To this day, the name Pullman makes historians cringe a little. Pullman founded its self-named company community in which workers were forced to live and work. While the houses were fairly comfortable, they were expensive, and workers were only allowed to rent, never to buy, their homes. What the company intended to be a utopia became a nightmare as jobs were slowly cut but rents were never lowered. Believe it or not, company towns were actually commonplace back in the day. There’s a company town near Cleveland that’s still largely standing, though the factory it fueled is long-gone. Life here was a little different than in dreary places like Pullman, Illinois. Check it out:
Tucked away in the forests of Summit and Cuyahoga Counties are the remains of old Jaite Mill, now known as the Jaite Mill Historic District.
Cards84664/Wikimedia Commons
Also known as Jaite, this town was built around 1906 to serve the Jaite Company Paper Mill until it closed in 1951.
Google Maps
Today, much of it rests at the intersection of Vaughn and Riverview Roads, within the limits of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Google Maps
At the height of Jaite’s prosperity, it had housing, a railway station, a post office, and more.
Andrew Borgen/Flickr
The founder of this town and the local paper mill was a German immigrant named Charles Jaite, and he was inspired by the concept of company towns… but he dreamed of improving upon this concept.
National Park Service/Wikipedia
Unlike company towns like Pullman, Illinois, and other notable landmarks, Jaite did not use company-issued currency, and employees were not forced to live in company housing.
Ken Lund/Flickr
This freedom and low rents made the Jaite area and company particularly attractive to locals, especially as the Great Depression left many in search of new jobs and homes.
National Park Service/Wikipedia
Nonetheless, operations at the local mill eventually ceased, and the factory itself was partially dismantled in the mid-1980s and eventually demolished around 2006.
Nyttend/Wikimedia Commons
Nonetheless, locals are reminded of the mill by local landmarks, like the Brandywine Creek that once fueled its operations.
Ken Lund/Flickr
This incredible historic district is truly a town like no other.
Ksponsler/Wikimedia Commons
This old company town near Cleveland is a reminder that companies can make a difference in their communities. According to a blog post on the National Park Services website, the Jaite Mill was actually a pleasant place to work! Nonetheless, industrialization took over the world, and mills became a thing of the past. Fortunately for us, this history is preserved amidst the greenery of Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Cards84664/Wikimedia Commons
Google Maps
Andrew Borgen/Flickr
National Park Service/Wikipedia
Ken Lund/Flickr
Nyttend/Wikimedia Commons
Ksponsler/Wikimedia Commons
Love local history? Learn about the iconic history carved into the details of Severance Hall in University Circle.
Want to explore fun attractions? Here’s a compilation of Cle’s attractions and hidden gems.
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Address: Vaughn Rd & Riverview Rd, Brecksville, OH 44141, USA
