Strongsville is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, and a suburb of Cleveland. As of the 2020 census, its population was 46,491.
The city’s nickname, Crossroads of the Nation, originated from the intersection between the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and Southwestern Electric Line that connected Cleveland and Wooster, Ohio. As the railroad line ceased operation in 1931, the motto and city seal have been adapted to reflect the modern day intersection of Interstate 71 and the Ohio Turnpike.
At a Glance
- County: Cuyahoga County
- State: Ohio
History of Strongsville
Founded by settlers arriving in the newly purchased Connecticut Western Reserve, the city was named after John Stoughton Strong, the group’s leader. He brought his oldest son, Emory Strong, his brother in law Elijah Lyman Sr., and Guilford Whitney, another relative of the Strongs. Along with Whitney came his daughter, her husband John Hilliard, and their daughter. Other pioneers in the group included William Fuller Jr., Obadiah Church, Zachariah Goodale, and George Fox Gilbert. They arrived in 1816 and cleared enough land to construct log cabins. The 25 square mile area of land was surveyed and divided into lots for John Stoughton Strong to sell off by agreement with Oliver Ellsworth of Hartford, Connecticut. Strongsville officially became Township No. 5, 14th range on February 25, 1818. Strongsville became a village in 1923 and was ultimately designated a city in 1961.
John Stoughton Strong, originally from Vermont, was instrumental in Strongsville’s establishment and early growth. He drew in settlers from New York, Pennsylvania, and New England by driving cattle that he obtained to markets in those states. In the following years, he oversaw the development of settlements, roads, businesses, schools, and churches. He had the first mill built in 1820 on the Rocky River in Albion. While it is no longer standing, the dam and foundation still exist in what is now Bonnie Park. He also brought in settlers with specialized skills, such as Dr. William Baldwin as the town doctor. The John Stoughton Strong House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 24, 1980.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article Strongsville, Ohio, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.