History of
The Chagrin Falls Village Hall

21 West Washington St. Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44022
440-247-5050

The Village Hall was built as a residence in 1874 by Washington Gates. The building style, Second Empire, is defined by its mansard roof, which allowed for a full upper story of usable attic space. The roof itself was made of variegated slate on the sides, tin on the top and had six dormers. The eaves projected thirty inches with 48 Italianate brackets. The main building is 39 x 60 feet with four inches of brick on the exterior, four inches of brick on the interior and two inches of air space in between. The outer wall is of pressed brick, which is very smooth and even in color. The arched window caps are of galvanized iron. The foundation of the building is of sawed sandstone. Each piece is two feet long and eight inches thick. The cellar extends under the whole building and originally contained a 150 barrel cistern.

The main floor originally had seven rooms – a parlor, sitting room, kitchen, two large sleeping rooms, a wood room and a dining room with a conservatory and miniature fountain. The second floor had four bedrooms and a bath. The upper story was finished as one large room for the children’s playhouse. It also contained a reservoir, supplying water to the bath and the rooms below.

Washington Gates was the son of Halsey Gates, for whom Gates Mills is named. Mr. Gates was the proprietor of the Chagrin Falls Flouring Mill. He had been a Chagrin Falls Councilman, a member of the Chagrin Falls School Board and active promoter of the narrow gauge Chagrin Falls and Southern Railroad. The mill was situated where the stairway to the falls is currently located. In 1875, a showroom to display the products from the mill was built next door. This showroom is now the Popcorn Shop. The mill building was in use until it was torn down in the 1930s. Mr. Gates died in 1897.

Mr. Franklin Pierce Shumaker purchased the home from the Gates family. He moved to Chagrin Falls from Tiffin, Ohio to be the Superintendent of Schools in 1889 and served in that capacity for 13 years. He served one term as Mayor of Chagrin Falls and also served a term in the State Senate. He was successful in banking with the Chagrin Falls Savings and Loan Company and the Chagrin Falls Banking Company. Mr. Shumaker and H. D. Tenny developed real estate on Miles Road and Orchard Street.

In 1937, the Village of Chagrin Falls purchased this building to house the village offices, police department and library. Two bays were newly built on the rear of the building for the fire department. Two more bays were added in 1954, using volunteer labor. In 1958, the library was relocated to East Orange Street and the village did extensive remodeling to create the Council Chambers, Mayor’s office and clerk’s office on the main floor. A room on the second floor was reserved for the Chagrin Falls Historical Society. In January of 1962, a fire started in the basement, burned through the walls and destroyed the third floor. Although most of the building was refurbished, the mansard roof with its’ 48 brackets was not restored. In 1965, the Historical Society moved around the corner to 21 Walnut St.

The cannon outside the Village Hall is of Civil War vintage. In 1886, citizens raised funds to purchase the cannon for $120 and put its control in the hands of the G.A.R. It stood in Triangle Park, until moved to the cemetery during World War II, (to avoid being recycled for the war scrap metal salvage effort). It was restored after World War II and now stands guard at the Village Hall.