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Russell
In 1818 Gideon Russell, his wife and five children moved into a log cabin
along the crude Chillicothe Road in what was known as the West Woods.
Russell, the last of Geauga's sixteen townships was born. No other family
arrived for more than two years. Blame was placed on speculators, who had
purchased land from the Connecticut Land Company, and withheld it from the
market for higher prices.
In 1820 the second family finally arrived and in 1827
the township was named Russell. Until 1841 Chagrin Falls Village lay half
in Geauga County and half in Cuyahoga County. In that year Dr. Vincent, a
resident of Chagrin and member of the Ohio legislature, sponsored a bill
transferring 900 acres of Russell to Cuyahoga County. To compensate for
the loss, an equal amount of Orange Township was annexed to Russell's
western boundary.
After a late start, and due to its proximity to
Cleveland, Russell's population grew rapidly, to 1,053 in 1850. Growth
then slowed and declined. In 1920, population was only 762. After World
War II, Russell began rapid growth within strict zoning regulations. Its
school consolidated with Chester and became West Geauga Schools.
Russell is home to the American Society for Metals and
its famous geodesic dome, created by Buckminster Fuller. The Geauga Parks
System developed the large area around the Society's property into West
Woods Park. The Fairmount Arts Center serves thousands of people in a wide
area. Russell, by choice, is home to only a few small businesses and now
has only a handful of specialized farms.
Written by Peg Hetrick, Secretary,
Russell Township Historical Society |
