WELCOME TO THE Madison Historical Society
Madison Ohio Village on the National Register

Shop and museum open April 1 to January 15
Wednesday thru Saturday 11 AM to 4 PM
13 W. MAIN MADISON, OHIO
Phone No. 428-6107

Mailing address: P.O. Box 19 Madison, Ohio 44057

EXCERPTS FROM
A BRIEF HISTORY OF MADISON
BY LOUANNA BILLINGTON

It was in the late afternoon of a balmy day in June,1798 when an adventurous group of twenty five men, women, and children landed their small boats at the mouth of Cunningham Creek in what is now Madison Township , leaving the relative safety of their larger lake-sailing vessel behind them to begin the challenging days of settlement in this outpost of the Western Reserve. The site of their landing place was long known as Harper's Landing and until 1811 that area was called Harpersfield. Today a drive down Dock Road takes one past the entry to this landing place, and to the truly interested, a canoe ride to the lake is well worth the time and effort. It's a pleasurable experience, because it takes a person to one of the few estuaries on Lake Erie. For the botanist, there are several rare and unusual plants to be found here, and conservationists are guarding the area carefully to preserve them.

This group of would-be-settlers had come from Buffalo, New York in a schooner said to be the only one on Lake Erie at that time. The entourage was made up of Colonel Alexander Harper and most of his family, William McFarland and family, and Ezra Gregory and family. They left Harpersfield, in Delaware County, New York to make new homes in the West. It was decided to name the site Harpersfield as Col. Harper was much admired by all. Unfortunately, the Colonel did not survive long enough to see the success of their combined efforts, as he died only four months after having landed.

After enduring incredible hardships, completely understandable for the situation and typical frontier conditions, the little community continued to thrive, but the Harper Homestead is beautifully preserved on Route 84, between Madison and Geneva, and is a showcase for the original furnishings-wallpaper, draperies, furniture, glassware and china, not to mention pianos! A visit to the Homestead is a visible history lesson for all ages, and is maintained by the Western Reserved Society of Cleveland. Named Shandy Hall, it is open from Decoration Day through October, Tuesdays through Saturdays 10:00AM to 5:00PM Sunday hours are 1:00 to 5:00PM There is a slight admission charge.

Madison has had several names through the years, including Chapintown, Centerville, and finally Madison, formally recognized as a Township in 1811...By 1825, several roads had been laid out, following Indian trails, which in turn had followed animal trails. It was during the building of what is now Route 20, called North Ridge, that iron ore was discovered along present day Dock Road. The iron was what is known as bog iron, but was a coveted ore for its many uses, and so the community which formed at the end of Dock Road soon grew and was called Ellensburg and was made up of workmen of differing skills and nationalities. Three hotels were built to provide housing, one of which still survives at the corner of Route 20 and Dock Road, facing Arcola Road across Rte. 20. A short drive up Arcola Road, takes one past the site of the iron furnace, where the iron was processed and prepared for shipping, which accounts for the name Dock Road, as it was at the end of that road the iron was put aboard steamships and sailing vessels to begin its journey into a growing nation. With the dwindling supply of iron the settlement of 3000 souls who had thrived in Ellensburg soon scattered ---- some to settle in the area of Madison, others, especially those of Finnish decent, moved on up the lake to Fairport. They soon found work building railroads, and ships or lake boats to serve a blossoming lake traffic.

Politics was making its mark all through the land, with divisions already in evidence regarding the slavery issue. Unionville, a small village to the east of Madison was a scene of a slave chase with an exciting escape, ending with bounty hunters put on trial in Madison, firmly Abolitionist territory. This was such a stirring story that Harriet Beecher Stowe, a visitor at the historic Old Tavern in Unionville, used it as a basis for her book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

In other respects, Madison is much like any town patterned after a New England village ... schools, churches of all denominations, and businesses growing every year. Prosperous industries employ local citizens, and law-abiding men, women, and children are striving to maintain a level of culture satisfying to all. The village has twenty eight homes listed on The National Register of Historic Buildings, plus a business district designated as a National Historic District by the Federal Government. The Township can boast a newly-opened public park, named for the former Ohio Congressman William Stanton, which means the entire area is an interesting place.

For more information about this delightful area plan a trip to Madison on the shores of Lake Erie which is not too far from anywhere! Visit the Madison Historical Society to learn more of the history and how it all came to be. You’ll be glad you came.