Franklin Township Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Franklin Township Hall
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Franklin Township Hall in 2006
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 218 Gougler Ave, Kent, Ohio |
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| Built | 1837 |
| Architect | Zenas Kent |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 75001525 |
| Added to NRHP | October 10, 1975 |
The Franklin Township Hall is a historic building in Kent, Ohio, United States. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important landmark. This old building, located near the Cuyahoga River, was built way back in 1837. Since 1840, it has been the main office for the government of Franklin Township. It's especially famous because James A. Garfield, who later became a U.S. President, was first nominated for a political job here in 1859.
A Look Back: The Hall's Story
The Franklin Township Hall started its life in 1837. It was first built as an office for a company called the Franklin Silk Company. This company believed that Kent, which was then known as Franklin Mills, would become a big center for making silk.
However, this idea didn't work out. A big economic problem called the Panic of 1837 hit the country. Also, the weather in northeast Ohio wasn't good for raising silkworms, which are needed to make silk. Because of these problems, the silk business failed.
After the company closed, Franklin Township bought the building. They finished the construction in 1840. From then on, it became the official home for the township's government.
Future President: James A. Garfield's Start
One of the most important events at the hall happened on August 23, 1859. A local meeting of the Republican Party was held there. Their goal was to choose someone to run for state senator.
The meeting was stuck, and they couldn't agree on a candidate. To solve this, they nominated James A. Garfield. At that time, Garfield had never held any political office before. He went on to win the election. He became the state senator for an area that included Portage and Summit counties. This was the very first step in his amazing political career, which eventually led him to become the 20th President of the United States.
More Than Just a Hall: Other Uses
Over the years, the Franklin Township Hall has been used for many different things. It served as a home for several schools in Kent's history. In 1857, a small private school started there before the public school system was even created.
Later, from the fall of 1868 to March 1869, the building was the first home for Kent High School. This happened because there were delays in building their new school. The second floor was also used as an elementary school for fifth and sixth graders in the late 1910s. This helped with overcrowding in other Kent public schools.
From 1953 to 1978, the building housed the offices for the Kent City School District. During this time, in 1971, a fire caused some damage to the hall. The building also served as a meeting place for some religious groups in Kent. Early meetings of the local Roman Catholic parish were held there from 1862 to 1868. The Universalist Church also met there from 1866 to 1868. The hall was officially listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on October 10, 1975, recognizing its historical importance.
