The story
Read it all →How Bentleyville came to be
From Wikipedia’s history of Bentleyville.
Bentleyville was laid out in 1831 by Adamson Bentley, and named for him.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
–Not graded
History · Bentleyville
Bentleyville dates to 1831, and 1 of its places is on the National Register
Most of Bentleyville was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1986. Its Register listing is the Duncan McFarland House. Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1906 on, and the census since 1930.
1831founded
1on the National Register
5%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
Quick answers
How Bentleyville began
When was Bentleyville founded?
1831
Bentleyville dates its founding to 1831 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1930.
First census: 83 in 19302020 census: 897195 years
Founding year: Wikidata.The full story ↓
What stands out about Bentleyville’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
★ What stands out · Help out
Start Bentleyville’s collection
The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Bentleyville’s history is told.
Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.On the map
Bentleyville on the map, 1906 to 1994
Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Bentleyville. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.
1906Chagrin Falls sheet · 1:62,500U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Bentleyville.
Timeline
Bentleyville, 1831 to 1906
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
- 19th century
- 1831FoundingBentleyville is established
- 1870
In the archiveGriffithsburg Grist Mill - 20th century
- 1906
On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
From the old history books
What they wrote about Bentleyville, 1879–1881
Passages that mention Bentleyville, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio ..1879 · page 426Read the page →
Read the text
But in 1833 a new village was begun, which soon threw Bentleyville entirely in the shade, and has long maintained an unquestioned supremacy over the various little burgs in the southeastern part of Cuyalioga county. It will lie remembered that at this time that part of the present township of Chagrin Falls lying east of the line of Franklin street, in the village of that name, was in the town of Rnssell, in Geauga
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.![But in 1833 a new village was begun, which soon threw Bentleyville entirely in the shade, and has longmaintained an unquestioned supremacy over tlic various littleburgs in thesouthi'astcru jiartof Cuyahdga county. It will he remembered thai at tliistinic that ])art of the jiresent township of Chagr…](https://images.townratings.com/story/13416/bk-ca50c52f9c8eebd9-l.jpg)
History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio ...1881 · page 436Read the page →
Read the text
But in 1833 a new village was begun, which soon threw Bentleyville entirely in the shade, and has longmaintained an unquestioned supremacy over tlic various littleburgs in thesouthi'astcru jiartof Cuyahdga county. It will he remembered thai at tliistinic that ])art of the jiresent township of Chagrin I'alls lying east 111' Ihe line "f Franklin street, in the village of that name, was in the town of Russell, in Geauga
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio. With portraits and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers1879 · page 430Read the page →
Read the text
prevailed at Chagrin Palls, but there has been a steady increase in business, and the village has lost none of its old, firm reputation for enterprise and intelligence. Bentleyville has entirely ceased to exist as a place of manufactures or business. An attempt was made about 1868 to revive the city of Griffithsburg, and a large new grist-mill was erected, but the enterprise failed even before the requisite machinery
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
History of Cuyahoga County, Ohio. With portraits and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers1879 · page 433Read the page →
Read the text
Church in Chagrin Falls. In February, 1831, he moved to the point now known as Bentleyville, and at once began preaching in the nearest log school house. Before long there were abojit thirty believers gathered, and a church was constituted under the general superintendence of Mr. Bentley, with Gamaliel Kent as assistant overseer. The first deacons were R. B. Russell and Zadoc Bowell. For several
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
By decade
Bentleyville, decade by decade
One decade in the archive so far: the 1870s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.
2015
2015
2015
2006
2004Then & now
Stand where they stood
No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.
Retake this viewGriffithsburg Grist Mill, 1870
Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Bentleyville’s page.
Retake this view · +15On the National Register
1 historic place in Bentleyville
The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.
place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
2001
Duncan McFarland House
Buildings
Architectural styles listings
Greek Revival1
All 1 listings
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
People over time
Bentleyville, census by census
Between 83 and 947 people in every census since 1930.
10 censuses, 1930–2020.
U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Bentleyville’s Wikipedia page.
Famous people
See all →Famous people close to Bentleyville
Nobody well known was born in Bentleyville itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.
M
Mary OliverAmerican poet · b. 1935M
Molly ShannonAmerican actress and comedian · b. 1964
Stories next door
History across the town line
Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.
Questions about Bentleyville’s history
What year was Bentleyville founded?
In 1831, according to Wikidata. the census of 1930 counted 83 people here.
What is on the National Register in Bentleyville?
One place: the Duncan McFarland House (listed 2001).
Memory lane
What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.
Start a conversation
Sources
Where this page comes from
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (6), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.