Individual Membership: $20.00
Family Membership: $30.00
Patron Membership: $50.00
Business Membership: $100.00
Lifetime Membership: $500.00
Corporate Membership:
Call 330.544.2143
Do you love the history of Niles, Ohio
and want to preserve that history and memories of events for future generations?
Click
here to donate:
As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization,
your donation is tax deductible. When you click on the Donate Button,
you will be taken to a secure Website where your donation will entered
and a receipt generated.
|

PO1.1064

The 1918 map shows Central High
School where Central Park would be built in 1928.
|
Central
Park
City or Central Park in Niles was located on
the site of the old Central School on the corners of State Street
and Church Street. The Park was dedicated October 1928.
The pool was 50 foot in diameter and 14 inches
deep in the center. The pavilion, named the Thomas Pavilion
was a gift to the City of Niles by Margaretta Clingan
and Mary Ann Waddell. In the middle of the wading pool
was the "Spirit of Education" fountain donated by Mrs.
T.E. Thomas. Daughters of Veterans
furnished the flag pole. Several trees were donated, ncluding
one Silver Maple from Elizabeth Russell in honor of her
husband who was killed during WWI.
Through the years many people enjoyed the free
band concerts and the children, under the age of eight, played
in the wading pool. Rotary, Kiwanis and Exchange Clubs each donated
a bed of flowers to add to the beauty of the landscape.
Frank C. Robbins, the first graduate
of Central School in 1875, spoke at the dedication of Central
Park.
The park is gone and in its place is the Central
Park Apartments for the elderly. |
|
Aerial picture of Central Park
in 1933.
The back of the bandshell faces the Mosquito Creek with the Thomas
Steel Company across the creek as shown in the third image.
PO1.881
|
 |

A photo of the band shell that was located in
Central Park on the grounds where the first brick schoolhouse
was built.
1931 picture of the Niles City Band in Central
Park in the Thomas Pavilion. Band directed by Arnold Campana.
PO1.14 |
|

View of fountain in Central Park.
The wading pool has been filled in with plantings.
SO11.220
|

Urban Area Neighbor Developement
Program (from Central Park, looking south along East State)
Dated June 11, 1972. Note Shaker Building on upper left. PO1.185
|

Photo of sidewalks and Central
Park. The fountain is barely visible through the trees on the
upper right. PO1.186
|
|

Central High School - Between
1854 and 1870 the population of Niles had mushroomed from 1000
to 3000 people. The need for better educational facilities resulted
in the building of the city's first high school. Its construction
began in 1870 and it opened in May 1871, with six teachers,
including the principal. It was built at Furnace and Church
Streest. It was a red brick building with three stories and
a basement, and cost $37,980 PO1.1178
|

Children playing and splashing
in the Central Park wading pool. The band pavillion is in the
background.
The fountain statue was restored
in 1947 when materials and manpower became available after World
War II.
|

Central Park Apartments. In April
of 1970, clergy and laymen incorporated into the Niles Churches
for Housing, Inc. Nine area Catholic and Protestant churches
participated. This building was dedicated April 27, 1975. It
is located on the old Central School site. PO1.407
|
|
|