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OLDE NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP



Chronology of Significant Events: 1655-1970




1655 - King Charles of England established the Connecticut Western Reserve.



1787 - After achieving statehood, Connecticut signed over most of its land holdings to the United States Government. That area was reserved and later sold to the Connecticut Land Company for $1.2 million.



1797 - This area of the Connecticut Western Reserve was surveyed and townships of five square miles were established arranged in 160 acre tracts.



1806 - Issac Bacon of Massachusetts purchased 160 acres in Town 5, Range 11; it was the first land sold in the town. The area was inhabited by Indians and wild animals.



1807 - Bacon and his family arrived by covered wagon and settled on Lot. No. 63.



1810 - The second family, that of Jerimiah Cranmer, settled in the town; Cranmer was a brother-in-law of Issac Bacon. Cranmer's grave is the oldest in the Northfield-Macedonia Cemetery.



1813 - First wedding in the town.



1814 - Saw mill built on the north side of Brandywine Creek by George Wallace.



1815 - George Wallace moved to Brandywine, built a grist mill on the south side of the creek and opened a store on the second floor of the mill.



1816 - A distillery was built on the south side of Brandywine Creek.



1817 - The first school (a log schoolhouse) was built at Brandywine, or Brandywine Mills as it was then called. A journalist of the time wrote "a more lively town than Cleveland, and with better prospects."



1819 - Northfield Township officially established on May 24th with the election of township officers.
- Part of the area around Brandywine Falls  annexed from Boston Township.
- Log schoolhouse built near Bacon and Crannmer lots in the area called "Snatch-penny" (Valley View Road).
- The area of the township later known as MMacedonia established by Henry Wood along Indian Run.



1821 - Woolen mill built at Brandywine; a total of 20 people were employed by the various industries around the falls.



1825 - First building erected in what now is known as Northfield Center; it was a log schoolhouse. A pump and watering trough were also erected in the center and can be seen in the same place today.
- A post office was established at Brandywiine; it was the first in the township with George Wallace as Postmaster.
- Henry Post built a saw mill at Little Yorrk along Brandywine Creek. 1826 - Stone schoolhouse built on Rte. 82 at Carter Road.



1830-- Manufacturing at Brandywine reached its peak and would soon begin to decline.
- About 50 householders lived in the townshhip at this time.
- A frame school was built at Brandywine too replace the log school. The frame structure later became the studio for artist William Sommer.



1832 - Hezekiah Palmer built the first frame house in the center.



1833 - Log school built in Macedonia.
- First real store opened (except for the oone at the mill) by Colonel Milton Arthur; few customers, little money.



1835 - Frame school built on Olde 8 near Northfield Center (District No. 1) replacing the log school built in 1825.



1836 - First doctor moved into the township.



1837 - A post office was established at Northfield Center; George Lillie was the postmaster.



1840 - Summit County created being named for its distinction of having the highest elevation on the Ohio Canal.
- Town park created in Northfield Center wiith 1/2 acre being given by the four adjacent land owners (Lillie, Palmer, Bliss and Arthur).



1843 - Great flood at Brandywine Creek devastated Little York and the businesses at Brandywine Mills.



1844 - Wallace House built at Brandywine Falls.
- Palmer House built at Northfield Center.



1847 - Cemetery created in the township and called "Chestnut Hill."



1848 - Town Hall "on the square" was built; southeast corner of Rts. 8 and 82.



1851 - Pennsylvania Railroad built through Macedonia.



1852 - Post office established at Macedonia Depot.



1853 - Frame school built at Ledge and Shepherd Roads (District No. 8) and was used until 1903.



1854 - Five new schools built in the township: Northfield brick school (District No. 2) replaced Brandywine School; frame school built on Dunham Road (District No. 4) replaced Snatchpenny School and was used until 1918; frame school built in Macedonia (District No. 5) to replace log school and was used until 1880; frame school in Little York (District No. 6) and used until 1908; frame school built at Rte. 8 and Ledge Road (District No. 7) and used until 1916.



1864 - Northfield Cornet Band formed and later was called the Bliss Band.



1871 - Twin brick schools of Northfield (Olde 8) and Macedonia (Valley View Road) erected.



1881 - Frame school known as West School built on Rte. 82 and Carter Road (District No. 3) replacing the stone school.



1893 - Work started to elevate the railroad tracks on Rte. 82 at Macedonia Depot.



1895 - ABC (Akron - Bedford - Cleveland) interurban car line built station in Northfield Center as service began between those points.



1900 - Rural postal delivery began in Olde Northfield Township.



1905 - Village of Macedonia established.



1912 - Macedonia became a township.
- Olde Northfield changed from a township tto a village.



1926 - First motorized fire vehicle purchased by Olde Northfield, a converted oil wagon modified to carry water for firefighting purposes.



1932 - Sagamore Hills Township created upon separation from Northfield Village. ABC interurban service discontinued.



1933 - New high bridge between Sagamore Hills and Brecksville opened.



1935 - Northfield Center Township separated from Northfield Village. Northfield Village as it is known today remained.



1953 - Electric Blvd. area of Sagamore Hills annexed by Northfield Village; a fire station erected.



1970 - Old Brandywine Cemetery located near the falls moved to Northfield-Macedonia Cemetery to make way for 1-271 construction.