Chardon ( SHAR dən) is a city in Geauga County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 5,242 at the 2020 census. Chardon is located about 10 mi (16 km) south of Lake Erie within the "snow belt" of the Great Lakes and is part of the Cleveland metropolitan area. It is the only incorporated city in Geauga County and includes land that was once part of Chardon, Hambden, and Munson townships.
At a Glance
- County: Geauga County
- County seat of Geauga County
- State: Ohio
History of Chardon
Chardon is named after Peter Chardon Brooks, who donated land to build Chardon Square. Chardon Township celebrates its establishment in 1812, and thus the city of Chardon does the same. The city was incorporated as a village in 1851 and became a city in 2001 after its population passed 5,000 people in the 2000 United States census.
On July 24 to 25, 1868, a large fire destroyed the center of uptown, the area now known as Chardon Square. The fire originated in the Parlin Parkin’s grocery store, and spread rapidly. By the time the fire was contained, the courthouse, post office, and many stores on the square were destroyed. Damage was estimated at around $120,000. Chardon Square was quickly rebuilt following the fire. A new county courthouse, which still stands today, was completed in 1869. Many other buildings that were constructed after the fire also survive and are used today.
On February 27, 2012, a student from Lake Academy in Willoughby, Ohio, opened fire at the Chardon High School cafeteria, killing three and injuring two students. Daniel Parmertor, 16 years old, was killed at the time of the shooting. Two other victims, Demetrius Hewlin and Russell King, Jr., were pronounced dead on February 28. The shooter was taken into custody by police and was charged with three counts of aggravated murder. He was sentenced to three consecutive life terms in prison without parole.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article Chardon, Ohio, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.