Geneva-on-the-Lake

History

Settlement of the original area known as the Connecticut Western Reserve started in the early 1800s, as investors, farmers, and frontiersmen from New England and the Mid-Atlantic began to farm in the area and capitalize on the natural resources of Lake Erie and its shoreline. Industry along the lake shore continued to develop, including a lime burning business along Cowles Creek on the west, and it grew to include nine adult and nine children's amusement park rides including The Fright Zone, one of three scary dark rides created by the Allen Herschel Co. In 1961, the park installed the Brat, a B. A. Schiff & Associates steel roller coaster supposedly named for a rowdy group of YMCA kids. The park closed in 2006, but the carousel is still in operation and the Ferris wheel was moved nearby. Starting in 1964 with the purchase of Chestnut Grove, portions of land which were to become the Geneva-on-the-Lake State Park continued to grow through 1974 to include cabins, campgrounds, and a swimming beach. On June 14, 2026, harsh weather conditions hit Northeast Ohio, causing the historic Ferris wheel to topple over. The wheel, known as #5 Big Eli, was owned by the Old Firehouse Winery. It is unknown whether the Ferris wheel can be replaced or repaired .

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,418
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,301
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  3,913
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,826
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  3,746
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  3,662
• Ring-billed Gull

  Larus delawarensis Ord, 1815 · Aves
  3,589
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  3,282

Largest nearby schools

• Lakeside High School
  High · Ashtabula · 894 students · 22.9:1 ratio
• Geneva High School
  High · Geneva · 658 students · 21.9:1 ratio
• Geneva Middle School
  Middle · Geneva · 511 students · 22.2:1 ratio
• Lakeside Junior High School
  Middle · Ashtabula · 505 students · 21:1 ratio
• Erie Intermediate School
  Middle · Ashtabula · 443 students · 21.1:1 ratio
• Superior Intermediate School
  Elementary · Ashtabula · 436 students · 19:1 ratio
• Ridgeview Elementary School
  Elementary · Ashtabula · 429 students · 18.7:1 ratio
• Wallace H Braden Middle School
  Middle · Ashtabula · 404 students · 26.9:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.9 — 2026-03-05
  3 km SW of Madison, Ohio
• M 2.7 — 2026-01-06
  4 km ENE of North Madison, Ohio
• M 2.5 — 2025-05-12
  4 km ESE of Madison, Ohio
• M 2.6 — 2024-06-01
  1 km E of Madison, Ohio
• M 2.6 — 2024-01-05
  3 km SE of Madison, Ohio
• M 3.6 — 2023-08-28
  7 km SE of Madison, Ohio