Historic Preservation in Kent and Franklin Township

The greater Kent area has had many unfortunate incidents regarding historic preservation in recent years and it has become increasingly evident that our community needs an organization that will fight to save our historic structures and which will work to identify and preserve what is significant in our community.

Issues such as the loss of the integrity of the Kent Industrial Historic District, the potential loss of the Kent Hotel, the near-miss that almost cost us the Captain Brady building, and the lack of protection for other significant area structures has heightened our concern. When a Kent City Councilman declared in August that Americans are too immersed in their own history, and another expressed his opinion that even if we don't like losing historic properties, we'll get used to it, those of us who value the relics of our past had a clear signal that something has to be done.

The following is the agreement the Kent Historical Society has made with the city, followed by a letter to the city by the board to express our views on the process.

Letter of Agreement between the City of Kent and the Kent Historical Society

The above parties do hereby mutually agree and consent to the following statements as they pertain to the Kent Dam Pool Water Quality Improvement and Cuyahoga River Restoration Project relative to the free flowing bypass of the river around the east side of the dam to meet Ohio EPA water quality criteria:

1. Both parties understand that the historic interpretive park concept is part of the proposal to bypass the Kent Dam with a free flowing Cuyahoga River.

2. The City of Kent will leave a single block course of the original east wall foundation of the canal lock structure in its primordial location.

3. The City of Kent will leave the full length of the west wall of the old canal structure in its original place, with the downstream end to be restructured to its original height using stones available from the east wall and surrounding vicinity of the lock, and tapering down to the foundation on the upstream end.

4. The City of Kent agrees to a six to eight foot tough behind the spillway and to pump water into this channel so as to create a waterfall feature over the Kent Dam structure.

5. The City of Kent affirms its intent to the Kent Historical Society that it will take precautions so as to prevent and avoid any permanent harm to historic structures.

6. The Kent Historical Society agrees to publicly endorse the historic interpretive park concept behind the Kent Dam and write a letter to the U.S. EPA to that effect as a part of the NHPA section 106 historic review process.

7. Both parties mutually agree to cooperate in preparing the text of interpretive signage to be erected at this park behind the dam to educate visitors to the historical significance of the dam, lock, canal, and river, to the early development of the Kent community.

For the Record

The Kent Historical Society Board of Trustees has agreed to a compromise settlement of the Kent Dam/Cuyahoga River issue with the City of Kent.

However, this is a compromise settlement brought about by the fact that there is little else for the Historical Society to expect or accept.

The Ohio EPA will have its way and the City of Kent, as represented by City Council, the City Manager and others in the Administration, are unwilling, unprepared or unable to come to grips with the very powerful and often unreasonable EPA.

It is almost shameful that such a significant historical item as the Kent Dam is to be altered so as to be essentially eliminated in its original state.

While accepting the agreed upon compromise, the Kent Historical Society Board of Trustees does hereby go on record as opposing all renovations and/or alterations to the Kent Dam. In other words, it is the wish of the Society that all aspects of the Kent Dam/Cuyahoga River be retained in its present state, thus preserving its beauty, its uniqueness and its historical significance.

Passed by a unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees of the Kent Historical Society, October 14, 2002