Boston Mills Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Boston Mills Historic District
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Historic view of the Boston Mills Historic District
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly, Riverview, Boston Mills and Stanford Roads and Main Street Boston Mills, Ohio |
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| Area | 37 acres (15 ha) |
| Built | 1880 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Upright and wing;gabled ell |
| NRHP reference No. | 92001490 |
| Added to NRHP | November 09, 1992 |
The Boston Mills Historic District is a special area in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Northeast Ohio. It's like a living museum that shows how people lived and worked a long time ago. This district includes old houses and buildings that tell the story of two important times: the Ohio and Erie Canal era and the Industrial Revolution.
When the Ohio and Erie Canal opened in 1827, people started to settle here. By 1842, Boston Mills was a busy village with about 300 people. It had a mill, a large warehouse, stores, and a hotel. Many of these old buildings are still standing today. Later, the village grew again when a railway was built in 1880 and a bag company arrived in 1900. This brought new workers and more buildings, mixing old and new history together.
A Look Back: Boston Mills History
The village of Boston Mills is located inside the beautiful Cuyahoga Valley National Park. Its history shows two big changes in America: the time of canals and the time of factories.
The Canal Era: A Busy Waterway
When the Ohio and Erie Canal opened in 1827, it connected Cleveland to Akron. This made the settlement along the Cuyahoga River grow quickly. By 1842, Boston Mills had about 300 residents. It was a lively place with many businesses. There was a mill powered by water, a big warehouse, two stores, and a hotel. Building canal boats was also a very important job here. The village had several dry docks where boats were built and repaired.
Even though the canal doesn't have water flowing through the village anymore, you can still see one of its old locks. Many buildings from the early 1800s are still here. These include homes built in the Greek Revival style. One special type of house was called the "Upright and Wing." It had a main two-story part with a living room and bedrooms. A one-story section, often for the kitchen, stuck out from the side.
The Boston Company Store, built in 1836, is a great example of these old styles. It shows both Federal and Greek Revival influences. Today, this historic building is a visitor center for the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It also has a museum about canal boat building.
The Industrial Era: New Growth and Factories
After the canal's busiest days ended, the village of Boston Mills became quieter. But new life came with the arrival of the Valley Railway in 1880. This railway connected Cleveland's industries with coal fields in the south. It helped businesses get raw materials and sell their products.
Then, in 1900, the Cleveland—Akron Bag Company opened its doors in Boston Mills. This company brought many Polish immigrant workers to the village. The company even built and sold new houses for its employees. You can still see some of these houses today. They were often made from patterned concrete block houses. A school and a company store building from this time also remain.
A bit later, in the 20th century, the M. D. Garage was built. It has been restored and now looks like it did back then, complete with old gas pumps and signs. Today, it hosts art exhibits. Walking through Boston Mills, you can see how buildings from different time periods stand side-by-side. This creates unique streetscapes that tell the story of the village's long history.
