Program

Ohio History Connection

Subject

Government

Location

13834 Ridge Road, North Royalton, OH 44133, USA

Lat/Long

41.3147638, -81.7357137

Grant Recipient

Ohio History Connection

Bounded by Ridge, Royalton, and Bennett Roads, the Green has been the heart of North Royalton even before it was incorporated. Once part of Brecksville Township, Royalton became its own township in 1818. Local lore says that settlers David and Knight Sprague paid a gallon of whiskey to name the community after their hometown of Royalton, Vermont. In 1825, John Watkins sold five acres to create this Green, so that the township could have a cemetery, a public square, and a place for public buildings. In 1885, “North” was added to “Royalton” to distinguish it from another Royalton in Ohio. Formerly a small agricultural community known for milk and cheese production, as well as nurseries, North Royalton became a Cleveland suburb following World War II. North Royalton incorporated as a village in 1927 and became city in 1961. (Continued on other side)

(Continued from other side) As North Royalton changed, so did the Green. It first served as the cemetery for settlers, who had come from eastern locales such as New York and Vermont. As the Green fell into disuse as a burial place, graves were relocated to the Royalton Road Cemetery in 1866. Around 1913, a bandstand was built for concerts. Known as “The Gazebo,” the bandstand is featured on the city’s logo. In 1827, Knight Sprague built the first town hall on the Green, where the seat of government remained until a new city hall was built on State Road in 2014. The old hall was razed in 2017. The Green is the former site of stores, a church, a school, and a library and remains the home of the main fire station. The annual Community Festival, dating to 1884, is also held here.

WILLIAM G. POMEROY FOUNDATION
NORTH ROYALTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
CITY OF NORTH ROYALTON
THE OHIO HISTORY CONNECTION
2020