GAYLEEN GINDY Glanntown/Silica, Ohio–Part two

In the first July issue, we left off on Centennial Road between Sylvania-Metamora Road and Central Avenue in the early 1900s where the area had long been nicknamed Glannville, and was slowly transitioning over to the name Silica. Stone and cement companies were buying large tracts of land from the early farmers and building factories in this area. With the factories came employees, and with employees came housing, and the need for a church, school, grocery stores, barber shop, restaurants and even the Silica Hotel so traveling executives had a place to stay while in town on business.
From 1901 through 1904 the Toledo Angola & Western Railroad Company was purchasing the right-of-way throughout the “Silica” area and workers started laying railroad tracks. This brought even more industry to the area. Also, at this time, the Toledo & Western Railway Company was purchasing the necessary right-of-way to lay tracks for passenger train service to run through Sylvania in an east and west direction along Sylvania-Metamora Road, just north of where all this industry was taking place. This helped transport the executives and employees to and from their jobs.
A review of the early property deed records shows when and which companies were here from 1890 to 1918:
Section 20 – East side of Centennial between Sylvania and Central Avenues
1890 – Toledo Glass Sand Company
1893 – Western White Sand Company
1902 – Bick & Kreswell Company
1902 & 1910 – Toledo, Angola & Western Railroad Company – right-of-way
1913 – Ohio Standard Chemical Company
1916 – Stadler & H. Rendering Fertilizer Company
Section 19 – West side of Centennial Road between Sylvania and Central avenues
Section 18 – West side of Centennial Road between Sylvania Avenue and Brint Road
1902 – Heirs of Henry P. Glann transfer to Nathaniel P. Glann and Alice Haughton
1915 – The France Stone Company purchases Glann property
Section 17 – East side of Centennial Road between Sylvania Avenue and Brint Road
1910 – Glann property sold to Jacob and Adam Bick and Willard B. Robinson
1911 – Willard B. Robinson with Silica Northern Railway Company
1913 – Owens Bottle Machine Company
1913 – Toledo Owens Glass Sand Company
1915 – Ohio Savings Bank & Trust Company
1915 – The France Stone Company
1917 – Toledo Stone & Glass Sand Company
1917 – Owens Bottle Machine Company
By 1915 the population in Sylvania Township’s School District No. 5 had increased to the point that a second schoolhouse was needed. The original school on the east side of Centennial Road was used as the “Primary” school for the younger students, and the “Grammar” school was built across the street, just north on Centennial Road. (Did you know that the 1915 schoolhouse still exists today and is disguised now as a residential home?)
The biggest thing to hit Silica happened in 1922 when the Sandusky Cement Company started building the Medusa Portland Cement factory on the southwest corner of Sylvania Avenue and Centennial Road. By the time it was complete a “city” within Sylvania Township was built with an increased demand for housing, stores, a church, two schools, and all the services that a “city” needs for its people to survive. Employees at Medusa Cement became like a family. They worked together, had a band, ball teams, and a bowling team. They also had their own subdivision where many lived along the northwest corner of Centennial and Brint roads. These homes were built by the Medusa Company for their executives and employees, and this subdivision became known as Medusa Gardens. The residents had gatherings behind these homes including picnics, ball games, card games and 4th of July fireworks.
From 1910 through the 1940s the Sylvania Sentinel newspaper featured a column each week titled “Silica News.” This column would give the current happenings in the Silica area and listed all the names of those running businesses and living there. Some of the subdivisions that were established in the Silica area to accommodate all the people coming to Sylvania to work in the quarries included Deanville, Paradise Park, Brint Lane, and Villa Farms. There was also a trailer park at 7924 Central Ave. and a trailer park at 3230 Centennia Road.
There is much more to tell about Silica, Ohio. I plan to publish my next book on Silica, Ohio, so if you want to know the whole story from the beginning to the end look for my next book.