Birth home of President Wm. McKinley. The original home was divided into two sections, this section was moved to McKinley Heights, fell into disrepair and burned down. A replica now is located in downtown Niles, Ohio on Main Street.
The Stories and Photos List
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| E-Mail Curator | Phone: 330.544.2143 | Mail: PO Box 368 Niles, Ohio 44446 |
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Many people in our community would proudly tell you they met their husband or wife at the Belvedere Club – a very popular place many years ago on route 422 on the strip. The Belvedere Club, designed like a road house was “the spot” to meet people during the 30’s and through the 60’s. |
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Many people in Niles will remember the names Herb and Russ Stein as great football players from Niles. They were the first and only brothers from Niles to become All- Americans and play professional football. |
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The camp was established to provide a healthy atmosphere for children from 6-12 years old who needed dental work, had nutritional deficiency, or might be susceptible to tuberculosis infection. |
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Horse racing on the river was a royal sport during the early years of the 19th century. It was a form of entertainment, social activities and recreation, for there were no television, radios and all the things we have today to entertain us. |
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Click to view personal accounts of this disaster. The videos will take longer to download to view. (High speed Internet recommended) |
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As difficult as it is for the younger generation to believe it, there once was a time when there were no televisions, VCRs, DVDs or video games. In those days whole families would gather around their radios to listen to news broadcasts comedy shows, dramas or music free to let imagination provide the pictures to go with the words coming through the air. |
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Tower Rooms are small rooms, located off the main room, which the architect just added to the design. Tower rooms became popular during the Victorian era, many still remain in the houses around Niles today.
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Main, Furnace, Pew, Bentley, Crandon, Hartzell, Mason, Church, Washington all are names of streets in Niles. Next time you drive around Niles, note the street signs and think of the history behind each one. Street signs reflect the changing history and growth over time. |
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Of the many and diversified industries in Niles just after the beginning of the 20th century, the Bradshaw Pottery, which provided employment for approximately 200 people, ranked high in the industrial development of Niles. |
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Originally the Niles Union Cemetary was a fairly small area near
the top of the knoll, adjacent to Vienna Road with the earliest
interment occurring in 1804. James Heaton, founder of Niles,
along with many of his family members are buried there. |
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On West Park Avenue, opposite the Niles Post Office and in the southwest corner of the McKinley Memorial grounds stands a tall stately Quincy granite monument honoring Major-General James Birdseye McPherson, one of the real heroes of the Battle of Atlanta, July 22, 1864. |
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The Riverside Park was opened in Evansville during the summer of 1893. It was located on the southwest corner of Niles, off Route 46, going south toward Mineral Ridge. Turning right on Salts Springs Road at Evansville, the entrance of the Riverside Park was located on the south side of the street, just beyond the railroad tracks and before Meander Creek. . On opening day, the Mineral Ridge – Niles Electric Railway Company carried 4,000 people to and from the park. The fare was one nickel with free admission to the amusement park. |
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On January 24, 1906 , thirty five people met at the Mahoning Lodge #394 Free and Accepted Masons to take action in the matter of organizing a Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star. |
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The two brothers, Daniel and James Heaton, constructed, on Yellow Creek, the first blast furnace in the Mahoning Valley, and probably the first blast furnace west of the Alleghenies, thus becoming the founders of the industry that eventually made the region one of the leading industrial areas in the United States. |
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I moved to Niles during the fall 1942. 1 lived on Maple Avenue and was enrolled in seventh grade of Niles McKinley High School. The following is my memories of the teachers of the building that was NilesMcKinley High School, then became Edison Junior High, and finally was torn down when the new Middle School was built. |
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Photo taken of a post card showing the City of Niles Town Hall and Fire Dept. and apparatus. |
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Read about the 1913 Flood and the two viaducts of Niles, Ohio. |
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Remember the 'School Days' of the 1940's as David Dull takes a walk down Main Street. |
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This story was updated December 2011.
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On May 31, 1985 a Class F-5 tornado ripped through Niles, Ohio wreaking
havoc where it toppled a skating rink and shopping mall, leveled
dozens of houses, ripped through the Union Cemetery, injured many
people, and took several lives.
