Editing Solon, Ohio (section)

== History ==
In 1820, the first settlers arrived from [[Connecticut]] to live in part of the [[Connecticut Western Reserve]]. The township was named after Lorenzo Solon Bull, who was the son of Isaac Bull, one of the first settlers. Purportedly, the selection of young Lorenzo's middle name was due to its derivation from the "father of democracy", [[Solon]], the lawmaker of [[Ancient Greece]].<ref name = "History of Solon">{{cite web|url = http://www.solonohio.org/index.aspx?nid=100|title = History of Solon Ohio|publisher = City of Solon|access-date = August 22, 2014}}</ref> The early settlers faced challenges common to pioneers, but in Solon, drainage and wetlands issues complicated settlement and agriculture. Overcoming these obstacles, Solon Township became an arable farming area, producing corn and wheat crops and supporting dairy farm] (including five cheese factories). By 1850, the population of Solon Township reached 1,034.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

Because of nearby Cleveland's position as a national hub of the railroad industry, rail also contributed greatly to Solon's growth. In 1857, the Cleveland-[[Youngstown, Ohio|Youngstown]] section of the [[Cleveland and Mahoning Valley Railroad|Cleveland and Mahoning Railroad]] established a line running through Solon.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

Laid out in a traditional [[New England]] plan, Solon, like many of the neighboring townships, established a public square in its town center. In conjunction with townships to the north, a north–south corridor was established through the town centers of Solon, [[Orange, Ohio|Orange]], and [[Mayfield, Ohio|Mayfield]] townships (from south to north, respectively) and, accordingly, was named SOM Center Road (now [[Ohio State Highway 91|Ohio 91]]). Solon Township included the current municipalities of the City of Solon and the villages of [[Bentleyville, Ohio|Bentleyville]] and [[Glenwillow, Ohio|Glenwillow]]. In 1927, Solon was incorporated as a village and later became a city in 1961, operated under the [[mayor-council government|mayor-council]] form of government.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

Solon was one of the first cities to use a comprehensive zoning plan and has been able to achieve a strong industrial base, while insulating its [[bedroom community|bedroom communities]] from industrial activities. Further, the city has primarily concentrated its commercial and retail districts in the town center, making them convenient to all residents. In addition to its planned use for corporate and residential areas, Solon has {{convert|687|acre|km2}} of city parks and recreational area, {{convert|360|acre|km2}} of [[Cleveland Metroparks]] (the South Chagrin Reservation) and three golf courses within its borders.{{citation needed|date=July 2024}}

In 1991, the extension of a divided highway, [[U.S. Highway 422|US 422]], was completed as an east–west corridor just north of its town center. US 422 enables easy access to many points throughout Northeast Ohio, providing a corridor extending from Cleveland through Solon and beyond [[Warren, Ohio|Warren]] into [[Pennsylvania]].