Simple people who had the courage to face the unknown typifies the early settlers of Brunswick. Among the first settlers were brothers, Solomon and Frederick Deming who built crude log cabins in Brunswick Township.

Interesting historical facts about Brunswick can be found in such books as "Brunswick: Our Hometown," written by Brunswick Sun Times reporter "Sam" Boyer. We'd like to share some interesting tidbits, found in that book, with you.

Did you know that?

* The name Brunswick is derived from a principality in Germany, so that our pioneers must have been influenced by German descent to have liked that name the best of those submitted for consideration.

* In the year 1819, the first semblance of a store was opened by Thomas Stearns. Just one room of his log cabin represented the store at first, but the demand of the travelers on the Cleveland-Columbus turnpike compelled him to extend this to include a tavern as traveling in those days was quite a dusty and thirst-provoking experience. Five years later, the first real store was built by Archibald Mills and Brunswick also boasted a distillery founded in 1828 with a capacity of 12 gallons daily.

* The first telephone office started in 1899 with the first toll line between Cleveland and Brunswick. Local lines were installed two years later. The line went from Brunswick to the Valley City B&O depot so residents could find out if goods had been delivered by freight. By 1918, telephone manager Dennis M. Johnson had more than 100 customers.

* Barber shops (no beauty parlors, ladies) were strictly for men, and Bernie Hunt had a shop at the Aylard block while George Sharvat had one at Bennett's Corners. Frank Case had an ice cream parlor in the front room of his home in the site now occupied by Walt's Pizza at Pearl Road and Manhattan Circle. The first "real" restaurant was started in the 1930s by Irene and Tom Hogue. "The Village Inn" was just south of the center.

* In December, 1942, the first local fire truck arrived - a 1942 Ford. In that same year, fund raising activities began - a tradition that still continues. Department members brought in scrap metal (it was wartime) worth $380. Active and reserve members totaled 41.

* The first schoolhouse was built in 1817 and was located about a quarter of a mile west of Brunswick center. Then in 1824, a log building was erected at the center of town to be used for a schoolhouse, church and town hall.

* In 1915, the school board purchased its first "kid wagon" from a firm in Wadsworth for $166. Two school routes were established. One route transported pupils north of the center of town and the second picked up pupils living south of the center of town. Drivers were paid about $30 a month.

* Brunswick had an Agricultural Fair in the month of October annually for many years. The first one was in 1858 which lasted two days and was held in the Town Hall and surrounding grounds. There were more than 200 classifications of entries of which live stock comprised the principal feature.

Return to Index