Each month, we feature an Ohio city as part of our Ohio Community Spotlight series. This month, we highlight the “Tree City'“ of Kent.
Once more , friends, it is time to travel across Ohio to highlight the incredible past and vibrant present of another location in our #OhioCommunitySpotlight Series.
From ancient cultures to college town vibes, here’s a thread on Kent’s rich history, economy, people, and landmarks. #KentOhio 🏞️🏛️📚
Before European settlers came, the region was home to Native American tribes. The land was crisscrossed by trails and featured natural gathering spots like Standing Rock—a sacred boulder in the Cuyahoga River.
In 1805, settlers arrived, and the Village of Franklin Mills was born.
Early settlers, including the Haymaker family, built gristmills along the river. In the 1830s, the Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal arrived, sparking rapid growth for the small village.
The arrival of the railroad further changed things in the area.
Marvin Kent helped route the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad through town. To honor Marvin Kent and his contributions, Franklin Mills became “Kent” in 1864.
Rail shops & factories soon followed.
The 20th century brought education.
In 1910, Kent State Normal School was founded, evolving into Kent State University by 1935.
Enrollment surged post-WWII—and so did the population.
Ariel Shot of Kent State University. Public Domain
Growth of student enrollment at Kent State, fueled by programs like the G.I. Bill, combined with suburbanization across Northeast Ohio resulted in significant population growth.
Kent’s population more than doubled in 20 years, rising from 12K in 1950 to 28K by 1970
Tragedy struck Kent on May 4, 1970.
During a Vietnam War protest, the Ohio National Guard opened fire, killing 4 students. The campus is now a National Historic Landmark with memorials and museums.
Poster calling for a student strike on campus, May 4, 1970. Public Domain.
Today, Kent’s economy centers on education, health, manufacturing, and other services.
Top employers:
Kent State University
Davey Tree
UH Portage Medical
Land O’Lakes
And there is a growing startup scene via university incubators.
Since 2008, several redevelopment projects in the downtown area of Kent have been initiated with the goal of reinvesting in the city’s urban core.
This work has resulted in nearly $110M in total investment from public and private sources.
Among the efforts was the Phoenix Project, a privately-financed renovation and expansion project of a commercial space along East Main Street.
The Phoenix Project include the construction of a pedestrian alleyway lines with small shops known as Acorn Alley.
Other projects have included a 360-space parking deck & multimodal transfer station, a hotel/conference center, and three separate mixed-use buildings, a renovation of the historic 1920s Kent Hotel, and a building featuring microapartments.
The multimodal transfer station includes a bus transfer area, bike parking, transit parking and other features. This project was one of the first recipients in Ohio to receive federal USDOT funds for transformative multi-modal projects. (In 2010 they were called TIGER grants, they are known today as BUILD grants).
These revitalization efforts attracted attention from local and national media & helped earn the city the 2013 Larry Abernathy Award from the International Town-Gown Association in recognition of the positive cooperation and collaboration efforts.
Culture & community shine in Kent.
The community boasts 20+ parks lined with trails and riverwalks and has a thriving arts scene with Kent State having hosted students-turned celebs including Drew Carey, Arsenio Hall, Michael Keaton, Joe Walsh and Chrissie Hynde
The Kent Heritage Festival is held every July in the downtown area to coincide with Independence Day. The festival includes crafts, booths, entertainment, train rides, 5K & 10K races + fireworks, drawing approximately 25,000 people each year
Other celebrations include Earth Day, Diagon Alley, a Harry Potter-themed celebration held in late July, and the Kent Rainbow Weekend, the city’s annual, Pride festival held in October
Kent’s most famous residents are not people at all, but the Black Squirrels who arrived on campus from Canada in 1961.
Originally brought to campus to reintroduce the species to the region, the original 10 released in 1961 had grown to 150 by 1964.
Today, the black squirrel is a Kent and KSU icon, and even has its own festival.
Well that about wraps things up for this month’s #OhioCommunitySpotlight thread. Be sure to join again next month as we shine a light on another resilient Ohio community!
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