The History
Fowler, OH
Fowler township consists of 24 square miles and was originally a part of the "Western Reserve" that the Connecticut Land Company purchased from the state of Connecticut. In 1798 Samuel Fowler paid the Connecticut Land Company $12, 903.23 for the 16,551 acres. His brother, Abner, was from Massachusetts and was also an earlier surveyor of the area. Samuel gave Abner 100 acres near the center of the township where he built a log cabin in 1799. Abner then became the first citizen of Fowler.
Abner influenced other people to buy the land at approximately $3.00/acre and in 1801 Levi Foote and his family came from Westfield, Massachusetts becoming the first settlers to locate to Fowler. They called this settlement Westfield, but that soon changed to Fowler to honor the founding family.
Abner died in 1806 making him the first recorded death of Fowler and the first burial. By this time, 7 other families had relocated and settled into Fowler. One of these families included the Tyrrells. Elijah Tyrrell and his family settled into a section called "Tyrrell Hill". Tyrrell Hill is where small manufacturing first began and Fowlers first industry was born. First, a foot treadle wood lathe produced wooden eating utensils to fill the needs of the settlers. This first development was followed by: a blacksmith shop, sawmill, grist mill, and a distillery. At one point in time Tyrrell Hill was larger than Youngstown! However, a lack of water caused the development to stop by the 1830's. The mills were powered by water and there wasn't enough to continue to develop the area, unfortunately, this is when the industry started to relocate or be replaced by industry in Warren and Youngstown. Fortunately, a railroad system started to flourish bringing life back to the area.
This railroad was referred to as Nutwood or the Fowler Station. With the incoming visitors and passerby's business began to boom. A hotel, general store, gun shop, flour mill, nail factory, keg factory and cheese factor were established. The Fowler post-office was relocated to Tyrrell Hill to accommodate the increasing population. Within years the railroad caused an increase in not only population, but also in industry and prosperity. It was being called "Little Chicago" because there were people coming to dance, attending the local brothel, trading, buying and selling.
Unfortunately, WWII caused a major decline in the railroad systems. The post-office was relocated back into Fowler center because the amount of people coming into Tyrrell Hill declined so dramatically. Most of the industry died off or relocated leaving the stories about the booming Tyrrell Hill and Nutwood to be nothing more than a memory. Fowler became known as a farming township in the 1840's and has remained that way every since, with some exciting changes along the way.
Here are some fun Fowler history facts:
- Gas could be purchased for .15 / gallon and a gas station was built in Fowler
- Schwartz farm operations started (and eventually would become one of the major suppliers of soy to Japan)
- Roads were finally hard surfaced
Abner influenced other people to buy the land at approximately $3.00/acre and in 1801 Levi Foote and his family came from Westfield, Massachusetts becoming the first settlers to locate to Fowler. They called this settlement Westfield, but that soon changed to Fowler to honor the founding family.
Abner died in 1806 making him the first recorded death of Fowler and the first burial. By this time, 7 other families had relocated and settled into Fowler. One of these families included the Tyrrells. Elijah Tyrrell and his family settled into a section called "Tyrrell Hill". Tyrrell Hill is where small manufacturing first began and Fowlers first industry was born. First, a foot treadle wood lathe produced wooden eating utensils to fill the needs of the settlers. This first development was followed by: a blacksmith shop, sawmill, grist mill, and a distillery. At one point in time Tyrrell Hill was larger than Youngstown! However, a lack of water caused the development to stop by the 1830's. The mills were powered by water and there wasn't enough to continue to develop the area, unfortunately, this is when the industry started to relocate or be replaced by industry in Warren and Youngstown. Fortunately, a railroad system started to flourish bringing life back to the area.
This railroad was referred to as Nutwood or the Fowler Station. With the incoming visitors and passerby's business began to boom. A hotel, general store, gun shop, flour mill, nail factory, keg factory and cheese factor were established. The Fowler post-office was relocated to Tyrrell Hill to accommodate the increasing population. Within years the railroad caused an increase in not only population, but also in industry and prosperity. It was being called "Little Chicago" because there were people coming to dance, attending the local brothel, trading, buying and selling.
Unfortunately, WWII caused a major decline in the railroad systems. The post-office was relocated back into Fowler center because the amount of people coming into Tyrrell Hill declined so dramatically. Most of the industry died off or relocated leaving the stories about the booming Tyrrell Hill and Nutwood to be nothing more than a memory. Fowler became known as a farming township in the 1840's and has remained that way every since, with some exciting changes along the way.
Here are some fun Fowler history facts:
- 1806- First school lesson taught in a log cabin
- 1807- First sermon preached in Fowler
- 1807- First election as a separate voting district
- 1814- First frame house was built
- 1819- First doctor
- 1864- The brick Fowler general store was built (It is the same general store that stands in the center of town today!)
- 1894- First teaching of "higher grades" in a rented building
- 1900- Telephone lines from The Bell Company were placed and calls could be made to Cortland, Warren and Ashtabula Co.
- 1904- A stone water trough was placed in the center of Fowler. (It also can still be seen there today!)
- 1912- First high school graduating class of Fowler
- 1920- First year as a 4 year high school instead of a 3 year
- 1922- First electric power comes to Fowler
- 1930-40's- Mechanical equipment started to be used on farms; tractors were being purchased. Farming took over as the major
- Gas could be purchased for .15 / gallon and a gas station was built in Fowler
- 1937- Fowler dog racing track was built bringing in thousands of people and dollars. The business stayed open until the owner was
- 1949- Industry in Fowler began slowing down, people started to go into town and work.
- 1950- The post office relocated back to Fowler center
- 1960- The railroad was replaced by automobiles; Very little industry left
- Schwartz farm operations started (and eventually would become one of the major suppliers of soy to Japan)
- Roads were finally hard surfaced
- 1969- Voters approve zoning
- 1980- Ditches were dug to get rid of the excess water from yards and roads
- End of 1980's- Orchards, small garages, mills all closed
- 1990's- residential development was at a new high in Fowler
- 1994- The gas station in the center of Fowler closed
- Present- Fowler is an open, caring community filled with good neighbors and people. 10 families still live on the land that their families founded in the 1840's. Fowler continues to develop as a farming community, however, the population numbers have increased and so has the diversity. Enjoy the pictures featured in the slideshow below!
Reference:
Cover, D. & Cover, E. Fowler Township:200 years in the Western Reserve (1997).
Cover, D. & Cover, E. Fowler Township:200 years in the Western Reserve (1997).