Welcome to the Chagrin Falls Historical Society & Museum (dba Chagrin History Center)!
We are a non-profit (501 c-3) organization of over 300 members, and celebrated our 70th anniversary in 2019. We are located in downtown Chagrin Falls, at 87 E. Washington St.
We work to acquire, collect, preserve and share artifacts from our Village and vicinity, from its earliest times (it was settled in 1833), including a large collection of photographs and objects owned by early settlers, such as clothing, kitchen tools, household furniture and personal effects. We also have a substantial doll collection donated by a former museum curator.
We have collected a number of products produced by the Village’s mills, foundries and factories that were originally water-powered by the Chagrin River, which attracted the first settlers from mill towns in New England. We also have collections of artworks by two well known primitive artists – Henry Church, Jr. and Max Barnard – who lived in the Village most of their lives.
We have archives with records of local organizations and businesses, and microfilms of our early local weekly newspaper, The Chagrin Falls Exponent, which was published from 1874 to 1964, along with family records and diaries.
Membership in the History Center is open to everyone. We have many programs and special events throughout the year, many include discounted rates for members. We also publish a member newsletter The Exponent. The History Center also provides educational programs and tours for schools and groups from other organizations. In addition to our newsletter we publish a series of books on the history of the Village.
Membership fees, contributions, donations, and grants, enable us to support our programs and activities, as well as finance acquisitions of suitable items for our museum collections. The Museum welcomes donations of Chagrin Falls artifacts and memorabilia.
We have a full time Executive Director and Museum Assistant, but we operate with a large team of volunteers. Our dedicated Volunteer Staff and Museum members give generously of their time, talents and energy to make the Chagrin History Center a viable and integral part of our community.
Our Museum is open Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 11am-3pm and Thursdays from 2 – 7 pm (2-5pm November through March), or by appointment. We welcome your visits and encourage you to become a member. History is an exciting journey of discovery, education and preservation. We invite you to join us on this travel through time!