Chagrin Falls

[eyehrtfood]

katwil00... I also have lived in Chagrin Falls for several years... I'm normally not a Chagrin booster - where you live is a personal thing... and everyone's not for everybody... - so what I like may not be what another person likes... Not liking Chagrin is fine... But the biggest issue I have with your comments is that it sounds like we existing residents screen all prospective residents to ensure they're white, rich and Republican... Give me a break! So you don't feel at home here... Sorry... But anyone is welcome to live here... The house across the street is $1MM.. The house around the corner is $140K... My daughter has Chagrin friends who live in 30,000 square foot houses - and in two bedroom apartments... A mile away from downtown is a 100% African American neighborhood. Chagrin Falls Park. A mile the other way live some of the richest people in CLE. Let me flip this... If I said Lakewood was too poor, diverse and liberal, would I sound like a jerk? I wouldn't live in Lakewood - not for me - but I like Lakewood. I visit Lakewood. I don't deride Lakewood (except to make a point here...)

[TheProf]

I love Chagrin Falls. It's a totally unique New England small town with all the quaint Victorian "town square" kind of restaurants, shops, galleries, gazebo, Dewey's popcorn, etc... AND DON'T FORGET to walk down the long stairway down to the Chagrin River next to the falls itself under the main street bridge... you might get wet, which is great! It's like our own mini-Niagara Falls right in our backyard.

I took out-of-town guests there years ago, and they were blown away by the place (as well as the charming/beautiful NE-type drive through the forests, farms (and mansions), and creeks of the Chagrin Valley. I agree with those who note how forgotten/ignored this area is ... BY CLEVELANDERS! I live in Shaker and it's 15-20 minutes drive, ... tops, yet it feels so far away, which is kinda cool.

As for the white, exclusive Republican aspect ... yeah, the Falls does have that rep. But coming from me, a liberal Dem/Independent, that doesn't bother me. I'm not looking to move there, and the locals are always friendly to us, at least...

[Clevelander17]

From what I know about Chagrin Falls, there are more than a few liberals/Democrats living there. It's not your typical ultra-conservative exurb.

[Townes Van Zandt]

Originally Posted by katwil00

I have spoken to others who have moved here from places like Massachusetts and NY, and they are often disturbed by the social structure and the fact that there is virtually no one who lives here who is not white.

Now that's rich! I never thought I'd see the day that New Englanders complain about a lack of "diversity".

Anyway, Chagrin Falls is a great town. If you are offended by lily white people(seems like a weird mentality but whatever) then, no, CF is probably not for you.

[dubois_weasel_frankness]

Chagrin Falls is a strange place. I would visit it from time to time, but it struck me that I didn't visit it for the people. I visited for the experience which was largely based on the following:

1. Driving through winding roads going through wooded areas, contributing to the sense of being "in the country"

2. The Yours Truly restaurant for some good meals, which was at the time the only one I was aware of

3. The falls themselves in that little place nestled under street level. (NOTE: When my wife and I were still dating, she pointed out the red light in a shop above and we had this whole story about the secret brothel there. Yes, even she felt it was a weird place coming from Geauga county)

What you'll notice is the lack of mentioning any people. Part of this is due to the fact that I didn't know anyone who lived there until a few years ago. And that one person I know, likes it for similar reasons to me, including NOT THE PEOPLE.

Here is what I'll say... if you like nature and don't care much for being around people unless they are only comfortable with being "normal" (ie. lack any imagination to go outside of mainstream points of view in any arena from art to parenting to politics), then Chagrin Falls is probably your kind of place. NOTE: This is not meant to be insulting or pejorative. I'm merely stating facts. There are wide variances in human behavior so it's difficult to speak generally without someone feeling put out.

If you want a place where people are open minded, embrace extreme differences, and don't cower in fear that "the terrorists" or "inner city/poor people" are coming to get them, then Chagrin Falls is probably not for you. Again, there is no offence meant here, I'm only speaking from experience dealing with people who have a rigid perception of what it's like to live somewhere where the citizens aren't all the same. My college town experience was similar. Far too many conservatives for me. NOTE: Note all conservatives are evil horrible people. I've met a few who are really well intentioned but don't see how their thinking and policies cause hardship for those who are less fortunate.

So, in short, Chargin Falls is a great place if you don't deal with the people. Best wishes in your search.

[ZnGuy]

^strange post. Congrats on such an accurate dissertation for your first post on city-forum!

[TBideon]

It's a nice, wealthy area with waterfalls and no crime. Who wouldn't want to live there (well, those roads can get pretty scary when it's icy).

And there are definitely black and Asian middle-to- upper-middle class families who live and visit there. No ghetto, no section 8....as though that's a bad thing

[sheena12]

Originally Posted by ksu sucks

Now that's rich! I never thought I'd see the day that New Englanders complain about a lack of "diversity".

Anyway, Chagrin Falls is a great town. If you are offended by lily white people(seems like a weird mentality but whatever) then, no, CF is probably not for you.

Depends upon the type of New Englander. There is a stereotype of the while working class person from "Southie" protesting school busing in the 1970s. And in Maine and New Hampshire, there are places that are lily white, not only in January.

New England has many well educated progressives - black and white - who prefer a diverse area, to a segregated area.