City of Warrensville history

When this land was purchased by Asa Stiles in 1812, the grounds were transferred to the township for use as a cemetery.

The refurbishers of the Beachwood Historical Bell, The Verdin Company of Cincinnati, Ohio have been restoring bells since 1842.

Although most markers have been weathered to the point of ineligibility, the grave of Mary Brogden -who died in 1843 - even offers visitors to the burial grounds advice:

Historical Bell Our 400 pound cast bronze bell was made in 1844 by Buckeye Bell Foundry located in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Next to the Beachwood Village Hall was the Centenary Church, which was constructed in 1884.

The Buckeye Bell Foundry operated until 1894.

Electors from the proposed Village of Idlewood met at Gillon Blacksmith Shop in Warrensville Center on May 14, 1907 to vote on whether or not to establish a new village.

Later in October 1914, Mayor Oscar F. Alexander resigned as mayor, and A.R. Silsby was appointed in his place.

On June 26, 1915, the trustees of Warrensville Township ordered the incorporation of Beachwood Village.

The following council meetings and all village business was conducted out of the homes of elected council officials until June 24, 1924, when council changed the official headquarters of the village back to the red brick schoolhouse, which was shared with the Beachwood Board of Education.

On June 16, 1925, the Village Council established the “Town Hall Construction Fund,” starting it off with $10,000 from the enforcement of state liquor laws (alcohol prohibition money). Additionally, the Village council approved the issuance of $40,000 in bonds for a new town hall.

That building was later known as Fairmount School, but upon completion in 1927, it was referred to as "Beechwood School." That building also served as the headquarters of the Beachwood Board of Education offices until the building was demolished.

Unfortunately, the transportation service did not perform as well as the village council had hoped, and a motion was passed on April 24, 1928 to discontinue the bus service on May 5, 1928.

On May 14, 1929, the village purchased the temporary wooden building from the Board of Education for $3,887.19.

The University Heights Town Hall as it looked in 1932.

The Village of University Heights’ population became a city in 1940, when the 1940 Census showed that the town had a population greater than 5,000 residents.

When the town became a city, a charter committee was formed, and the following year voters approved the new charter on June 3, 1941, setting up a strong-mayor form of the mayor-council government.

The site would not be marked until 1949, when the Shaker Historical Society placed a granite boulder from an old Shaker farm above the grave.

Behind the Wiley facility, the City built its first municipal pool for its residents, breaking ground in March of 1957 with snow flurries flying.

In 1960, Beachwood attained "city" status, with the census showing a population of 6,089.

The following year at the June 5, 1961 City Council meeting, Ordinance 61-35 passed, awarding the modernization of City Hall to the Schirmer-Peterson Company in the amount of $17,694.

In 1966, University Heights held its first Memorial Day Parade.

Listed as a landmark on August 24, 1976, these symbolic grounds are among the oldest designated landmarks in Shaker Heights, and provide a fitting place of remembrance for Warrensville Township's earliest residents.

In 1978 Beryl E. Rothschild was elected mayor of University Heights, one of the first and longest-serving female mayors in the United States.

On August 4, 1980, the church trustees voted to sell the church.

The stone foundation came from a small quarry on the Bleasdale Farm near the area of Harvard and Richmond Roads. It was purchased by the City of Beachwood and formerly housed our administrative fire department staff until the new station was built in 2001.

The front of this building became "The Beachwood Center for the Arts." The Village Hall was demolished in October 2003 to make way for the construction and renovation of the Beachwood Municipal Complex.

The City of Beachwood, in conjunction with the Beachwood Historical Society, joined resources in the summer of 2013 to gain a deeper knowledge of part of Beachwood's past - namely, the Beachwood Cemetery site.

In February 2014 the report of this investigation was completed and sent to the City of Beachwood for review, and on March 17th, 2014, the results were presented to Council.

To this day, University Heights is proud to have the longest-running east side parade, celebrating its 50th year in 2016.