Mr. Jones Landmark Project

1. All About
The Chagrin Falls
Intermediate School
Facts and Photos
By Kaile
March 25, 2015

2. THE BEGINNING
The Chagrin Falls Intermediate School is an important landmark to
our community because the space where the Chagrin Falls
Intermediate School is now has always been school property. It has
not always been the Intermediate School though. It has had a lot of
changes over the years but it has always been some kind of school.
● The first school on the property was Asbury Seminary and it
was built in 1843, 10 years after Chagrin Falls was founded. It
was built on Philomethian Street because philomethian means
“love of learning”.

3. CHANGES BEGIN
● The Asbury Seminary was closed in 1858 and the building was then made into
the new “Chagrin Falls High School”. By then many more people were settling
in Chagrin Falls because they learned about the river and knew it was a good
place to build their Mills and have their business. So the population of Chagrin
Falls was growing and more school space was needed because there were
more families settling in the area.
● In 1886 a new brick school was built next
door to the high school. The high school
was actually moved a few feet to make
room for this new school. It was named
the Chagrin Falls Union School but people
called it the Philomethian Street School.

4. MORE CHANGES
● In 1892 an auditorium and four elementary school rooms were added on to the
building. That building was big enough for all children in all grades so the Chagrin
Falls High School next door was no longer needed and was sold for $100 in 1893.
● In 1909, a small school was built for
first and second graders only.
● In 1914 a new high school was built again to
make room for even more students because
Chagrin Falls was getting to be known as one
of the best schools around.
● In 1940, rooms were added onto the high school and again it was big enough for
all students so the old brick Philomethian Street School/Union School and the
small 1st and 2nd grade building were torn down. The building was now the only
school and it was called the Philomethian Street School.

5. WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW
● In 1959 the high school that is used today was built and Gurney was built
in 1966 so the Philomethian Street School was used just for middle
schoolers since that time.
● It was named the Intermediate School in 1999.
● The part of the Intermediate School that faces East Washington Street is
100 years old. The part of the school that is on Philomethian Street is 75
years old.

6. 1. An interview with the author of the
book, History of Chagrin Falls
Schools, written by Tom Mattern and a
visit to his Historical Room at Chagrin Falls High School.
2. The book, Chagrin Falls: An Ohio Village History
written by the Chagrin Falls Historical Society
3. An interview and visit with Pat Zalba, curator of
the Chagrin Falls Historical Society
Information for this
landmark project
came from: