Henry Holl
Leonard Willaman
Street Names
Bitzer Place SE — Named in honor of Michael and Elizabeth Bitzer who owned land and ran a hotel during the mid to late 1800’s at the southeastern corner of the town square. Bitzer Park was also named after them.
History Here
Baker’s Dozen—The Baker’s Dozen Mall was created at 400 South Main St. in 1979 when Delvin Baker converted his furniture store building into a specialty shop mini-mall. The building constructed in 1924 originally housed the Lewis & Greenho Furniture and Funeral Home. The Lewis funeral parlors were in the north part of the building; the rest of the building housed the Lewis & Greenho Furniture store.
Sun Newspaper — On November 2, 1922, Eleanor Hall and Ben Long first published the Stark County Sun, a weekly newspaper that covered the people of and events happening in North Canton. In 1938, Vernon and Edna Sell purchased this newspaper and eventually moved the business from Ream St. to 502 S. Main St. The Sun was a nice, clean, small-town weekly. In 1995, the newspaper was sold for a fourth time and then ceased operation.
Ariel photo taken from the water tower prior to the brick paving of Main Street in 1917. The Hoover Suction Sweeper Company building and its two water towers as well as the houses along E. Maple St. Zion Reformed Church on S. Main St. is visible on the left.
Historical Figures
Earl C. Greenho — He emanated from Greensburg, Ohio where he had been a teacher and a school superintendent. He partnered with Lee T. Lewis in 1924 to erect the Lewis and Greenho building (now the Baker, Dublikar, Beck, Wiley & Matthews law building). He ran a successful furniture store for many years in the building.
Lee T. Lewis — He was an undertaker who bought an existing business from Eugene Arnold. The Lewis Parlors were in several locations before 1924 when Mr. Lewis formed a partnership with Earl C. Greenho. His funeral parlors were located in the north part of the Lewis and Greenho building.
Mary (Molly) Willaman — She was the daughter of Leonard and Mary Elizabeth Willaman. She married Samuel Bachtel and they had two children. She continued to live in the Leonard Willaman farmhouse after Leonard passed away in 1843. She was able to manage the farm as well as any man despite having little or no education, according to local historian Henry Holl. She was a member of the Church of God (part of the then Union Church) for upwards of 35 years and was a very devoted church member. The Willaman farmhouse was used as sort of a headquarters during protracted meetings for the brethren and sisters who had traveled a distance to attend church meetings. She and her daughter Lucy Ann Kryder often had a tent erected on their farm during seasonal camp meetings.
Heritage Trail Sponsors:
Herbert W. Hoover Foundation
Walsh University
North Canton Public Library
Gary and Rita Wechter Family
North Canton Public Library
Cerreta Family
Stroia Family
