Mentor History

In 1797, Charles Parker, a surveyor with the Connecticut Land Company, built a cabin on the marsh paving the way for other pioneers to establish this new land called the Western Reserve Territory. By 1811, Charles moved on to settle Milan, Ohio, but his younger brother, Clark would spend the rest of his life here. He married Margaret Jordan (whose family settled Concord Township) and they raised 13 children. Part of their property on Mentor Avenue was donated to the newly-established Mentor Methodist Church. Many of Mentor’s first settlers are buried at Mentor Cemetery.

The name Mentor originated in Greek literature; Mentor was the tutor of Telemachus, the son of Odysseus. Other place names in the Western Reserve, including Solon, Euclid and Macedonia, were also inspired by the early Americans’ fascination with the ancient world.

According to advertisements and rumors that spread from farmhouse to village, this new land in the West was not a grim wilderness, but Eden itself, an earthly Paradise where the ground was level and fertile and the climate mild.

The pioneers traveled mostly by horse and covered wagon loaded with every possession — a bed, a chest, some quilts and featherbeds, a trunk full of clothing, and, of course, the family Bible. They also brought with them a sense of community that resulted in the quick establishment of churches, schools and libraries. Over the years, this young farming community grew. Foot trails became roads. Farmlands gave way to nurseries. Ultimately, Mentor became the major commercial center that we know today.

• 1796-2022 History of Mentor Timeline
• List of Mentor Postmasters Since 1819

Books on the History of Mentor

Want to learn more? Mentor: The First 200 Years was published in 1997 as the first comprehensive history of Mentor. It is filled with pictures and interviews from people that remember what life was like before the freeways and shopping centers. Copies are available at Mentor City Hall by stopping by the Recreation Office, or by calling (440) 974-5740. Copies are also available at the James A. Garfield National Historic Site.

Some of the earlier books written are no longer in print, but may be available at the Mentor Public Library, Morley Library in Painesville or The Lake County History Center. These include History of Mentor Headlands and Vicinity (1957), By the Buckeye (1984), and Mentor – a retrospective (1988).

Mentor resident Thomas G. Matowitz, Jr. has written a new book (2015) about the history of our community. Mentor chronicles the history of Mentor through rare photos and interesting stories. This new book features 186 images and tells the story of Mentor from our settlement in 1797, to the thriving City it is today. The volume also highlights citizens who have helped shape the community – including local farmers, wealthy Cleveland industrialists, a Civil War Medal of Honor recipient as well as the 20^th President of the United States, James A. Garfield. Mentor is a part of Arcadia Publishing’s Portraits of America series and is available at Barnes & Noble and other local bookstores as well as amazon.com.

History of the Official Flag of Mentor

In April of 1988, the Mentor flag was adopted by Mentor City Council as the “Official Flag of the City of Mentor.”  The flag was designed by Brad Frost as part of a contest sponsored by Mentor Headlands Amvets Post #40, Ladies Auxiliary.

The shape of the flag is similar to that of the Ohio State Flag, known as a burgee, or swallowtail design. The similarities continue: a large blue triangle represents Ohio’s hills and valleys and the stripes represent roads and waterways. The cardinal, the official bird of Mentor and the State of Ohio, sits in the middle of a white circle, which signifies the “O” in Ohio. The circle is surrounded by six stars, which represent the six original townships in the Western Reserve that were considered to be the best townships of those surveyed in 1797. Mentor was one of those original six townships.