About
History
Munson Township, founded in 1816, and part of the Connecticut Western Reserve, was settled in the early 1800s. The township went through many name changes, and in 1817 it was organized into a civil township called Burlington. It was known as Burlington until 1820. The origin of the name Munson is a story in itself. Mr. and Mrs. Elijah Hovey settled on a large farm on Mulberry Road. Mrs. Hovey was homesick for her old home in Monson, Massachusetts. Either the spelling was wrong, the writing was bad, or the New England twang came through, because when the approval came back for the name change, Monson was spelled Munson.
Because of the sizable woods and hilly terrain, Munson Township was one of the last townships in Geauga County to be settled. The first permanent settler was Samuel Hopson, who built his log cabin near the corner of Rockhaven and Wye roads. Because of our vast supply of water, many mills were built in the early township. Hiram and Milo Fowler settled in 1831. Their mill, located on Fowlers Mill Road near the Mayfield intersection, was restored by Rick and Billie Erickson and is currently producing flour. Munson also had the first cheese factory in Ohio, started in 1859 by Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett behind our present Maple Hill cemetery.
Today
Munson Township is home to approximately 2,375 residences and over 7,050 people, offering a blend of historic and modern homes set amidst scenic landscapes that provide a peaceful and welcoming environment for residents. There are four Township parks, local golf courses and churches, private and public schools, and unique businesses such as a ski resort and drive-in movie theater.
Quality of Life
Township government, at its best, quietly goes about the business of providing essential services and attending to the growth and development in the community. By design, township government operates with very limited powers, with a minimal bureaucracy and minimal budget, doing only what is necessary to try to assure that our Township remains “a good place” to live. The local government operates in the background, and many residents are hard-pressed to name their elected officials or say just what their Township is doing from one month to the next. Maybe that’s how it should be, if the work is getting done right!.
Much of what makes the Township an appealing place to live might be thought of as “quality of life” – a set of intangibles that enrich the day-to-day experience of “home” without our conscious attention. Some of what we know as Munson residents is hard to quantify, but we know we have it. Many would agree that Munson is a Township with a sense of place, a community that is paying attention to the right things. Maybe the secondary function of Township government is to look after that “quality of life,” to help make it happen when it doesn’t happen by accident.