Russell Township, Geauga County, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Russell Township is one of the sixteen townships
of Geauga County
, Ohio
, United States
. The 2000 census
found 5,529 people in the township.
Two villages are located in Russell Township: part of Hunting Valley
in the northwest, and South Russell
in the south.
The first five inhabitants — Gideon Russell and his family, who came in 1818 — settled on what today is Chillicothe Road
(History 306). In 1827 the township was named Russell, although it had been previously known as the West Woods by neighboring communities. In April of that year the people elected John Lowry, Clark Robinson, and Gideon Russell as their first township trustees. It was Robinson that created the first framed building and started the first store.
is marked by a gigantic geodesic dome
, visited by Buckminster Fuller
upon its completion.
Nearly all of the non-incorporated parts of the township are served in education by the West Geauga district (South Russell village and a small part of the rest is covered by the Chagrin Falls district.) In private education, Laurel School
has a "Butler Campus" on Fairmount Rd. (originally named Fairmount Campus for its location), which has a lodge, pavilion, tree house, residence, and adventure course.
and State Route 87
.
Civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
of Geauga County
Geauga County, Ohio
Geauga County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 93,389. It is named for a Native American word meaning "raccoon". The county seat is Chardon...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
found 5,529 people in the township.
Geography
Located in the western part of the county, it borders the following townships and villages:- Chester TownshipChester Township, Geauga County, OhioChester Township is one of the sixteen townships of Geauga County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 10,968 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northwestern corner of the county, it borders the following townships and municipalities:...
- north - Munson TownshipMunson Township, Geauga County, OhioMunson Township is one of the sixteen townships of Geauga County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 6,450 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the north central part of the county, it borders the following townships and city:...
- northeast corner - Newbury TownshipNewbury Township, Geauga County, OhioNewbury Township is one of the sixteen townships of Geauga County, Ohio, United States. The 2010 census found 5,537 people in the township.As of the 2000 census, the center of population in Geauga County was located in northeastern Newbury Township, near Oak Tree Trail.-Geography:Located in the...
- east - Auburn TownshipAuburn Township, Geauga County, OhioAuburn Township is one of the sixteen townships of Geauga County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 5,158 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the southern part of the county, it borders the following townships and city:...
- southeast corner - Bainbridge TownshipBainbridge Township, Geauga County, OhioBainbridge Township is one of the sixteen townships of Geauga County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 10,916 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the southwestern corner of the county, it borders the following townships and cities:...
- south - Chagrin FallsChagrin Falls, OhioChagrin Falls is a village in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb of Cleveland in the Northeast Ohio region, the 14th largest Combined Statistical Area nationwide. The village was established and has grown around a natural waterfall on the Chagrin River. As of the 2010 census,...
- southwest, south of Chagrin Falls Township - Chagrin Falls TownshipChagrin Falls Township, Cuyahoga County, OhioChagrin Falls Township is a township located in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the township had a total population of 4,233, which includes the village of Chagrin Falls. The portion of the township outside the village limits had a population of 120 at the 2010 census...
- southwest, north of Chagrin Falls - Moreland HillsMoreland Hills, OhioMoreland Hills is a village in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is an affluent suburb of Cleveland. The population was 3,320 at the 2010 census.-History:...
- west, south of Hunting Valley - Hunting ValleyHunting Valley, OhioHunting Valley is an affluent village located east of Cleveland in Cuyahoga and Geauga counties in the Northeast Ohio region, the 14th largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 705...
- west, north of Moreland Hills - Gates MillsGates Mills, OhioGates Mills is a village in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,270 at the 2010 census. Gates Mills is an affluent suburb of Cleveland...
- northwest corner
Two villages are located in Russell Township: part of Hunting Valley
Hunting Valley, Ohio
Hunting Valley is an affluent village located east of Cleveland in Cuyahoga and Geauga counties in the Northeast Ohio region, the 14th largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the village population was 705...
in the northwest, and South Russell
South Russell, Ohio
South Russell is a village in Geauga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 4,022 at the 2000 census.-Geography:South Russell is located at ....
in the south.
Name and history
It is the only Russell Township statewide. Another name for the area is Novelty, from the name of the post office located in the township.The first five inhabitants — Gideon Russell and his family, who came in 1818 — settled on what today is Chillicothe Road
Chillicothe Turnpike
The Chillicothe Turnpike was an early highway that led from Painesville, Ohio east of Cleveland down to the old Ohio capital of Chillicothe. It was established in 1802 by Benjamin Tappan. Remnants of road still remain named Chillicothe Road on portions of State Routes 615, 306, and 43 through...
(History 306). In 1827 the township was named Russell, although it had been previously known as the West Woods by neighboring communities. In April of that year the people elected John Lowry, Clark Robinson, and Gideon Russell as their first township trustees. It was Robinson that created the first framed building and started the first store.
Economy
Russell is the home of ASM International, formerly known as the American Society for Metals, whose headquartersASM Headquarters and Geodesic Dome
The ASM International Headquarters and Geodesic Dome, in Russell Township, Geauga County, Ohio, United States, are modernist structures that were built in 1958 and dedicated in September 1959.-Purpose:...
is marked by a gigantic geodesic dome
Geodesic dome
A geodesic dome is a spherical or partial-spherical shell structure or lattice shell based on a network of great circles on the surface of a sphere. The geodesics intersect to form triangular elements that have local triangular rigidity and also distribute the stress across the structure. When...
, visited by Buckminster Fuller
Buckminster Fuller
Richard Buckminster “Bucky” Fuller was an American systems theorist, author, designer, inventor, futurist and second president of Mensa International, the high IQ society....
upon its completion.
Nearly all of the non-incorporated parts of the township are served in education by the West Geauga district (South Russell village and a small part of the rest is covered by the Chagrin Falls district.) In private education, Laurel School
Laurel School
Located in Shaker Heights, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio,Laurel School is a school for girls Kindergarten through Grade 12, with a coeducational pre-primary program. Laurel’s mission is to “inspire each girl to fulfill her promise and to better the world". While this is their mission statement,...
has a "Butler Campus" on Fairmount Rd. (originally named Fairmount Campus for its location), which has a lodge, pavilion, tree house, residence, and adventure course.
Government
The township is governed by a three-member board of trustees, who are elected in November of odd-numbered years to a four-year term beginning on the following January 1. Two are elected in the year after the presidential election and one is elected in the year before it. There is also an elected township fiscal officer, who serves a four-year term beginning on April 1 of the year after the election, which is held in November of the year before the presidential election. Vacancies in the fiscal officership or on the board of trustees are filled by the remaining trustees.Transportation
Major roads include State Route 306Ohio State Highway 306
State Route 306 ' is a north–south state highway in northeastern Ohio, running from its southern terminus at SR 43 in Aurora to its northern terminus at SR 283 in Mentor. Most of the road from Aurora north to Kirtland is part of the former Chillicothe Turnpike and is known as Chillicothe Road...
and State Route 87
Ohio State Highway 87
State Route 87 is an east–west highway in northeastern Ohio, a U.S. state. Its western terminus is in Cuyahoga County at U.S. Route 6/U.S. Route 42/State Route 3 at Public Square in downtown Cleveland. It is concurrent with U.S. Route 422 and State Route 8 for just over , and then leaves...
.