The age of Ravenna’s police and fire complex isn’t so clear cut

Relying on information provided by the Portage County Auditor’s Office, The Portager reported that Ravenna’s current police/fire station complex, comprising much of the block bordered by West Maple Lane, South Meridian Street, West Spruce Avenue and Park Way, was built in 1901 and remodeled in 1979.

Kevin Gray, curator of the Portage County Historical Society, begs to differ. The complex was originally built in 1922, and he’s got the stories to prove it.

Gray provided The Portager with copies of a March 25, 1920, Ravenna Republican notice that, effective Jan. 1, 1920, Ravenna was issuing $75,000 in bonds to buy land and finance construction of a fire station and city hall.

He also provided a Jan. 25, 1922, Ravenna Republican article noting that Ravenna’s next city council meeting would be held in the new city hall/fire station as it was nearing completion. The article states that the building faced Spruce Street on the south and had entrances on Spruce Street and Park Way.

Further bolstering Gray’s argument is a June 6, 1972, article which notes that Ravenna City Council officially:

• Renamed the old building on Spruce Street, which had been city hall for 50 years, as the Ravenna Safety Building. It would house the fire department, police department, city jail and Ravenna Municipal Court.

• Renamed the former Miracle Market on Park Way as the Ravenna City Building. It would house the mayor, council chambers, service director, auditor, city engineer, treasurer, recreation, water and income tax departments and the board of health.

City Hall remained at 220 S. Park Way until 1972, when it relocated to its current location at 210 S. Park Way, Gray said. That building, originally constructed in 1938, originally housed an A&P supermarket.

Armed with this information, The Portager once again contacted the county auditor’s office, only to learn that it inserts the date “1901” when the exact date is unknown.

Unwilling to accept newspaper articles as evidence, the auditor’s office indicated that Gray — or someone — would have to initiate a thorough search that would include a historical journey through records at the county recorder’s office.

Then and only then would the 1901 placeholder date be corrected, the auditor’s office stated.