Kent: 1859 to 1870
Wooden Bridge
  • 1859 - John Brown's raid at Harpers Ferry
  • April 1861 - Civil War begins-Franklin Mills Rifle Company forms
  • March 1863 - first passenger train reaches Franklin Mills
  • 1864 - move begins to change name of Franklin Mills to Kent
  • April 4, 1865-huge bonfire and patriotic celebration
  • April 9, 1865 - Lee's surrender, Portage County sent 2,007 men to war, 312 died
  • April 15, 1865 - Franklin Mill's joy turns to deep mourning for their assassinated President, Abraham Lincoln
  • 1865 - Atlantic/Great Western RR shops open bringing in 200 men to work
  • 1867 - first weekly newspaper - “the Commercial bulletin: advertisers include a general store, homeopathic physician, lawyer, druggists, a hardware, grocery, variety store and clothing store. Ads tempted buyers with prices of good brown cotton at $.l5 yd and French bone corsets at $1.50 ea
  • 1867 - Kent National Bank
  • Union School (became Central)
  • Catholic Church on Columbus St. Universalist Church on North River
  • May 6, 1867 Franklin Mills officially becomes Kent and an election is called for to deal with the newly formed communities problems
  • Mayor election-John Thompson/145 to Luther Parmelee/143 to Sylvester Huggins 116 (not exactly a landslide)
  • Newly elected officials began to make some improvements…
  • Two new oil lamps on the covered bridge (eventually replaced by the Main Street Bridge)
  • 13 miles of plank sidewalk
  • Ordinance passes to curb swine and cattle between 8 pm and 5 am (ignored)
  • New jail ordered to be built by Mayor Thompson
  • Traffic problems include runaway horses
  • Abandonment of P&O Canal in favor of the railroads and to help eliminate malaria caused by the mosquitoes.. the Center Flouring Mill is left high and dry
  • 1870 - population 2,301
  • Four dry goods stores
  • Six grocery stores
  • Two drug stores
  • Three boot and shoe stores
  • Four clothing stores
  • Two jewelry stores
  • Three livery stables
  • Flour and feed store
  • Furniture store
  • Harness shop
  • Wagon Shop
  • Paint Stores
  • A&GW employing 550 men
  • Day & Williams rock glass factory employing 100
  • And a one story brick Jail to house anyone who needed locking up

10 Years in the Life – From Franklin Mills to Kent, Ohio

The photo on the right is of West Kent as it appeared in 1868. The Union School which later became Central School can be seen in the background. It was built at the end of the Civil War and torn down after the new Central School was built in 1952.
If you have an interest in the history our city, Kent, I highly recommend you reference The History of Kent, Historical and Biographical by Karl H. Grismer. You may reference this book in our library or purchase a copy from our Shopping Cart.