5 Historical Westlake Facts: Just Where Did 'Cahoon' Come From?

We pulled these 5 facts from the newly minted State of Ohio Auditor's Report on Westlake. The Auditor gave the city's finances a clean bill of health. 

1. In 1811, Leverett Johnson, formerly from Connecticut, was the first settler to clear land in what is now Westlake. Three years after arriving, he built a log house at Porter and Center Ridge Roads for his bride Abigail Cahoon.

2. By 1812, enough people resided in the region to make it necessary to elect trustees to oversee the community and the Township of Dover was established. With Lake Erie as the northern boundary, the township grew, reaching a population of over 2,200 by the early 1900s.

3. By 1908, the township split into three communities with Bay Village to the north and North Olmsted to the south. In 1912, the township was incorporated as Dover Village making Frank Bailey the first mayor. Dover Village was renamed the Village of Westlake in 1940 to avoid confusion with Dover, Ohio located in Tuscarawas County.

4. As the Cleveland suburbs grew following World War II, so did Westlake, attaining a population just under 5,000 by 1950.

5. In 1957, the Village of Westlake became the City of Westlake. The City marked its Bicentennial in 2011 with a series of events to commemorate this milestone in Westlake’s history.