Curator’s Corner

Christmas in the Kitchen by Pat Zalba – Volunteer Curator             Chagrin was a milltown in its early years (1833 into the early 20th century) There were mills located along the river, from Whitesburg, through town, and around the river bend by River Run Park on Solon Road. The Kitchen display represents a Village millworker’s family Christmas celebration. It is decorated with mostly homemade items, and includes a reproduction feather tree with cookies, cakes, popcorn and … Read More

Transient Camps in Chagrin

We purchased 4 very interesting pictures through Ebay showing a transient camp located at the Chagrin Falls Airport. Don Barriball has researched the origins and work of this camp and you can read his article below. During October of 1929 the US stock market collapsed. Financial panic and depression became worldwide. In May 1931 the Austrian Credit-Anstalt failed. The credit crunch caused international bankruptcies and unemployment around the planet. The 1930 population of the USA was 123,202,624 (U.S. Census Bureau). … Read More

Life with the Interurban Railway

(Editor’s Note: Grace Ambos, a longtime friend of Barbara Taggart, described her many trips on the Interurban in her diary, which came into Barbara Taggart’s possession after Grace’s death. Barbara loaned the diary to the Historical Society so that we might make a copy or transcription of it. Zo Sykora volunteered to make the transcription, and wrote this charming piece for our newsletter.) The Chagrin Interurban cars carried milk and other freight to Cleveland; they carried mail back and forth … Read More

Church’s Lion Returns Home

After 18 years at the Cleveland Museum of Art, The Lion and the Fatling return home to Evergreen Hill Cemetery. It was an emotional, awesome sight to see the carefully wrapped lion sculpture arrive on the back of a large flatbed truck. The sculpture was carefully removed from the flatbed truck by a skillful forklift driver hired by the Cleveland Museum of Art. It almost appeared that the lion was smiling and saying, “Hey everyone, I’m home!” This transpired on … Read More

The Snuff Takers

The Chagrin Falls Historical Society acquired a beautiful painting by Henry Church Jr. 1836-1908. Henry Church Jr. was a Chagrin Falls Blacksmith and self taught sculptor and artist. His work is exhibited in many museums throughout the United States including the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum in Williamsburg, Va. Church also has been acclaimed for his carving of Squaw Rock and his Sculpture The Young Lion and the Fatling Together, which is now at the Cleveland Museum of Art. … Read More

Did You Know – Chagrin Falls Trivia

…there has been a school on Philomethian Street continuously since 1843? …more than 40 houses and buildings have been moved in Chagrin Falls? …there used to be a fountain in Triangle Park? …the ​Philomethian auditorium and gym are 75 years old? …that there used to be a fish hatchery in town? …the Cuyahoga County Fair used to be in Chagrin Falls? …the man who invented Life Savers lived in Chagrin Falls? …why there is a bump on the east side of … Read More

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