LEROY TOWNSHIP REACHES MILESTONE

However, Leroy Bicentennial bash will have to wait until 2021 due to pandemic

All good things come to those who wait.

That exhortation reflects the collective sentiment of Leroy Township officials who ruefully decided that postponing a milestone gala would be best, due to the continuously changing environment and restrictions surrounding the coronavirus.

See you next year

Now, the Leroy Bicentennial Celebration (Plus One) festival will be held June 19, 2021. While efforts to hold the historic event took months of planning, additional time gives the bicentennial committee, who are calling on all “Leroyites” past and present to attend, an opportunity to make the fête bigger and better.

“It was disheartening to have to cancel, but we want to keep people safe,” said Leroy Township Trustee Heather Shelton. “We even contemplated looking at the rest of the year, but it then became a matter of securing vendors and scheduling, so it made sense to postpone. We expect a big turnout.”

“It was disheartening to have to cancel, but we want to keep people safe.”

—Trustee Heather Shelton

The bash will feature crafts, cruise-in cars, live animals antique tractor displays, local food, merchandise sales, music, activities for kids, a celebratory parade and fireworks.

The committee, however, did point out that not everything regarding the event has been postponed as Leroy Bicentennial Raffle winners — 1st prize: Paul Safick; 2nd prize: Joe Villani; 3rd prize: Bob Antalik — were recently announced.

Back in the day

According to the Leroy Heritage Association, in 1800, a group of men from Chesterfield, Massachusetts, purchased part of what is now Leroy Township from the Connecticut Land Company. At that time, Leroy was located in Trumbull County and was given the name “Chesterfield.”

The township later was given the name of LeRoy — “The King” — by settlers who came from Le Roy, New York. By 1820, LeRoy had enough settlers to form a township government, and was incorporated in June of 1820 at a meeting of the Geauga County commissioners.

“Homes and businesses began to spring up all around and in 1826 before long there was a grist mill, a blacksmith shop, a shoe maker, a tannery, an ashery, a wagon shop and more,” said Lori Watson, Leroy Heritage Association historian and treasurer. “A school was built in 1836 and 51 students enrolled. The mill was running nonstop from Monday until Saturday night. By 1842, there were 47 buildings and homes in the hollow (low, wooded area). There were more than 1,100 people in Leroy by 1850.

“The mid-1800s saw an influx of Manx immigrants to LeRoy who came to farm Ohio’s rich soils. Many descendants of these families still call Leroy home. Leroy remained mainly an agricultural township into the 1950s. The construction of Interstate 90 through the township in the ‘60s resulted in a housing boom. Residents could live in the country with easy access to Cleveland to work.”

Living history

The LeRoy Town Hall, built in 1847, is still used for township trustee and zoning meetings.

The South LeRoy Meeting House, completed in 1832 by Henry Brakeman and deeded to the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1850, has been recently restored and now houses the collections of the Leroy Heritage Association noted Brandy Hanusosky, president of Leroy Township Recreation Board. “We also hold open houses, sell yearly and lifetime memberships, and take on local contributions,” she said. “During next year’s event, we plan to share all of these historical pieces and artifacts with people, including early toys and tools families would make with their children.”

The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

What’s in a name?

There is always debate over the official spelling and pronunciation of Leroy Township, Watson said.

“Our founding fathers named it ‘LeRoy’ and the story holds that in some point in time, the post office requested the spelling be changed to ‘Leroy’ to avoid confusion with another LeRoy, located in Medina County.

“There is no one alive to confirm this tale and no official paperwork for the change to be found,” she added. “The few old timers left here still use the original pronunciation. The other LeRoy now goes by the name ‘Westfield’ (Center).

“Many believe we should be able to use the old spelling again, what with zip codes and all.”

CHAD FELTON — THE NEWS-HERALD Leroy Township resident Lena Hanusosky, 8, demonstrates her stilt-walking skills on the property of one of Lake County’s most historic sites.

CHAD FELTON — THE NEWS-HERALD Eli Hanusosky, 6, gets his hoop trundle on at South LeRoy Meeting House in Leroy Township.

SUBMITTED Although the Leroy Township Bicentennial Celebration was postponed until next year, a trio of party raffle winners were recently announced in anticipation of the event.