All About The Chagrin Falls

Intermediate SchoolFacts and Photos

By Kaile March 25, 2015

THE BEGINNINGThe Chagrin Falls Intermediate School is an important landmark to our community because the space where the Chagrin Falls Intermediate School is now has always been school property. It has not always been the Intermediate School though. It has had a lot of changes over the years but it has always been some kind of school.

● The first school on the property was Asbury Seminary and it was built in 1843, 10 years after Chagrin Falls was founded. It was built on Philomethian Street because philomethian means “love of learning”.

CHANGES BEGIN● The Asbury Seminary was closed in 1858 and the building was then made into

the new “Chagrin Falls High School”. By then many more people were settling in Chagrin Falls because they learned about the river and knew it was a good place to build their Mills and have their business. So the population of Chagrin Falls was growing and more school space was needed because there were more families settling in the area.

● In 1886 a new brick school was built next door to the high school. The high school was actually moved a few feet to make room for this new school. It was named the Chagrin Falls Union School but people called it the Philomethian Street School.

MORE CHANGES● In 1892 an auditorium and four elementary school rooms were added on to the

building. That building was big enough for all children in all grades so the Chagrin Falls High School next door was no longer needed and was sold for $100 in 1893.

● In 1909, a small school was built for first and second graders only.

● In 1914 a new high school was built again to make room for even more students because Chagrin Falls was getting to be known as one of the best schools around. ● In 1940, rooms were added onto the high school and again it was big enough for

all students so the old brick Philomethian Street School/Union School and the small 1st and 2nd grade building were torn down. The building was now the only school and it was called the Philomethian Street School.

WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW

● In 1959 the high school that is used today was built and Gurney was built in 1966 so the Philomethian Street School was used just for middle schoolers since that time.

● It was named the Intermediate School in 1999.

● The part of the Intermediate School that faces East Washington Street is 100 years old. The part of the school that is on Philomethian Street is 75 years old.

1. An interview with the author of the book, History of Chagrin Falls Schools, written by Tom Mattern and a visit to his Historical Room at Chagrin Falls High School.

2. The book, Chagrin Falls: An Ohio Village History written by the Chagrin Falls Historical Society

3. An interview and visit with Pat Zalba, curator of the Chagrin Falls Historical Society

Information for this landmark project

came from: