SEVEN HILLS - The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

SEVEN HILLS, originally part of Independence Twp., incorporated as a village in 1927 and as a city in 1961. It is located in central Cuyahoga County 13 miles south of Cleveland, bounded by BROOKLYN HEIGHTS on the north, INDEPENDENCE on the east, BROADVIEW HEIGHTS on the south, and PARMA on the west. It occupies 4.86 sq. mi. The early history of Seven Hills is closely tied to the development of 2 neighboring communities, Independence and BROOKLYN (Old Brooklyn). Independence was known early for its orchards, vineyards, and stone quarries, prominent in the area before the Civil War. Later, large areas of land were cleared and used for farming (see AGRICULTURE). In 1914 the eastern portion of Independence Twp. was incorporated as the village of Independence. The remainder of the township later became the village of Seven Hills, operating under the mayor-council type of government. The hilly terrain probably gave rise to the name, but early residents may also have referred to the 7 hills of Rome. Seven Hills has remained primarily a residential community, with only 12 farms by 1938. The population grew from 333 in 1938 to 1,350 in 1950, 12,700 in 1970, and over 16,000 in 1980, but declining to 12,339 in 1990 and 12,080 in 2000. The city has no central business district or town square. Seven Hills, Parma, and PARMA HEIGHTS make up the Parma City School District. The CLEVELAND ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING CO. has been the major employer.

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