GEAUGA COUNTY
County Offices
470 Center Street
Chardon 440-285-2222
www.co.geauga.oh.us
Chamber of Commerce
100 Center Street
Chardon 440-285-9050
www.chardonchamber.com
Services
Panoramic Geauga County is located approximately 20 miles east of Cleveland and about 10 miles south of Lake Erie. Rolling rivers that traverse this scenic region include the Cuyahoga, the Chagrin, and the Grand. Chardon serves as the county seat in a region that preserves the old-fashioned pleasures, family oriented lifestyle, and traditional values that have long been associated with the rural Midwest.
State-of-the-art healthcare services are available close to home for residents of Geauga County, anchored by Geauga Regional Hospitals of the University Hospitals Health System. This acute-care facility provides comprehensive services to a six-county region that includes Geauga, Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Lake, Portage and Trumbull counties. The health system’s constantly growing network of primary care physicians, specialists, outpatient centers, hospitals, and related services are available at more than 110 locations in 55 communities. Two of the most recent additions are the Center for Women’s Health and a $2 million cardiac catheterization laboratory.
Students are able to receive a quality education in respected public school districts or one of the region’s private schools. An excellent pupil-teacher ratio, dedicated staff members, modern classrooms, and abundant opportunities for extracurricular involvement characterize the local school districts. One of the outstanding educational opportunities for Geauga County residents is the presence of Kent State University Geauga. Offering a “private education experience at a public university,” this convenient and easily accessible provides a student-teacher ratio of 15:1. Students are able to earn Associate degrees and two-year program certifications or begin the coursework leading to a four-year degree. One of the most exciting aspects of this local institution of higher education is the potential for high-school juniors and seniors to earn college credits before high-school graduation.
Lifestyle
Newcomers to Geauga County will find themselves immersed in warm and comfortable memories of days gone by, where families spent Sunday afternoon picking fresh apples and making homemade pie. Many of the communities in this tranquil and panoramic region were built around charming town squares, and yesterday’s images of country stores and buggies drawn by horses still remain in some corners of the county. Sections of Geauga County are known as “Amish country,” dotted with rich farmland and old-fashioned delights of farm-fresh produce stands, shops filled with hand-crafted furniture, and restaurants that feature home cooking.
The Geauga Park District works diligently to preserve and maintain the area’s bounty of natural beauty, ensuring recreational sites that sprawl over 7,000 acres in a dozen open parks and preserves. The district also offers hundreds of programs and activities that appeal to every age group and interest, including outdoor exploration and nature education programs. Some of the other popular pastimes in this beautiful region are shopping for antiques, playing golf on championship courses, enjoying winter sports at local ski areas, or taking to the sky on an Amish country balloon tour. The entire region offers exceptional forested areas for hiking, biking, camping, and picnicking. Not far from home, water-sport enthusiasts will find rivers for kayaking and canoeing or Lake Erie for power boating and sailing.
Even many of the annual events in this colorful region celebrate nature’s glory, particularly the Geauga County Maple Festival held the weekend after Easter. This rite of spring honors the production of maple syrup, a leading agricultural industry in Northern Ohio. Events include two grand parades, maple syrup judging and auction, contests and races, a craft show, concessions, thrill rides, and grandstand entertainment. On the weekends, residents need only drive a few minutes to some of the most popular attractions in Northeast Ohio including Geauga Lake Amusement Park in Aurora and the world-renowned Holden Arboretum in Kirtland.
Complementing the appealing family-oriented atmosphere brimming over with homespun pleasures, Geauga County brings together thriving commerce and industry for a healthy and diverse local economy. Whether you enjoy the hometown atmosphere of a growing village or the chirping of crickets in the rolling green countryside, rapidly growing Geauga County has the ideal setting for your dream home and chosen lifestyle.
Auburn Township
Municipal Offices
440-543-7028
www.auburntownship.com
Chamber of Commerce
440-247-6607
www.cvcc.org
Offering a naturally beautiful environment for residential development, Auburn Township became a recreational destination with the development of LaDue Reservoir. Claiming a unique history as a Czech summer area, the residential village of Taborville maintains strong ties to its proud heritage. Just beyond Taborville, Beartown County Park offers opportunities for outdoor enjoyment close to home. Business and industry continues to be attracted to this developing area, especially along the Munn Road corridor. When Route 422 created direct access to Auburn Township, growth accelerated in the form of large-lot subdivisions filled with new construction including luxury condominiums.
Bainbridge
Municipal Offices
440-543-9871
www.bainbridgetwp.com
Chamber of Commerce
440-247-6607
www.cvcc.org
Offering easy access to the Metropolitan Cleveland area via Route 422, Bainbridge Township offers lovely subdivisions, lush parks, working farms, and opportunities for rural living. Diverse in character, the township blends expansive open space with rapidly growing residential communities and a small-town ambiance. Formerly one of the nation’s most prolific areas for cheese and butter production, the population has boomed in recent years with an influx of commuters to Cleveland. Relocating families are drawn to the semi-rural setting of lush hills and valleys as well as the crop of new homes featuring expansive lots and lovely subdivisions that are available. A growing number of businesses and industries are also finding a welcome and productive home in this developing area.
Burton
Municipal Offices
440-834-4474
www.villageofburton.org
Chamber of Commerce
www.burtonchamberofcommerce.org
Burton Village offers an appealing hometown atmosphere approximately 40 miles east of downtown Cleveland, combining local industry with quiet residential neighborhoods and convenient commercial development. Visitors often join local residents in celebrating colorful special events like the Apple Butter Festival or the Geauga County Fair. Recreational opportunities range from sports play and picnicking in area parks or country-club facilities to the natural lake, resort manor house, family cottages, golf course, and scenic campground in nearby Punderson State Park. Burton Museum preserves the area’s unique heritage, and many well-preserved century homes add historic charm.
Chardon
Municipal Offices
440-286-2600
www.chardon.cc
Chamber of Commerce
440-285-9050
http://chardonchamber.com
The county seat of Chardon is proud of its rich history and cultural heritage, surrounding the public square and central park with government offices and quaint shops in historic structures. The settlement of Chardon by New England pioneers is immediately evident. Even the name of Chardon came from Peter Chardon Brooks, a Boston millionaire. Located 25 miles east of downtown Cleveland, historic Chardon is one of the early communities that sprang up on Connecticut’s Western Reserve. Enjoying a backdrop of natural beauty, the community is only minutes from Lake Erie for water sports. In addition to local recreational facilities, Chardon is also close to South Alpine Valley Ski Area and Punderson State Park
Chester, Chesterland
Municipal Offices
440-729-7058
www.chestertwp.com
Chamber of Commerce
440-729-7297
The largest of Geauga County’s townships, Chester is home to a rapidly growing population who enjoy a semi-rural lifestyle in close proximity to Lake Erie recreational opportunities. The housing selection is diverse, ranging from vintage residences to beautiful new construction. More than 80 miles of roadways traverse the township, forming connections with major highways for commuters to regional employment centers. Residents enjoy the recently completed Chester Park with its charming gazebo centerpiece, baseball field, volleyball courts, game areas, children’s playground, and picnic facilities. Punderson State Park and a snow-skiing area are nearby. Popular pastimes include swimming, boating, water-skiing and personal watercraft, fishing, tennis, picnicking, winter sports, golfing, hiking, and biking.
Middlefield, Parkman
Middlefield Offices
440-632-5248
www.middlefieldohio.com
Parkman Offices
440-548-2904
www.parkmanohio.com
Chamber of Commerce
440-632-5705
www.middlefieldcc.com
Panoramic Middlefield Village and Parkman Township are located approximately 35 miles east of Cleveland. Although this agricultural area remains sparsely populated, thousands of people enter the community each day to work, shop, and conduct business. Working farms play a vital role in the local economy, dotting the countryside with horse-breeding facilities, dairy farms, and fertile fields. More the 80 percent of Middlefield tax revenue is derived form industrial and commercial activity, making this area the “industrial capital” of Geauga County. Newcomers will discover the slower pace of a rural paradise where a progressive attitude prevails. One of the finest Amish communities in the nation adds a homespun flavor with family-owned businesses, unique shops, and country homes. Vast tracts of state and county parkland are available for outdoor enjoyment
Newbury
Municipal Offices
440-564-5997
www.newburyohio.com
Chamber of Commerce
440-729-7297
One of the most outstanding features of Newbury Township is the exceptional recreational site of Punderson State Park and several snow-skiing areas. Located 40 miles from Cleveland in the heart of Geauga County, the township blends limited commercial and industrial activity with lovely residential development and vast open space. Route 87 not only divides the township but serves as the central commercial and business corridor. Lake cottages, restored century homes, and quaint farmhouses dot the countryside. The rate of new-home construction with the past decade has been remarkable, ranging from modestly priced residences to multi-million-dollar country estates on expansive acreage. The result is a superb quality of life in a semi-rural setting where major malls and shopping centers are close to home.
Russell, South Russell
Russell Offices
440-338-8912
http://twp.russell.oh.us
South Russell Offices
440-338-6700
www.southrussell.com
Chamber of Commerce
440-247-6607
www.cvcc.org
The beautiful communities of Russell Township and South Russell Village are located 20 miles from Cleveland in Geauga County’s picturesque countryside. Excellent schools, well-stocked libraries, and efficient services have attracted young couples and families who appreciate the natural beauty and serenity of rolling wooded hills. Residents and planners share a desire to protect the superb quality of life and the natural environment as the population continues to climb. The independent village of South Russell offers a premier hometown atmosphere, a community that was formed in 1923 by residents of Russell Township. The attractive selection of housing in these primarily residential communities blends single-family homes in a medley of styles and price ranges, excelling in opportunities for acreage and expansive lots.
