Hudson
 
 About Hudson 
Country : United States of America
State : Ohio
County : Summit County
Population:22.439 (census 2000
In 1795, the state of Connecticut sold its property holdings in Ohio to a land syndicate comprised of 35 investors known as the Connecticut Land Company. Anxious to earn profits through sales to settlers, the Company organized teams to scout this area known as “The Western Reserve” and start development.
David Hudson, a shareholder in the Company, was the team leader for a party of surveyors that were early to arrive in the territory. As a shareholder, he was entitled to property of his choice, and on June 26, 1799 he staked his claim on what was to become Hudson Township.The settlement he began there was named in his honor three years later. It was not until 1837, however, that Hudson was officially incorporated as the "Town of Hudson, Township of Hudson, County of Portage." 
David Hudson had experienced a profound, mid-life, religious conversion and was intent on creating a community on the frontier based on the highest of ideals.
The town of Hudson was to have four guiding principles, "religion, morality, observance of law, and education." In 1802, a Congregational Church was established, with its pastor provided by the Connecticut Missionary Society. During that same year, the first school, a log cabin in the central park, was also built. In 1803 an application was made to the Territorial Legislature requesting a charter to establish a college in Hudson. The charter was granted naming David Hudson as the main trustee. Although not completed for a number of years, “Western Reserve College” became the first institution of higher learning in the region, and the Loomis Observatory on its campus was the first astronomical observatory west of the Alleghenies. Prominent educators from eastern universities were hired and the College soon became known as "The Yale of the West."
In 1827, the town benefitted by completion of the nearby Akron-Cleveland section of the Ohio-Erie Canal.
  This transportation hub placed Hudson along a path of commercial growth. The coming of the railroad encouraged more warehouses, factories and mills to spring up in the town. This business boom continued into the late 1850's before speculation in railroad stocks led to a market crash marking the end of a prosperous era for the Ohio economy and the financial ruin of a number of Hudson investors.
Reflecting David Hudson’s moral influence, most citizens of Hudson adamantly opposed to the concept of slavery. The abolitionist movement before the Civil War had strong support in the town. Hudson became widely known as a link along the famous Underground Railroad. Activist citizens helped fleeing slaves by hiding them in their homes and helping them on their journey to freedom in Canada. Today, Hudson still has several underground tunnels below its streets, and a few of the oldest homes still have secret rooms and passages as evidence of this period in history. 
Although Hudson rebounded for a time after the Civil War, a series of events set into motion a serious decline beginning around 1880. That year Western Reserve College pulled up roots and relocated to Cleveland. In 1890 and 1892, major fires destroyed several important factories and businesses blocks in Hudson. The final blow was a bank closure in 1907 that wiped out the savings of many residents. The town sunk into widespread unemployment and decay. Another man, with strong moral convictions similar to David Hudson, would prove to be its savior. 
“James W. Ellsworth, a native of Hudson, had grown up to become a millionaire, making a fortune in the coal industry. Going into an early retirement, Ellsworth returned to his hometown and was heartbroken by what he saw..... The town had no electricity, water, or sewer services. Its streets were unpaved, the business district derelict, and its population in decline. Ellsworth had both the resources and will to intervene on the town’s behalf. Before embarking on his enterprise, the only request he made to town authorities was to rescind all local liquor licenses. Hudson officials
complied.“Vowing to reinvent Hudson as a ‘New Model Town,’ Ellsworth made a series of sweeping proposals to transform Hudson into a modern, vibrant community. His efforts were comprehensive: paved roads, electrical, water, and sewer services, telephone lines, a reorganization of the school system, tree planting, and revitalized banking. In 1912, as a symbol of these efforts, Ellsworth constructed the ClockTower on the Green, easily the most enduring icon of Hudson. Four years later, again thanks to Ellsworth, Western Reserve Academy officially opened, operating on the grounds of the old Western Reserve College. Hudson was indeed reborn.
“James Ellsworth died in 1925 and was buried in Hudson, ending an important era in the town’s history. Thanks to his efforts, Hudson continued to grow and prosper into a vibrant modern town. The town increased in population. With tax revenues, Hudson steadily expanded its land base through land purchases and developed its public services. The story of Hudson from 1950 to the present has been one of growth, but also of a struggle to retain the town’s rich history and unique charm. 
Visitors to Hudson are struck by the character of the town’s old buildings and homes, and often describe the Hudson as having a quaint, New England charm. Indeed, Hudson’s history is evident and beckons visitors to walk the City streets and relive its long and colorful story.
“In 1994, the Township of Hudson and Hudson Village merged to become the City of Hudson. Today, the Hudson Historic Downtown District includes many commercial and residential buildings that are on the National Register of Historic Places. Hudson residents take great pride in the community’s past and its ongoing efforts to preserve the historic character and quaint charm of the City’s downtown and surrounding areas.” (from City of Hudson - History)
The bandstand shown in these photographs was built on the town green during 1976 
in conjunction with the U.S. Bi-Centennial celebration that year.
 It quickly became an integral part of city life in Hudson, and a popular site for events of many types. During the summer months a series of free evening concerts is regularly scheduled and eagerly supported by the residents. Surrounded by reminders of so much of the history described above, the little white bandstand seems symbolic of the values that marked both the birth and rebirth of Hudson before growing to the thriving and affluent community of present. 
 
Crédits
 
Links
Pictures and information
Vic Cooke
pbase Artist Vic Cooke
Other information
City of Hudson Official Site
HUDSONOHIO
To see it on Google-Earth
Lattitude : 41.2405
 Longitude : -81.4400