AVON, Ohio — Long before the terms “old Avon” and “new Avon” were coined, there was just Avon. A small town with roots dating back to the early 1800s when Wilbur Cahoon brought his wife and seven children (an eighth child was born in Avon) from Salisbury, New York to settle in the area. As the story goes, the Connecticut Land Company agreed to trade Cahoon’s 100 acres in New York for 800 acres and $100 in the Ohio Territory near Lake Erie. Part of the deal also included that Cahoon must establish a functioning sawmill and gristmill on the land. He settled in Avon in 1814 with his family living in a log cabin for several years.
The 1825 Wilbur Cahoon Family Home in Avon will be transformed into a museum.
A carpenter by trade, Cahoon did build mills in the area, and also built a Greek Revival-style home in 1825 that still stands today on the banks of the French Creek at 2940 Stoney Ridge Road. Sadly, Cahoon passed away before the completion of the home.
In 1978, the Cahoon House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the home of the first pioneer in the area and as one of the area’s earliest buildings in any architectural style.
Dr. Delbert and Jean Fischer purchased the Cahoon home in 1966 where they raised eight children just as the Cahoon family had. The Fischers were wonderful stewards of the Cahoon family home and Avon history. Dr. Fischer passed away in 2007. Jean continued living in the home for several years before recently moving into a nursing home. Talks began in 2018 for the city to purchase the home and the purchase was finalized last year.
During the discussions regarding what would become of the historic home, it was determined that it would become a museum to represent, not just the Cahoon Family, but the many families who began coming to Avon in the 1800s and later including some familiar Avon names such as: Alten, Casper, DeChant, Forthholder, Jameson, Miller, Moon, Nagel, Norton-Townsend, Pickering, Riegelsberger, and Schwartz.
The museum project is being spearheaded, under the umbrella of the Avon Historical Society, by the city’s business development consultant, Sheri Seroka.
“The goal is a museum and represent as families, not just the Cahoon Family, but as families would have lived here in the 1800s,” said Seroka. “We really want to span the whole 1800s gap. We want to set it up just like it would have been occupied during that time period. We want to find archives from some of these significant founding families that were part of bringing Avon up out of the ground.”
With each of the rooms being set up just as it would have been in the 1800s, Seroka is reaching out to anyone who may have items from 1800s to donate that can be used in the home.
“We are also graciously accepting items on loan,” she said. “So if it’s a family heirloom piece and they are willing to loan it to us, then we will document and catalog those pieces as well. For the list of suggested items, I literally walked through each one of these rooms and based on other museums I visited as well as research materials the Avon Library has spent countless hours providing me with, and my own research, I have come with a plan on how I plan to stage each one of these spaces.”
A room inside the Cahoon Museum features the original organ from the original Holy Trinity Church in Avon.
The list is extensive and Seroka will gladly share the entire list with anyone who inquires.
To give the public an idea of the items requested, below are some of the items on the list.
Parlor: Settee, two formal side chairs, Tea table, Tea serving set, wall art, formal fireplace tools, wine glasses, and candleholder.
Formal Dining Room: Rectangular dining table with chairs, plates, glasses, silverware, napkins, wall art, large rug, and gas light fixture (that has either been converted to electric or could be converted).
Library: Settee, side chairs (leather or velvet), books; clock (Grandfather, wall or shelf), brass or ceramic spittoon; pipes and ashtray; wall Art; vintage books (1800’s); Avon or Lorain County history books; and Avon/Lorain County/Western Reserve Census Info (1800’s). The library will also be used as a resource library for anyone seeking to research their lineage.
Kitchen: Dry sink; wooden well bucket; butter churn; Farmhouse dining table and chairs or benches; utensils; washboard; and countertop well pump.
Adult bedroom: Bed; bedspread/decorative pillows; vanity; washstand with pitcher and basin.
Child’s bedroom: Toy chest, toys; dolls; chest of drawers; and rocking chair.
Miscellaneous items: Burlap bags; canvas/broadcloth bags; medical bottles/supplies; commode; spinning wheel; baskets and loom.
Basement: Items that would be used in a Root Cellar for winter storage of root vegetables; canning supplies; butchering tools; smokehouse tools; winter bedding material/tools/cages for farm animals and farming tools.
Clothing: Mannequins (male, female, child and infant); women’s dresses; women’s shoes; women’s accessories (gloves, jewelry, stockings, undergarments, aprons, glasses/eyewear, hats); men’s suit; men’s accessories (Pocket watch, glasses/eyewear, watch, pipe, tobacco pouch, hats, mustache wax, razor, razor strap, shaving tools, comb); children’s clothing, and infant clothing.
Seroka also noted that the museum would be open for public tours.
“We also plan on, once this is all done, hoping to build this into the history curriculum at the elementary schools to bring kids through,” she said.
If you have an item(s) to donate, or have additional questions, contact Seroka at [email protected] or call 440-420-2041.
AVON
Senior tax information: H&R Block is offering seniors an opportunity to discuss tax issues from 3 to 4 p.m. March 14 at the Avon Library, 37485 Harvest Drive. Pre-registration is required, call 440-934-4743.
Energy efficiency: First Energy is offering a No-Fee Energy Efficiency Kit to customers. Included in the Kit are: two three-way LEDs, three LED night-lights, one filter whistle, one seven outlet advance power strip, and other components. To order online, go OhioKit.com/BRC.
Fish Fry: St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church, 2680 Stoney Ridge Road, will host a Fish Fry from 4 to 7:30 p.m. March 6. All dinners served with fries, coleslaw, bread and butter, lemonade, coffee and dessert. Entrees include: Lake Erie perch, $16; shrimp, $15; perch/shrimp combo, $16; baked walleye, $15; senior portion, $13. Side items are sold separately and include clam chowder, pierogies, pizza, mac and cheese, fries, pop, and beer. Take-out is available.
AVON LAKE
Divine scoops closes: The owners of Divine Scoops Ice Cream & Gourmet Chocolates, 140 Lear Road, recently posted on Facebook the space is for sale. Avon Lake residents, Arlene and Mark Jaroscak, plan to retire and “pursue bucket list items and travel” after six years of owning the business. According to the couple, “Someone can walk right in and start right up. The new owners can also consider a second business in the party room, giving additional options. We have wonderful community support and thousands of customers. We even have staff that would like to return if the new owners will not run it completely themselves.”
Nominations reminder: The deadline to submit Citizen of the Year/Project of the Year nominations is March 15. For more information, go to avonlake.org.
Police promotion: Congratulations to Tom Anadiotis, recently promoted to sergeant in the Avon Lake Police Department.
NORTH RIDGEVILLE
Schools Job Fair: The North Ridgeville City Schools will host a Job Fair for teachers from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. March 11 at the North Ridgeville Academic Center Community Gym, 34620 Bainbridge Road. For more information, email Dawn Fitz at [email protected].
Coffee chat: Join Mayor Kevin Corcoran for Coffee & Conversation from 8 to 9 a.m. March 11 in Council Chambers at city hall, 7307 Avon Belden Road.
Garden Club: The Garden Club of North Ridgeville will meet at 6 p.m. March 10 at the North Ridgeville Library, 35700 Bainbridge Road. Beth Berthold, teacher at Lorain County JVS for the Landscape and Greenhouse Management program, will present a program explaining her job at the JVS. The public is welcome to attend. For more information, call 440-365-8522 or go to northridgevillegardenclub.com.
RITA assistance: Anyone with questions or in need of assistance preparing RITA municipal income tax returns, can come to Council Chambers at city hall, 7307 Avon Belden Road, from Noon to 7 p.m. March 12. The event is on a first come, first serve basis.
Special needs Resource Fair: More than 80 exhibitors will be in attendance at the Connecting for Kids (CFK) Lorain County Resource Fair from 6 to 8 p.m. March 12 at the John A. Spitzer Conference Center on the campus of Lorain County Community College, 1005 N. Abbe Road, Elyria. Families will find resources for anxiety, ADHD, communication/speech issues, behavior problems, IEP support and social skills deficits for individuals ages birth – 22 years. CFK is teaming up once again with Leadership Lorain County to present the event. Those who pre-register and attend will be entered into a drawing to win a $100 VISA gift card. To register, go to connectingforkids.org/lorain-resource-fair, or call/text: 440-570-5908 (para español 440-907-9130).
If you have news to share regarding an event, award or other interesting tidbit happening in Avon or Avon Lake, and North Ridgeville send me an email at [email protected]. The column’s online version is at Cleveland.com/Avon, which offers direct links for many of the news items listed.
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