Kent, Ohio : A Tree City USA

Kent is a city in Portage County in Ohio. The population was 27,906 at the last census, making it the county's largest city. Kent was originally the village of Franklin Mills. When construction began on the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal in the 1830s, land speculation was rampant in many areas of Northeast Ohio along the canal, including Franklin Mills. Much of the canal bed is still visible in downtown Kent, including the historic lock and arch dam (first built in 1836), which is the only known arch dam attached to a canal lock in the United States and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In addition, an aqueduct of the canal is still visible in southern Kent.

In the era leading up to the American Civil War, Franklin Mills was an active stop on the Underground Railroad, giving fugitive slaves shelter on their
escape to Canada. Notable stops in Franklin Mills included the Cuyahoga House at the corner of Cuyahoga Street and North Mantua Street (torn down in 1907) and the Woodard house along Fairchild Avenue, which still stands today. During this period, in 1835, noted American abolitionist John Brown moved to the village, operating a tannery along the Cuyahoga River with Zenas Kent, leaving in 1839. On June 26, 2004, an historical marker was dedicated in downtown Kent commemorating the city's role in the Underground Railroad.

In 1863 a local businessman by the name of Marvin Kent was influential in bringing the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad through Franklin Mills. The railroad reinvented the village as an important stop on the east-west line as it was also home to the railroad's yards and shops. To honor Marvin Kent, the village was renamed Kent in 1864, although this change was not official until the village was officially incorporated on May 6, 1867. John Davey established the Davey Tree Expert Company in 1880 after planting hundreds of trees around the city. Kent became known as the "Tree City".

Today, Kent is a mix of old and new with a diverse population, due in part to the university, as well as an historic downtown area which is slowly
growing and recovering from a period of nondevelopment.

More information about Kent can be found at Kent, OH on Wikipedia.

I can't really talk about the city of Kent without mentioning Kent State. KSU's history, abbreviated is: In 1910, Kent was selected out of fourteen northeastern Ohio cities as the site of a new teacher training college, which became known as the "Kent State Normal School". The site for the school was on fifty-three acres of land donated by William S. Kent, son of Marvin Kent, on what was then the eastern edge of town. To honor his donation, the school was named for William S. Kent and not for the city of Kent, making it the only public university in Ohio to be named for an individual. Sometime after 1915 the school was renamed Kent State College and in 1935 was renamed Kent State University after it received authorization to issue Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees, thus giving it university status. The bill giving Kent State university status was signed into law by Ohio governor and Kent native Martin L. Davey. Kent State has national status and fame in part due to The Shannon Rodgers & Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design & Merchandising, and also the Liquid Crystal Institute.

Just what you would expect from somewhere called "Tree City"?? Kent has many wonderful city parks that are available for all to enjoy.

Fred Fuller Park: Kent's largest park encompassing over 56 acres of land donated to the city in 1934. The park borders and crosses the Cuyahoga River.

Al Lease Park: This 31 acre park is located on the west side of Kent off Silver Meadow Boulevard. It is named after Al Lease, who was actively involved in Kent Youth Baseball.

Franklin Mills Riveredge Park: This park is in the center of town and is accessible from Stow Street on the south, and from River Street via a stairway next to the Bissler Building on the north. The park is accessible to the handicapped behind the Portage Paper Box Company on River Street. Developed on land deeded to the city in 1934-35, the park is named after the original settlement along the river - Franklin Mills.

Brady's Leap Park: Located at the northern limit of the Riveredge Trail and accessible from Gougler Avenue. This historic site is the location where Captain Samuel Brady reportedly jumped 21 feet across the river to avoid a band of Indians in 1780.

John Brown Tannery Park: Encompasses the former site of a tannery built in 1836 by noted abolitionist John Brown and is listed on the National Register of Historic Plans.

Plum Creek Park: Located on 25 acres of land off of Mogadore Road. The land was purchased by the City of Kent in 1923.

Artemis Drive Park: This 3.7 acre site is Kent's newest neighborhood park, it was completed in 1998.

Fishcreek Park: This is a 7 acre park, adjacent to Fish Creek, off of McKinney Boulevard.


You can also find more park information on the web here: Kent City Parks.

Kent is noted for its unusual local population of black squirrels, but they weren't always here and certainly weren't native to the area. Ten rare black squirrels were imported from Canada in February 1961 by Larry Woodell, superintendent of grounds, and M. W. Staples, a retired executive of the Davey Tree Expert Company. When first released, the large, black-spiked squirrels were frequently mistaken for skunks. By 1964, the Kent Record-Courier observed that there were up to 150 squirrels in the area. Today they own the campus and the squirrels have been spotted in places such as: Warren, Cleveland, Barberton, Akron, and Canton. The Black Squirrel Festival started in 1981 as a day-long event held on the Student Center Plaza to introduce new students to campus and community organizations. Now it features barbecues, live bands, local artisans, performers, black squirrel photo and drawing contests, an organizations fair, and a 4.2 mile Black Squirrel Run.

Kent Heritage Festival
Saturday, July 7, 2007 -- Downtown Kent, Ohio

This festival offers something for the entire family, including museum tours, all day music and entertainment, a classic car show, the Annual Jaycees Ducks Over the Falls River Race, arts and crafts, food, Pony Rides and more. The Heritage Festival opens at 8:00 AM with a 5K and 10K Road Race and concludes with a fireworks display. The event is organized by KUSO (Kent's United Services Organization, Inc.), a consortium of nine of Kent's leading service and business organizations. TRAIN RIDES ALL DAY!!!


Home Savings Concert Series
Home Savings Plaza Concerts are held at the corner of Main and Water Streets. All concerts are 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. (Rain date for most of the concerts will be the following Thursday.) For more information call Home Savings Bank at (330) 673-9827. All concerts are FREE. Bring your own chair. Bring a friend.


Art in the Park
The thirteenth annual Art in the Park celebration will be held September 9th (10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) and 10th (12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) in Fred Fuller Park, Kent's oldest and most scenic park. This unique event offers opportunities for enrichment and exploration of the arts. More than 50 artists and artisans will showcase and sell their work in a variety of media. Demonstrations in glassblowing. A variety of "hands-on" art experiences will be offered to children at no cost. Guest musicians provide fine music. Art in the Park is organized by Kent Parks and Recreation. For information on this event call (330) 673-8897.


More information on Downtown Kent Events throughout the year is available on line at: Downtown Kent Events

The City of Kent still has an ice cream social in the summertime - how cool is that?

The ice cream is 25 cents a scoop, there will be live music, and many of the downtown businesses will be having special sales, and many local artists will be exhibiting their wares. There is Face Painting, Free Appraisals of Antiques at City Bank Antiques, and a shuttle provided by PARTA.

WHEN:
Saturday, August 11, 1 to 4 pm
WHERE:
The Home Savings Plaza

Sponsored by The Ohio Arts Council, Main Street Kent, The Henry V. and Frances W. Christenson Foundation, The City of Kent, The Kent Parks and Recreation Department, The Home Savings Plaza, Woodsy's Music, City Bank Antiques, The Hall-Green Insurance Agency, Taco Tantos, The Wild Goat Cafe, Doodles Salon, and Guys Pizza

For more information, please contact: 330-673-4970 or info@standingrock.net

Face it, Kent is a college town. And, that means that Kent has some bars. It has some really cool bars as a matter of fact, most located downtown, within easy walking distance of on- and off-campus housing. Franklin Street is a popular destination for food and beverage. A stroll along this section will find you at The Loft, Taco Tonto's, Ray's Place, The Town Tavern, Mug's and BW3.

The Kent State University Museum's costume collection encompasses American and European high fashion from the 18th century to the present day. Within the collection of 20th century fashion, most major American and European designers are represented, and many have donated their archives, sketchbooks and samples to the Museum. Ongoing gifts from firms such as Calvin Klein and from many individual donors keep the Museum's collections current.

Kent State University; Rockwell Hall; State Route 59; (330) 672-3450

The above information is from, and more information is available at: Kent State Fashion Museum .

I put this module at the bottom of this lens because I didn't want it to be the focus of the lens. In my opinion, it should not be the focus of a look at either the City of Kent, or of Kent State University. Both are so much more than just the place where a tragedy happened. I have my opinions on these events, but, I choose to not share these here. I believe this is an opinion that should be reached independently. I formed my opinions after much research. I encourage you to do the same; get good background information. I will give you a head-start with some on-line resources.

May 4, 1970: At 11:00 am, about 200 students gathered on The Commons of Kent State University for a previously planned protest rally. Near noon, the size of the crowd increased to 1,500. Some were merely spectators, while others there specifically to protest the invasion of Cambodia and the Guard presence on campus. When first ordered to leave the area, the gathered students responded with jeers and chants. When the students refused to leave, the guardsmen were ordered to disperse them. The armed Guardsmen formed a skirmish-line, and advanced toward the students. The students retreated off of The Common, up Blanket Hill, some lobbing tear gas canisters back at the advancing troops. The Guard, following the students, marched over the crest of the hill, firing more tear gas and scattering the students into wider area. The Guard then continued over the hill and onto a practice football field. For about 10 minutes, the Guard stayed in this field. Some students began to leave the area and walk to their next classes. It was decided that the crowd had been dispersed and the Guardsmen were ordered back to the Commons area. They reassembled on the practice field and the guardsmen began to march back up the hill, retracing their previous steps. Some of the Guardsmen, while advancing up the hill, continued to glance back at the parking lot, where the most vocal students were still located. As the Guardsmen reached the crest of Blanket Hill, about a dozen simultaneously turned around 180 degrees, aimed, and fired their weapons into the crowd in the Prentice Hall parking lot. A total of 67 shots were fired in 13 seconds. 4 were killed. 9 were wounded.

The University continues to remember - with the annual candlelight vigils, with the permanent memorial by Taylor Hall, & with scholarships in the names of the four students who died.