"From a mill town to one of the best places to call home."

For more information on Chagrin Falls please visit the Chagrin Falls Library or The Chagrin Falls Historical Society

Beauty was not the prime consideration of the founders of the Village of Chagrin Falls. They were attracted more by the clear river, with its large and small waterfalls, and the towering timbers of its virgin forests. These represented sources of power for mills, and lumber for buildings. The present serenity of the tree lined streets, well kept houses and charming shops do not suggest the beginnings as a bustling mill town. Yet Chagrin's destiny was to evolve from a manufacturing town to a peaceful residential community.

The early settlers were God fearing, hardworking people looking for greater opportunities for their families, and so they were interested in the lands of the Western Reserve. They came predominantly from the New England and England, the last part of their journey by canal boat, wagon, or on foot.

First they built shelter for their families. Then they went about the task of establishing mills and small factories. Soon they began meeting together to worship God according to their personal inclinations-- in homes, or "over a store", until congregations could be established. The Methodist Church on South Franklin Street dates from those early days (1844). The Federated Church on Bell Street resulted from the merger (in 1844, and again in 1929) of the several earlier churches, of which the Congregational Church (established in 1836) was the earliest.

The waterfalls along the river were soon harnessed to run a variety of enterprises ranging from saw mills, flour, woolen and paper mills, to a foundry, and factories for making axes and woddenware. In the years after it was incorporated in 1844, the Village had all the hallmarks of mill town, including muddy streets and saloons. Of the many mills from those busy days, only one, a paper mill exists today.

As mill owners prospered, they replaced their early homes with more impressive ones, often moving their first homes to other lots. The classic brick house of foundry owner J.W. Williams on South Franklin Street replaced an earlier home which was moved to the street behind. Today, architectural variety lends charm to the Village. Much of this is due to the preservation and restoration of its homes. Many of the Village's home are listed in the Ohio Historical Inventory.

Education was highly valued by early residents. At first classes were held in private homes; churches sponsored spelling classes; and a small school was opened on Main Street. The present Chagrin falls school campus, which contains the High School, the Lewis Sands Elementary School, and Harris Stadium, was once the property of the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds.

Chagrin Falls' reputation as an art center also had early beginnings. Henry Church, Jr.
(born in 1836), a blacksmith in the Village, was a gifted artist, known for his paintings, stone animal statuary, and his carving of Squaw Rock in the Cleveland Metropolitan Park South Chagrin Reservation. His works are in prestigious collections and museums, including the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum in Williamsburg, Virginia. The Valley Art Center, the Chagrin Valley Little Theater, and Chagrin Falls Historical Society all contribute to the lively cultural richness of the Village today.

Chagrin Falls has evolved from a manufacturing town, to a center for the surrounding farms (1930), to the prosperous suburban community that it is today. People are still drawn to Chagrin Falls, where history can be felt, the river still makes its eternal trips through town, and the waterfalls exert their age old fascination.