Parma in Cuyahoga County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Stearns Homestead
Photographed by Lora Szloh, October 31, 2009
1. Stearns Homestead Marker
This 48-acre farm is the last remnant of an agricultural way of life that characterized Parma Township well into the 20th century. The farmhouse, built circa 1855 by Western Reserve settler Lyman Stearns, is representative of the Greek Revival style of architecture popular in this region prior to the Civil War. The "Yankee" style barn predates the house. Suburban development following World War II engulfed virtually all of this area by the 1950s. The Stearns Homestead was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
West Side Cleveland meat processor Earl C. Gibbs and his family bought the Stearns farm in 1919 and built the newer house in 1920. The family continued to graze cattle here through the 1970s, by which point the Parma suburbs had completely surrounded them. The City of Parma purchased the property from the Gibbs family in 1980 to preserve this unique remnant of Parma's rural heritage. The Parma Area Historical Society has since maintained it as a working educational and historic farm.
Erected 2001 by the City of Parma, the Parma Area Historical Society, and the Ohio Historical Society.
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Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Architecture • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1855.
Location. 41° 22.488′ N, 81° 44.07′ W. Marker is in Parma, Ohio, in Cuyahoga County. It is on Ridge Road (Route 3) half a mile Ridgewood Drive. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6975 Ridge Rd, Cleveland OH 44129, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Cleveland, on the Lake Erie Shore, and in the Western Reserve. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Parma's First High School
Photographed by Lora Szloh, October 31, 2009
2. Stearns Homestead Marker
More about this marker. The marker is directly on front lawn of house. It is surprising to see a farm from this era surrounded by a Mall, Hospital and an Outback so nearby.
Regarding The Stearns Homestead. This seems like a nice place to take your kids. They actively allow the public to come visit and do activities. I went on Halloween, they were having a holiday related event for children from 6-8 PM.
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 7, 2026
3. The Stearns Homestead Marker
Photographed by Lora Szloh, October 31, 2009
4. Stearns Homestead Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on March 26, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 31, 2009, by Lora Szloh of Berea, Ohio. This page has been viewed 2,115 times since then and 119 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 31, 2009, by Lora Szloh of Berea, Ohio. 3. submitted on March 22, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. 4. submitted on October 31, 2009, by Lora Szloh of Berea, Ohio. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.
