The Kent Block Through the Years
The Kent Block Mirrors the History of Kent
The Kent Block as it appeared in circa 1875 - 1879.
The 1830s brought the first boom years for Kent -then Franklin Mills. Rumor had it that the Pennsylvania & Ohio canal would come and connect the village to the rest of the world. The Franklin Land Company started to buy up land and invest large sums of money in a silk manufacture they planned to establish in Franklin Mills. Zenas Kent thought a hotel and business block was exactly what the growing community would need. The Kent Block was erected at the northwest corner of Main and Water Streets. The huge 4-story-building was the largest brick construction in all of Ohio at the time. Named Franklin Exchange the Kent Block would eventually become the center of commerce and the heart of a thriving town.
After the construction was completed in 1837 commercial shops and offices soon filled this imposing brick structure. Zenas Kent opened his hotel Franklin but over time the Kent Block found itself in serious financial trouble.
In another part of town the silk factory so many people had invested their money in was never completed. The imported silk worms died and many investors lost everything. The inability of the Kent Block to generate sufficient income and the failure of the silk mill created an ongoing financial crisis for the city. Economically, Franklin Mills was at a standstill.
Real estate values had risen considerably in anticipation of the canal and the silk boom. By the time the canal came in 1840, it would never bring the prosperity that Zenas Kent and the whole community had hoped for. The shops in the Kent Block were closed soon after they had been opened and the hotel was deserted. It is told that cattle wandered through the empty building.
After the setback with the canal, expectations found a new target. In 1850, hopes ran high that the railroad would come to Franklin Mills. Talks of the railroad were a motivating factor for the economy. Zenas Kent was able to sell some of the shops in the Kent Block and also the hotel. The railroad, however, did not come before 1863. Until then, the hotel and various sections of the building went through many hands. When the railroad finally arrived, the village began to grow and prosper.
Between 1866 and 1868, Betsy K. Carver purchased almost all the store and office areas of the Kent Block (which was then referred to as the Carver Block). The dividing walls between the various sections of the building were extended above the roof to ensure better fire protection. On April 16, 1872, Betsy Carver's sons W.R. Carver and C.P. Carver bought the hotel and remodeled it from top to bottom. The old Franklin House became the new Continental Hotel. Eight years later an additional story on top of the hotel was completed with costs adding up to $10,000.
The 1880s were difficult for Kent. Some important industries went out of business. The Continental was closed on January 16, 1889. The owner W.R. Carver remodeled it again and leased it to W.S. Shannon of Ravenna on May 23. Shannon reopened it under the name of Revere House. Soon after, the hotel was bought by Ralph and George Worthington. The hotel was closed again on June 17, 1899, due to financial problems and never reopened. The interior was removed by John G. and William Getz. The brick walls, however, were found completely intact so that the building was kept for further use.
The section that had been the hotel for so many years was now owned by Elmer E. France, the Main Street section by Fred Trory and the North Water Street section by Coe Livingston. France created a new retail center and opened its doors on March 17, 1900.
On December 1, 1904, a fire broke out on the second floor of the Kent Block at about 5 p.m. It took four fire companies three hours to quell the fire. Damage was estimated at $65,000. The building was quickly reconstructed, though, and France operated it until he sold it to Gensemer Brothers department store in 1922. Still, the fire of 1904 seems to have foreshadowed what was to come. Competition from suburban retailers made life more difficult for businesses in the Kent Block. Gensemer's had to close the upper floors of the building. Standard Drug Store Revco and Purcell's clothing were located on the ground floor and struggled to stay competitive with the new retail malls. The Rathskeller Bar, which was also situated in the Kent Block right next to the railroads, suffered severe damage when a derailment happened in 1950. The derailed boxcars tore out the whole west wall of the Rathskeller Bar.
On August 28, 1972, history repeated itself when a fire broke out and the 136-year-old huge retail Kent Block burned to the ground. The fire was noticed shortly before midnight on August 27 when flames came out of Stratton's clothing store. This time the building burned out completely and had to be demolished. Demolition works lasted from September 8 to the 15, 1972. The site was left vacant before it was turned into a park with a gazebo. In 1998, the Home Savings Bank (which is now the Hometown Bank) transformed the park into a small plaza with an amphitheater.
Researched and written by Tonia Krüeger
After the construction was completed in 1837 commercial shops and offices soon filled this imposing brick structure. Zenas Kent opened his hotel Franklin but over time the Kent Block found itself in serious financial trouble.
In another part of town the silk factory so many people had invested their money in was never completed. The imported silk worms died and many investors lost everything. The inability of the Kent Block to generate sufficient income and the failure of the silk mill created an ongoing financial crisis for the city. Economically, Franklin Mills was at a standstill.
Real estate values had risen considerably in anticipation of the canal and the silk boom. By the time the canal came in 1840, it would never bring the prosperity that Zenas Kent and the whole community had hoped for. The shops in the Kent Block were closed soon after they had been opened and the hotel was deserted. It is told that cattle wandered through the empty building.
After the setback with the canal, expectations found a new target. In 1850, hopes ran high that the railroad would come to Franklin Mills. Talks of the railroad were a motivating factor for the economy. Zenas Kent was able to sell some of the shops in the Kent Block and also the hotel. The railroad, however, did not come before 1863. Until then, the hotel and various sections of the building went through many hands. When the railroad finally arrived, the village began to grow and prosper.
Between 1866 and 1868, Betsy K. Carver purchased almost all the store and office areas of the Kent Block (which was then referred to as the Carver Block). The dividing walls between the various sections of the building were extended above the roof to ensure better fire protection. On April 16, 1872, Betsy Carver's sons W.R. Carver and C.P. Carver bought the hotel and remodeled it from top to bottom. The old Franklin House became the new Continental Hotel. Eight years later an additional story on top of the hotel was completed with costs adding up to $10,000.
The 1880s were difficult for Kent. Some important industries went out of business. The Continental was closed on January 16, 1889. The owner W.R. Carver remodeled it again and leased it to W.S. Shannon of Ravenna on May 23. Shannon reopened it under the name of Revere House. Soon after, the hotel was bought by Ralph and George Worthington. The hotel was closed again on June 17, 1899, due to financial problems and never reopened. The interior was removed by John G. and William Getz. The brick walls, however, were found completely intact so that the building was kept for further use.
The section that had been the hotel for so many years was now owned by Elmer E. France, the Main Street section by Fred Trory and the North Water Street section by Coe Livingston. France created a new retail center and opened its doors on March 17, 1900.
On December 1, 1904, a fire broke out on the second floor of the Kent Block at about 5 p.m. It took four fire companies three hours to quell the fire. Damage was estimated at $65,000. The building was quickly reconstructed, though, and France operated it until he sold it to Gensemer Brothers department store in 1922. Still, the fire of 1904 seems to have foreshadowed what was to come. Competition from suburban retailers made life more difficult for businesses in the Kent Block. Gensemer's had to close the upper floors of the building. Standard Drug Store Revco and Purcell's clothing were located on the ground floor and struggled to stay competitive with the new retail malls. The Rathskeller Bar, which was also situated in the Kent Block right next to the railroads, suffered severe damage when a derailment happened in 1950. The derailed boxcars tore out the whole west wall of the Rathskeller Bar.
On August 28, 1972, history repeated itself when a fire broke out and the 136-year-old huge retail Kent Block burned to the ground. The fire was noticed shortly before midnight on August 27 when flames came out of Stratton's clothing store. This time the building burned out completely and had to be demolished. Demolition works lasted from September 8 to the 15, 1972. The site was left vacant before it was turned into a park with a gazebo. In 1998, the Home Savings Bank (which is now the Hometown Bank) transformed the park into a small plaza with an amphitheater.
Researched and written by Tonia Krüeger