This is the history of how my hometown (Rittman, Ohio) came to be what it is today. I learned a little about the town I live in, but most of it I already knew. I have lived here basically my entire life, minus the year I tried living in Nashville, TN and New York.

Some neat things:

The circled area in the picture is the location of the second place I lived. At one time, before I lived in it, it was a sewing factory. The place was huge, and I loved it there. I would still probably live there if I hadn't had children and wanted them to have a yard to play in. Moved out when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter. Someone asked yesterday where everyone was on September, 11, 2001, well, I was under the fourth window running down the side of the building taking a bath. The bath tub was an amazing, large claw foot tub. I miss that a lot.

Here is a poem written by Wilber Foster that he composed for a school reunion in 1855.

And it is still there. Sorry for the quality of the second photo. I plucked it from the web. I may get adventurous and walk two streets down to take a better picture.

What I have learned about my hometown:

-Before the land was settled is was covered with an encompassing forest of chestnut, maple, pine and oak broken only by streams and swamps.

-The wild land was once inhabited by the Eriechronon tribe of Native American Indians, better known as Erie Indians. I would like to add that arrowheads and other artifacts are still commonly found in the area, I have found them myself while wandering arounf the woods at the end of my road.

-Rt 585, a road I travel almost daily, is an old indian trail.

-The first piece of land purchased in what would become Rittman Ohio was bought on October 19, 1814 by Stephen Harris. The earliest settler was Isaac Decourcey and records show him living on the land in 1813.

-The earlier settlers made reports of seeing bears, wolves, wildcats, porcupines, wild hog, deer and turkey. We still have wild turkey, my husband ran one over last year.

-Maple trees were abundant and many settlers made maple sugar and sold it in Canton.

-The school house and graveyard were built in 1817.

-Corn was exchanged for venison with the Indians.

-An estimated 15 families had moved to the area by 1815.

-A nondenominational meeting house was erected in 1817.

-Milton Township,  in which Rittman is located, was named after the famous classical author of Paradise Lost

.-In 1918 snow fell as late as June killing most crops and making food sparse that year.

What I find interesting is all the last names that I recognize. I talk to people daily whose ancestors helped to form the place I call home. I will do an in depth update when I hget to the chapters with my family in them.

Go Booklikes librarians, you rock! ~~~☆<¡cartwheels and flips!>☆~~~~