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Tornado didn't hit Chesterland
(by Dave Lange - September 22, 2011)
COUNTY LINE, BY DAVE LANGE
Tornado didn't hit Chesterland
If the tornado that registered 1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale with winds of 95 mph wreaked havoc on Chesterland shortly after midnight on Aug. 25, then Hawken School's upper campus surely is in Gates Mills.
Despite reports to the contrary by the region's news media, the EF1 tornado ripped down trees, snapped utility poles, damaged homes and shifted the clock tower on the roof of a supermarket in a place officially called Chester Township.
But don't try telling that to many of the people who live there, because they receive their mail addressed to Chesterland, named for the post office that delivers it. Chesterland is such a popular name that it has a chamber of commerce, historical foundation, Lions Club, church, medical center, tavern and much more named in its honor. However, tornadoes can touch down in Chester but not Chesterland.
Hawken School, one of the most prestigious institutions of learning in Ohio, also is in the town called Chester, but people do not suggest that it is in a place named Chesterland. Hawken School is located on the east side of County Line Road in Geauga County, but its mail is addressed to Gates Mills, whose post office coincidentally has the same name as the village of Gates Mills, which lies west of County Line Road in Cuyahoga County. Most of the region's news media and many people erroneously believe that Hawken School is in Gates Mills.
About 10 years ago, officials of the school needed the sanction of local government to obtain tax-exempt bond financing for construction projects. They did not go to Gates Mills Village Council for that assistance. They went to Chester Township Trustees. They did not go to Chesterland, because there is no such government entity.
Chester is a perfectly good name. Apparently, a lot of people think Chesterland is nicer. Some people think Gates Mills is nicer yet.
Neighboring Russell Township, which shares a public school system with Chester, also has a nice name. Most people there receive mail addressed to Novelty, which happens to be the name of the post office that serves the community. There is no place called Novelty, however, so nobody actually lives there, regardless of what they may say.
I read a recent item in the Cleveland newspaper reporting that U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown had spoken Aug. 22 at the South Franklin Circle retirement community in Chagrin Falls, which is in Cuyahoga County. South Franklin Circle happens to be located in Bainbridge Township, which is in Geauga County.
But most people in Bainbridge, like their neighbors in Auburn, South Russell, Bentleyville, Hunting Valley and Moreland Hills, receive mail addressed to Chagrin Falls, which is the name of the post office in Chagrin Falls, as well as its branch office located in Bainbridge.
Bainbridge is a perfectly good name, but many people apparently believe Chagrin Falls sounds even nicer.
In a perfect world, people would actually live where they say they live. If they want to live in a place called Chesterland or Novelty, they could take a vote to change their name. If they want to live in a place called Gates Mills or Chagrin Falls, they could take a vote to change their boundary lines.
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