's history
This period of Mentor's history begins with the establishment of the village as the first permanent settlement in the Connecticut Western Reserve. John and Joseph Stow, two early settlers, arrived in 1801 and platted the village shortly thereafter. This period saw a tremendous population boom as the village grew from one hundred inhabitants in 1803 to more than 1,100 by 1831. During this period, several major transportation routes, including a canal and a railroad, were built through the village, making it an important stop along the route from Cleveland to Pittsburgh. In 1818, the village was officially incorporated as a town
and in 1831, the first public school was built. This period also saw a great deal of industry come to the village, with a gristmill, a sawmill, and a cider mill all operating. By 1837, Mentor had become an important hub for the growing economy of northeastern Ohio and remained so throughout the 19th century.