The suburban community of Lake Township is located
in the northern portion of Stark County and is bounded
by both Summit and Portage Counties. Lake Township
became its own stand alone township in 1816 after
its original formation as part of Plain Township and
later Green Township.
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first business areas to be established in Lake Township were
Greentown and Uniontown. Later, Hartville, Cairo and Aultman
were established. Due to the introduction of railroads, Uniontown,
Hartville and Greentown each became centers of commerce and
industry, each having their own post office, general store
and blacksmith shop. |
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first brick road, between Greentown and Uniontown, was constructed
just before Work War I. That road, which was originally a
State Route and is now maintained by the county, is known
as Cleveland Avenue. |
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The
land in Lake Township “owes its form and substance
to the glacial action beginning with the Pleistocene
Epic to the end of the Wisconsonian glacier that covered
all the northern tier of townships of Stark County until
circa 40,000-50,000 years ago. As the ice and snow melted,
enormous amounts of water formed glacial rivers. To
a great extent the present topography of the land was
the result of tremendous forces of moving water. Lakes,
eskers, kettles and kames frequently observed in Lake
were formed by these rivers and downward pressure by
giant land icebergs that melted slowly weighing the
soft ground down thus resulting in depressed soils that
formed lowland ponds and lakes.”1 |
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| 1875
Map |
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| Lake
Township is situated approximately ten (10) miles south of
Akron, ten (10) miles north of Canton and forty-three (43)
miles south of Cleveland and its location is within close
proximity to the Akron/Canton Regional Airport and the Interstate
77 corridor. Lake Township is the
31st largest of Ohio’s 1,300 townships and is the fourth
largest township in Stark County behind Plain, Jackson and
Perry townships.
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Lake
Township contracts with three privately owned fire companies
for their Fire/EMS services. Lake has three school districts
with the first schools being established in the early 1800’s.
Lake Township is home to Quail Hollow State Park which came
under the administration and management of the Ohio Department
of Natural Resources, Division of Parks and Recreation in
1975.
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Other
neighboring communities bordering Lake Township include the
City of Green which is located on Lake Township’s western
border, Plain Township and the City of North Canton which
lie at Lake’s southern border, Springfield Township
on the northern border, and Marlboro Township on the eastern
border.
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Within
the borders of Lake Township is the incorporated Village of
Hartville which was established in the mid 1800’s. The
Village has its own government consisting of a Mayor and Village
Council who supervise the workings within the Village of 2,174
residents. Also within the borders of Lake Township are the
unincorporated areas known as Uniontown, Greentown, Mt. Pleasant,
Cairo and Aultman. |
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Lake’s
history, including former U.S. Presidents campaigning in this
area, Thomas Edison working on his gramophone at his in-law’s
home in Greentown, the township being a stop along the Underground
Railroad and its agriculture and industry, along with many
other factors have helped Lake Township grow into what it
is today. |
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1.
Richard E. Werstler, Ed.D., “History of Lake Township
A LEGACY UPON WHICH TO BUILD,” Lake Township Comprehensive
Plan & Land Use Report Blueprint for Success, 2000. |
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