The Original Cuyahoga Falls Lyceum Still Stands

The Cuyahoga Falls Lyceum Association was organized in 1833 to promote citizens literary education. William H. Taylor headed the organization for many years. The first lyceum building, built in 1834 was a three story log building, erected on the south west corner of today’s Broad Boulevard and Front Street. It was located where the Vaughn Mansion is located today at 122 Broad Boulevard.
The first floor was an auditorium with a stage for programs, practices, church services, etc. The second floor was used as school rooms through the years. The third floor was an open space for a variety of activities and public exhibits.
The Congregational Church held its first service on Sunday Feb 2, 1834 in a small public school house that stood on the south side of Broad Street on the site of the present Pilgrim United Church of Christ. Ten members attended that first service. The congregation grew making it necessary to move into larger quarters so they moved into the Lyceum building to accommodate the growing church family.
In addition to common one room/all grades district schools, as population increased, select schools were formed.
The first of these was by J. H. Reynolds, who announced in the Ohio Review on September 27, 1834 that he will be opening a select school on the second floor of the Broad Street Lyceum. The tuition would be placed at $2.00 – $2.50, according to the courses taught. Mr. Reynolds was recommended by Henry Newberry, Elisha N. Sill, Henry Wetmore, Richard Fry and Ogden Wetmore. This ‘Select School’ was disbanded sometime before the next school, The Cuyahoga Falls Institute (founded in 1837) moved in during 1840. This school was run by Reverend Roswell Brooks and it was closed in 1848.
In 1846 a new Lyceum building was erected on the west side of Second Street, just north of St. John’s Church, in Church Park. Thus the old Broad St. Lyceum became unused and abandoned.
In 1856, John Hinde came to town from England and opened a bagging manufacturing business. He purchased the old lyceum building and moved it to his property on the west side of Third Street just north of Chestnut. He remodeled it into a two story dwelling and put siding over the logs. It still stands today as a two family residence at 1722/1724 Third Street.