Reminderville, Ohio 44202
By Sam Georgevich
It was Friday, June 26, 1942. The United States had been fighting in World War II for less than seven months. They were victorious at the Battle of Midway just a few weeks earlier, a turning point for U.S. troops fighting in the Pacific. That particular summer day marked when my maternal ancestors were all gathered together in a family photograph. It was taken at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio. Geauga Lake is an abandoned amusement park that once operated from 1887-2007. Several relatives from the Reminder family were all joined together on that day because of my great-great-great-grandparents George Sr. and Genevieve Reminder. It was their widely recognized 65th wedding anniversary celebration.
George Sr. and Genevieve were both 84 then, coming from German families that immigrated to the United States in the early 1800’s. At the time, they had 13 sons and daughters, 40 grandchildren, and 29 great-grandchildren. George Sr. and Genevieve were the patriarchs of the Reminder family from the late 1800’s through the 1940’s. However, it would be their son and my great-great-grandfather George Jr., his younger brothers Frank and Clement, and their friend Peter Grimm, who would start the very beginnings of Reminderville, Ohio.
Reminderville is a village at the most northeastern tip of Summit County in Northeast Ohio. It is one of three locations in Ohio where four counties meet at a single point. Reminderville in Summit County borders with Solon in Cuyahoga County, Bainbridge in Geauga County, and Aurora in Portage County. The village began more than 60 years ago with a population of only a couple hundred residents. There are over 4,000 living there today.
The land known as Reminderville today was originally a part of Twinsburg Township. This small space was referred to as Reminderville beginning in the early 1940’s. This was because of the vast amount of Reminders who lived there. Many of the Reminders established themselves in this area because it was a quiet place for their families to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere outside of the inner city suburbs of Cleveland. Fishing and hunting were entertaining hobbies in the moist region for its residents. It quickly got to a point when even truck drivers referred to this small piece of land as Reminderville. This prevented confusion so that the drivers would not accidently deliver their loads to Twinsburg instead.
The first permanent and year-round resident of the area was Peter Grimm. He came over with his wife Emma and their two-year-old daughter Lillian from Cleveland in 1931. Peter moved his family to this area to settle in a more relaxing environment away from the inner city congestion. He built a home at the very end of a road that stopped at his driveway entrance. Due to the remoteness of the area, it was difficult to tell at the time that this land was considered property of Twinsburg Township. One would have to travel approximately six miles just to make it to any of the main routes in the neighboring three counties. With such a lengthy way to go to make it to more suburban-like areas, this lonely and isolated land was in need of some form of self-government.
Unbeknownst at the time, the wheels of self-government slowly began before the Grimm family settled to live on the land in 1931. George Jr., Frank, and Clement had all purchased some lots earlier in the 1920’s on what is known today as Connecticut and Lake Street. They built summer cottages which gave them a spot to relax and have picnics unattached from Cleveland, Ohio, where they worked and had their permanent residences.
The stock market crashed in 1929 ultimately forcing the three Reminder brothers to make their summer cottages their permanent homes by the mid-1930’s. They had to forgo their city residences in Cleveland as they could not afford to live there anymore due to the massive toll that the Great Depression was taking on them. Settling permanently in their cottages, George labored in Cleveland at a manufacturing company and raised chickens in his garage. Frank cleared some vacant land and became a farmer, while Clement landed an office position becoming an upscale business manager.
George became the unofficial real estate agent for the growing area. He found lots where his children could build. As the 1950’s arrived, the area was becoming more populated as a mecca of choice for living. This forced many serious talks on Reminderville becoming its own approved entity.
Following all the building and growing development over the course of a few decades, 1955 was the year when the Village of Reminderville was welcomed into official existence. The new town was named after all the hard work and dedication put forth from the three Reminder brothers.
George was the most open and forthright on how matters were dealt with, but he did not wish to ever be the town’s mayor. It was Clement who was elected as the town’s first mayor in April 1955. Clement was only mayor for one year as he was forced to step down from office due to illness.
Meanwhile, George was still in strong pursuit of his philosophies for Reminderville even though he was never mayor. For the first few years as an official village, the only way in and out of Reminderville was through Route 43 from the east which could get one to Orchard Street. George saw the need for another in and out road to help develop the land and connect Reminderville to the west. He worked with both the Summit County Engineer and the land owner. The year 1962 marked the opening of Glenwood Drive linking Reminderville to Liberty Road in Twinsburg. This provided a huge traveling convenience to its residents and surrounding neighboring communities. Home building began along these new roads in rapid fire.
More than 60 years later, Reminderville has turned into a thriving community. It has annexed more land from Twinsburg Township. Although the earliest summer cottages are gone, the year-round homes built in the 1930’s still stand. The developing area has constructed many more new homes and apartments. Various retail stores, city parks, and golf courses are all entertaining activities that are just a quick drive away. Reminderville is only 45 minutes away from Downtown Cleveland and Lake Erie.
Without the innovative efforts of my great-great-grandfather, his two brothers, and their friend, Reminderville would not exist today. The four of them went forward during the hardest of times in our great country’s history, and ultimately created one of the finest communities in Northeast Ohio.
Attached Photographs:
Reminder Family Photograph:
This Reminder family photograph was taken on Friday, June 26, 1942 at Geauga Lake in Aurora, Ohio. My great-great-grandfather George Jr. and his younger brothers Frank and Clement were all in attendance because of my great-great-great-grandparents’ 65th wedding anniversary celebration.
There are 52 family members in the photo, and the locations of those five are as follows: Frank (Row 2: 1st from left), George Jr. (Row 2: 2nd from left), George Sr. and Genevieve (Row 2: 4th and 5th from left), Clement (Row 3: 1st from left).
Grimm Family Photograph:
This Grimm family photograph was taken in March 1934. Emma, Lillian, and Peter Grimm stand in front of their new Reminderville home. The Grimm family was the first permanent and year-round residents of the area. Peter moved his family from Cleveland in 1931 to settle in a more relaxing environment away from all the inner city congestion.