what was then the Black Swamp, gradually achieving modest but precarious success. Then, in the 1880s, oil was discovered. The area flourished, attracting speculators, turning farmers into millionaires, and transforming quiet villages into rough-and-tumble boomtowns. It was a colorful period that also brought large homes, imposing commercial buildings, and grand town halls. However, by 1915, the oil field was depleted, and North Baltimore and its neighbors returned to their existence as quiet towns. Since then, many of the beautiful old buildings have disappeared, obscuring evidence of the area's dynamic history. With over 200 pictures, many from private collections, North Baltimore and Its Neighbors helps ensure that this history will not be forgotten.

The Troy Strawberry Festival

9781467147125

$21.99 $11.00 Save 50%

The Troy Strawberry Festival is the pride of a city that holds tradition near to its heart.

The first weekend in June is a magical time in this small Ohio city. Beginning modestly in 1977, the Troy Strawberry Festival now attracts more than 100,000 people for food and fun. The dream of one man grew into one of the largest festivals in the Midwest and has been named the best summer festival in the state by Ohio Magazine. With cherished events like the strawberry pie eating contest and Strawberry Queen pageant, the festival has long signaled the start of summer. And nothing says summer like the sweet smell of the immensely popular strawberry donuts.

Lifelong Troy resident and author of Ohio's Troy vs. Piqua Football Rivalry David Fong presents the story of the sights, sounds and tastes everyone looks forward to all year.

Bryan

9780738598581

$24.99

This book documents the rich and interesting history of the town of Bryan.

Founded by John A. Bryan in 1840, the modest village bearing his name soon came to be known as the ""Fountain City"" for its many artesian wells bubbling with clear, cool water. As roads and rail began to crisscross the Midwest, Bryan, the seat of Williams County, grew in local and regional significance as a bustling locale where politics, agriculture, and industry intersected with profit. Perhaps most famous for internationally known products such as the Ohio Art's Etch-A-Sketch and Spangler Candy's Dum Dums pops, Bryan is also the hometown of several notable natives, including a silent screen star, an astronaut, professional athletes, prominent academics, and nationally known authors. Recently named one of the 100 best small towns in the United States, Bryan still reflects the culture and values of traditional America.

North Ridgeville

9780738552460

$24.99

North Ridgeville took root when 17 men, mostly members of the Beebe and Terrell families, left Waterbury, Connecticut, traveled west to Ohio, and established the first permanent settlement on May 10, 1810. Ridgeville Township was organized in 1813, centered at State Routes 20 and 83, and by the mid-1800s welcomed many people of German and English descent. In 1829, due to frequent mail mix-ups with Ridgeville, a town near Dayton, the postmaster general requested that the post office be named North Ridgeville. What was once a small farming community began to grow and prosper, and by 1958, North Ridgeville was incorporated as a village; two years later it became a city. Today the population nears 30,000, and North Ridgeville is flourishing, thanks to the hard work, determination, and pride of its forefathers.

Youngstown

9781467110914

$24.99

Founded in 1796, Youngstown, Ohio, was for many years a small community hugging the banks of the Mahoning River. Although the area was an iron-producing region beginning in the early 19th century, it was steel that gave the Mahoning Valley and its largest city its signature identity. The images in this volume reflect the overwhelming presence of the steel industry and its enormous impact on the lives of the city's people. From the built environment to the neighborhoods, public buildings, and its very workplaces, steel was the lifeblood of this city. At its peak, Youngstown was the second-largest steel-producing region in the United States, and the mills lining the Mahoning River gave the area its sobriquet: "America's Ruhr Valley." Youngstown was indeed "built on steel."

Historic Tales of Medina County, Ohio

9781467151108

$24.99

Enjoy local stories celebrating family, faith and democratic values.

The history of Medina County brims with tales revealing the colorful and admirable character of its communities and people. For a while, locals observed living in two time zones simultaneously while also ignoring a federal law mandating Daylight Saving Time. The world-famous Giant of Seville, Captain Martin Van Buren Bates, had a brief but violent vigilante episode in Civil War-era Kentucky before finding peace and Christianity--and a home--in Ohio. The county's most prominent political family, the Batchelders, had ties to a pig farm in Brunswick that drew national attention and statewide reform.

Author Stephen D. Hambley shares insightful and entertaining stories, many never heard before, from Medina County's past.

Historic Hotels of Columbus, Ohio

9781626198968

$21.99

Though only a handful remain today, the Capital City once boasted a wealth of illustrious hotels and raucous two-bit establishments. Grande dame hotels like the Neil House, the Great Southern, the Hartman, the Chittenden and the Deshler achieved the height of elegance and refinement. More modest establishments were frequented by fugitive Confederate generals, notorious bootleggers and Fidel Castro's family. Join the Gilded Age bachelors who decked out banquet halls to look like camping sites and the Hungarian revolutionaries who failed to keep a low profile. From devastating hotel fires to ornate outhouse fittings, authors Tom Betti and Doreen Uhas Sauer introduce you to a whole new side of Columbus history.

Ohio's Troy vs. Piqua Football Rivalry:

9781626197824

$21.99

Every year, Troy and Piqua line up on the gridiron to determine supremacy within Miami County. Stretching back well over a century, it is one of the most-respected rivalries in the state and nation. Even after 130 meetings between the two schools, neither team has been able to gain a decisive edge in the series: the rivalry is tied at 62-62-6. The two teams have battled for league championships, for playoff titles and--most importantly--for bragging rights and pride. This is a story of the most prolific rivalry in the rich history of Ohio high school football, from its nerve-wracking moments to its beloved coaches and players.

Cincinnati’s Celebrity Criminal Defender:

9781626199439

$21.99

In fifty years in the courtroom, Cincinnati criminal defense attorney Foss Hopkins represented more than 550 clients. Never far from controversy, Foss specialized in murder and represented a wide array of colorful defendants. William Kuhlman and his gang left a trail of blood from Indiana to Kentucky after hacking up the body of Cincinnati fireman "Cap" Miller. Attractive and naïve Louise Sharpe pumped three bullets into her older lover and left him dying on the floor of his Walnut Hills apartment. After Marie Abbott's farmhand lover killed her husband on their Butler County farm, Marie colluded with him to stage the murder as an accident. Foss lost only two clients to Ohio's electric chair and pulled off some astounding victories. Author Janice Schulz explores the fascinating life and career of Cincinnati's celebrity criminal defense attorney.

Cincinnati’s Celebrity Criminal Defender:

Hubbard

9780738532899

$24.99

Hubbard traces its heritage to the historic Connecticut Western Reserve and is the living legacy of Nehemiah Hubbard Jr., a member of the Connecticut Land Company who purchased 15,274 acres and hired Samuel Tylee, Hubbard's first settler, as his land agent to measure and sell lots. Hubbard remained a quiet farming community until
the coal-mining boom of the early 1860s changed its future forever. Immigrants from Europe flocked here to work in the mines, and the industrialization of this small town began in earnest. Prosperity continued until the decline of the region's steel industry in the 1970s and, later, the loss of several major businesses. Along with the new millennium,
however, came the formation of the Joint Economic Development District between Hubbard City and Township, which brought much-needed development to the Interstate 80, State Route 7/U.S. 62 corridor.

Cleveland's Legacy of Flight

9780738551777

$24.99

Since the dream of flight was finally realized by two Ohioans, Wilbur and Orville Wright, it is little wonder that Greater Clevelanders were quick to embrace it. From the August day in 1910 when Glenn Curtiss flew from Euclid Beach Park to Cedar Point, aviation has had a strong following in Cleveland. World War I saw the dawn of aircraft production in the city, and the 1920s brought the world-renowned Cleveland National Air Races. Cleveland industry supported aviation in many different ways, and multiple airports, many now long gone, promoted business aviation and flight training for decades. During World War II, Cleveland was a center of war production, and much of this was aviation related. Subsequently, renovations of the Cleveland Municipal Airport created Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. A scene of thriving airline operations to this day, Cleveland's business community was quick to appreciate the advantages of corporate aviation, which remains a daily feature of Cleveland's aviation life.

Cincinnati Parks and Parkways

9780738583945

$24.99

Over more than two centuries, Cincinnati evolved from a riverside settlement in the wilderness to a major center of business, commerce, and manufacturing. Boasting titles such as "Queen City of the West" and "Porkopolis" (for its many pork-packing plants), Cincinnati never suffered from a lack of self-esteem. Indeed, the city earned its place in the honor roll of American cities as it spread outward from the Ohio River into the surrounding hills. Blessed with good transportation by river, canal, and railroad, Cincinnati grew rapidly, attracting great numbers of native-born Americans and foreign immigrants alike. Drawn by abundant jobs and economic opportunity, Cincinnati's citizens lived in densely developed neighborhoods, walked crowded streets, and worked hard in mills and factories. Early in the city's history, farseeing individuals saw the benefit of creating public parks where the population could enjoy a few hours of recreation among trees, green grass, and gorgeous vistas of the Ohio River Valley. Starting from modest beginnings, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries Cincinnati developed a system of more than 5,000 acres of parks and connecting parkways that would be the envy of cities many times its size.

Wicked Columbus, Ohio

9781626199224

$21.99

Ohio's capital city once teemed with crime bosses, rampant corruption and unpunished perversion. The Bad Lands of Columbus was a nationally recognized slum controlled by Smoky Hobbs. Columbus native Dr. Samuel B. Hartman, the world's most successful snake oil salesman, was almost single-handedly responsible for the passage of the Pure Food and Drug Act. Local gambler Pat Murnan had an unlikely love affair with Grace Backenstoe, the madam of the most popular brothel in town. The two were a symbol of the area's salaciousness. Authors David Meyers and Elise Meyers Walker explore the heyday of Columbus's most notorious fiends, corrupt politicians and con men.

Columbus

9780738561530

$24.99

Columbus has long been known for its musicians. Unlike New York, San Francisco, Kansas City, Nashville, or even Cincinnati, however, it has never had a definable scene. Still, some truly remarkable music has been made in this musical crossroads by the many outstanding musicians who have called it home. Since 1900, Columbus has grown from the 28th- to the 15th-largest city in the United States. During this period, it has developed into a musically vibrant community that has nurtured the talents of such artists as Elsie Janis, Ted Lewis, Nancy Wilson, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Dwight Yoakam, Bow Wow, and Rascal Flatts. But, in many instances, those who chose to remain at home were as good and, perhaps, even better.

Cover image for Columbus, isbn: 9780738561530

Perrysburg

9780738534022

$24.99

Congress created Perrysburg in 1816 to secure control of its strategic trading location on the largest river flowing into Lake Erie, the Maumee River, an integral waterway for shipping and also an important passageway for western migration. As a busy port and shipbuilding center, Perrysburg attracted entrepreneurial pioneers from the East, who, as they prospered, built remarkable homes, buildings, and other structures. During the World War I era, wealthy Toledo industrialists also arrived, building riverside mansions. Over 100 of this small 19th-century community's architectural treasures still stand, and they include examples of nearly every major domestic architectural style popular from the 1820s to the 1930s. Most of the structures that make up the historical character of Perrysburg are best represented in the Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Bath Township

9780738519357

$24.99

Bath Township was sculpted from the Western Reserve after Native Americans ceded the land to the United States at the 1805 Treaty of Fort Industry. Captured here in over 200 vintage photographs is the development of the area into Bath Township, through the trials and triumphs of its earliest settlers. Originally named Hammondsburgh after one of the first families to settle in the area, Bath Township was formally organized in 1818. Industry sprang up in the form of grist, flour, saw, and woolen mills along the Yellow Creek in Ghent Village. Gradually, a handful of small population centers or "corners" came into existence within the township. Names like Hammond's Corners, Stony Hill, Ghent, and Ira are still used today, while the names of Hurd's Corners, Little Germany, and Farley's Corners are seldom spoken. Pictured here are the buggy works, blacksmith shops, cheese factories, general stores, and post offices, and the residents that operated them, creating the inviting area that residents cherish today.

North Royalton

9780738593913

$24.99

The first settler arrived at an area of land known as Township 5, Range 13 in 1811. Five years later, more settlers arrived, and in 1818 the area was named Royalton. By the late 1800s, the township had grown to become one of the leading dairy towns in the county. As more businesses, roads, and homes were built, it became a village in 1927, and North Royalton officially became a city in 1961. Nicknamed the "City of Hills and Valleys," North Royalton is full of interesting history. The first town hall was built by a blind man, who was subsequently appointed to the position of fence viewer for the township. The town was also home to a Revolutionary War veteran who lived to be 117 years old. Some of the homes in Royalton were said to have been part of the Underground Railroad. Early stories tell of graves that were never moved to the new cemetery and are still under the Village Green today. North Royalton has developed from a dairy center to a vibrant area with a strong focus on community and education.

Franklin

9780738534190

$24.99

Quiet Franklin was first established in 1796 as a sleepy collection of cabins along the beautiful Great Miami River.

When the Miami Canal came through the village in 1829, and the railroad followed in the 1870s, many new industries came to the area, and the downtown filled with fine brick and stone residences, businesses, churches, and public buildings. The town prospered through the 19th century, and the proud community's leaders proclaimed a grand celebration of its past, present, and envisioned future: the Franklin Homecoming of 1910. Just three years later, Franklin was struck by the greatest calamity in its history, the Flood of 1913. Though Franklin quickly recovered, it soon left its past behind, as it became a modern city in a rapidly changing nation. Through vintage images of buildings, businesses, and people now gone and forgotten, Franklin brings to life the town's rich history, from its beginnings to 1920.

Wurlitzer of Cincinnati:

9781626194465

$24.99

Established in Cincinnati in 1856 by German immigrant Franz Rudolph Wurlitzer, the music dealer became the largest outlet for band instruments in the United States by 1865. During the silent film era in the early twentieth century, Wurlitzer manufactured nearly 2,250 theater organs, affectionately dubbed "Mighty Wurlitzers." Many of these instruments still provide concert music today. During the Big Band era of the 1930s to 1950s, the company's colorful coin-operated jukeboxes were such popular fixtures in bars and dance halls that the U.S. Postal Service honored them with a commemorative stamp. Although the company was sold in 1988, the Wurlitzer name continues to be held in high esteem by the city of Cincinnati.

Upper Arlington

9780738552262

$24.99

Upper Arlington was founded by brothers King and Ben Thompson, who purchased farmland in 1913 from James T. Miller. Inspired by the garden city movement, the Thompsons envisioned an idealistic residential community. The brothers engaged William Pitkin Jr., a prominent landscape architect from Rochester, New York, to provide the most modern concepts of city planning. Over the years, Upper Arlington annexed land to reach its current boundaries. Upper Arlington has had a Native American trail and a military training camp, and its historic district earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places. The community is still known for gracious living, celebrated schools, and the largest noncommercial Fourth of July parade around. Golfing legend Jack Nicklaus, Ohio State University football coaches Woody Hayes, John Cooper, and Jim Tressel,
developer John Galbreath, Ohio governor James Rhodes, and United States senator John Bricker have all called Upper Arlington home.

Marion

9781467110600

$24.99

The city of Marion has a rich heritage unique among Midwestern towns. It is the home of a president of the United States, a Miss America, manufacturers that revolutionized agriculture and mining, an inventor with over 100 patents, a renowned sanatorium, and even a world-class popcorn-machine museum. Once known as "Shovel City" due to its numerous power-shovel manufacturers, the city of Marion, with its strong industrial base and transportation network, forms an important crossroads in the "Heart of Ohio."

Canton Entertainment

9781467110846

$24.99

Everyone loves to have fun! Over the years, Cantonians have enjoyed a wide variety of amusements, from traveling theatrical shows to community-wide celebrations. Louis Schaefer opened the town's first opera house in 1868, attracting some of the 19th century's biggest stars to Canton. The tradition of first-rate entertainment continued in the 20th century, with stars like Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, and Guy Lombardo gracing the stage of the Moonlight Ballroom. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, Canton enjoyed a cultural renaissance with the development of many arts organizations still cherished today, including the Players' Guild, Canton Symphony Orchestra, and Canton Museum of Art. In 1955, the city celebrated its sesquicentennial with the biggest parade in Canton's history.

Canton Area Railroads

9780738561110

$24.99

Canton and the nearby cities of Massillon and Alliance are located in the great steel-making region of northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Railroads brought coal, much of it mined in southeastern Ohio, and iron ore to the steel plants and hauled away the finished products. The Timken Roller Bearing Company moved to Canton in 1902 and in the 1920s began making roller bearings for railroad locomotives and rolling stock. Written in cooperation with the Akron Railroad Club, this book chronicles the history and development of the railroads that served Stark, Wayne, Holmes, Carroll, and Tuscarawas Counties. It shows how rail operations changed as the steel industry declined and railroad consolidations led to traffic shifts and route abandonment. Among the railroads that served this region were the Pennsylvania, Baltimore and Ohio, New York Central, and Wheeling and Lake Erie.

Hidden History of Toledo

9781467140294

$21.99

Toledo's history as a frontier town turned manufacturing powerhouse is well known. However, few know that it was once home to a champion racehorse.

Many are unaware that East Toledo's verdant urban woodlands sprang from the work of just one man or that a local girl's meteoric rise in Golden Age Hollywood saw her play alongside Groucho Marx. Fewer still have heard of Officer Dell Hair, crime fighter and rhyme maker who walked the beat and walked into the history books as a celebrated cop-poet. These tales and more await as award-winning local broadcaster Lou Hebert shines a light into the forgotten corners of Glass City history.

Ohio's Canal Country Wineries

9781467114448

$24.99

In the early 18th century, pioneers cleared land in Ohio's Western Reserve and found it suitable for farming, but until the Ohio-Erie Canal opened, it was difficult for them to share the fruit of their labor. Ohio's Canal Country Wineries captures the spirit of those who lived off the land from Cleveland to New Philadelphia along the Cuyahoga River and down to the Muskingum River--the path that the Ohio-Erie Canal took when it was built in 1832. As canal country began opening up, wineries along the Ohio River and the shores and islands of Lake Erie produced so much wine that Ohio became known as "Vinland." Now, the rich and fertile farmland along the canal has also been cultivated with vineyards, and the region is home to close to 50 wineries.

Legendary Locals of North Ridgeville

9781467101448

$24.99

It was 1810 when a group of men from Connecticut roved west to Ohio, establishing the first permanent settlement in what became North Ridgeville. Led by David Beebe Sr., they foraged for food and shelter. The pioneer spirit of the aggregation sustained them and others who followed. Farming provided sustenance and many farms including those owned by the Solomons, Gerharts, and others have continued the tradition. Education was greatly respected and 10 school districts became part of the community's landscape. An early school still stands on Jaycox Road, where retired teachers Julie Bajda and Barb Sutton reenacted the roles of teachers from earlier times. The former Buffalo Trail became Center Ridge Road, the city's main thoroughfare, and, in 1960, the township developed into a city governed by a mayor, council, and various department heads. Businesses, such as Buescher's Hardware and the Bogner Funeral Home opened and remain today. Groups of residents cultivated interests into organizations with a goal of working together seamlessly for the good of the community.

History of Jewish Youngstown and the Steel Valley, A

9781467118965

$24.99

Founded in the Mahoning Valley during 1837, a tiny settlement of secular German immigrants grew into one of the most influential centers of Jewish life in the Midwest. Home to nationally renowned rabbis and Zionist firebrands alike, the community produced an astonishing array of leaders in an impressive range of fields throughout the twentieth century. This notable legacy ranges from the entertainment juggernaut of Warner Brothers to the Arby's fast-food empire and the prominent Youngstown Sheet & Tube, among many others. Authors Thomas Welsh, Joshua Foster and Gordon F. Morgan trace the unique history of one of Ohio's oldest Jewish communities from its humble beginnings into the challenging climate of the new millennium.

History of Jewish Youngstown and the Steel Valley, A

LGBTQ Columbus

9781467103619

$24.99

Throughout the decades, Columbus has been a central gathering place for Ohioan LGBTQ individuals, creating a timeline of milestones--both big and small--all showcased within the Buckeye State capital. From the hidden joy of the underground Berwick Ball of the 1960s to the unrestrained opulence of the Red Party in the 1970s to the sense of community displayed at the first Columbus Pride in the 1980s, the city has played host to celebrations, struggles, and history. Through the bar raids at the turn of the millennium to the Black Pride 4 in 2017, the LGBTQ Columbus community has steadfastly marched forward, using their voices to proclaim their undeniable presence, their demands for equality, and their passion for this city they call home.

Ohio's Covered Bridges

9780738584300

$24.99

More than 200 of Ohio's historic covered bridges, some of which have survived and many that have not, are once again captured in Dr. Elma Lee Moore's Ohio's Covered Bridges. Classic images of these treasured bridges that have spanned Ohio's rivers, creeks, streams, and gorges are presented in vintage postcards of the past. The GPS location is listed for each existing bridge.

Burton

9780738594125

$24.99

Burton is known as the "village where history lives"; this is not merely a memorable slogan but an apt description of a vital and unique community that has been host to innumerable historic events and personalities. From being the site of the first telephone lines in Ohio to the home of Seabury Ford, the last Whig governor of Ohio, Burton is rife with history. The only municipal maple sugar camp in the world, which produces maple syrup every spring and manufactures maple candy year-round, resides in Burton, as does the Great Geauga County Fair, the oldest county fair in Ohio. Hundreds of thousands flock to this charming destination every year to attend the various festivities, including the county and apple butter festivals, as well as to indulge in the delicious pancake breakfasts, a staple of a village that has been dubbed "Pancake Town, USA."

Galion

9781467110884

$24.99

In 1817, the first settlers arrived in the area that would become Galion. Their settlement at the "corners," where Harding Way West and Portland Way intersected, was sometimes referred to as Horseshoe, Moccasin, Hardscrabble, and Spangtown. In the years to follow, settlers began to move "up the hill" to what is now Galion's public square. Michael and Jacob Ruhl laid out the uptown plat of Galion on September 10, 1831. With the arrival of the railroad in the 1850s and 1860s, Galion began to prosper. Small, thriving local businesses such as buggy works and wheelworks, cigar manufacturers, and blacksmiths began to permeate the town. Breweries were also popular, including the brewers of Galion Standard Beer--the beer that made Milwaukee jealous. As time marched on, farming and the production of telephones, steel vaults, and road graders replaced these early businesses. Today, new generations are continuously working to improve productivity, increase business, and ensure a positive vision for Galion's future.

Wakeman and Florence Townships

9780738593531

$24.99

Wakeman and Florence Townships began with the American Revolution. The federal government set aside land in Ohio for people from Connecticut whose lands were destroyed by the war. These "fire sufferers" were granted land tracts in the Western Reserve area known as the Firelands. People industrious or brave enough to travel to the untamed wilderness of Ohio in the early 1800s must have been captivated by the fertile farmland, vegetation, and peaceful river that flowed through the area. The Village of Wakeman was founded in 1817 and still rests in a beautiful location along the Vermilion River. The unincorporated village of Birmingham, in Florence Township, is also located on the Vermilion River. Farming, community, and the enjoyment of the scenery are still important parts of life in Wakeman and Florence Townships.