A Brief History Of Westlake

On October 10, 1810, the Joseph Cahoon and Ashel Porter families settled in township 7, Range 15, of the Connecticut Western Reserve. These two families arrived just hours apart in the area that would become Dover Township on January 25, 1811. April 1812 saw eighteen voters meet in Philo Taylor's log cabin to form the first township government.

The first gristmill was built in 1813 by the Joseph Cahoon family, which settled on property just east of what is now Cahoon Creek. They also built a sawmill and distillery for making peach brandy. The abundance of timber prompted the establishment of other sawmills and asheries, which drained burnt wood of lye and boiled it into potash. The dense forests that covered the mostly level land, which gently sloped toward Lake Erie, were cleared to plant crops and provide pasture to raise horses, cattle, and sheep.

Agriculture grew in Dover with truck and fruit farming, especially grapes. Near the latter part of the nineteenth century, Dover was the second largest shipping point for grapes in the United States.

When it was established, Dover Township was geographically much larger than present day Westlake. It encompassed land to the north and to the south. Shortly before Dover Township marked the end of its first century, the area to the north (now Bay Village) and the area to the south (now North Olmsted) separated from Dover, becoming independent municipalities. After satisfying the legal requirements, the remaining 15.9 square miles of Dover Township was incorporated as Dover Village in 1911.

By 1900, the population of Dover had grown to 2233. After the areas to the north and south separated, the 1910 census recorded a little over 1550 people. In 1930, population figures hit a new high of 2420, marking the beginning of a steady rise that continues to this day.

Although the United States Post Office began to exert pressure on Dover to change its' name, beginning in 1915, it wasn't until 1940 that Dover Village changed its' name to Westlake. This renaming ended the confusion which existed with a community in Tuscarawas County that also carried the name of Dover.

Almost 200 years after the first settlers saw fit to live, work, and create a government here, Westlake continues to be a highly desirable location for families, individuals, businesses, and corporations. This beautiful city, with a population over 30,000, has a special mix of open space, fine homes, office buildings, industry, and community facilities.

Westlake is indeed a city with a proud history, a strong presence, and an inviting future.