Community Spotlight: Medina County’s tiny Seville has a true giant tale to tell

Who would believe the tiny community of Seville in southern Medina County has a giant of a tale to tell? Well it does, along with a lot of history, parks, business and industrial complexes and everything other than a grocery store.

“At one time we had three grocery stores in Seville, but now we have none. I want to somehow find one to help make us (more complete) again,” Mayor Carol Carter said.

Location

The village of Seville occupies 2.6 square miles and is bordered by Rittman, Creston, Sterling, Westfield Center and Wadsworth plus Montville, Westfield and Guilford townships.

History

Seville was settled in 1816 and became a village in 1828. The historic Seville Jail wasn’t built until 1881 and was only a 12-by-16-foot brick structure with room for just two prisoners. Those held at the jail were primarily “tramps, drunks and horse thieves,” according to records. The jail was moved about 1995 from its original site on the corner of Market and Water streets and is on display outside of the Seville Historical Society Museum.

Highlights

As for giants, Capt. Martin Van Buren Bates and Anna Bates, known globally as the world’s tallest married couple, according to P.T. Barnum of circus fame, moved to Seville from Kentucky in 1873 and are buried in Mound Hill Cemetery on East Main Street. At age 22, Anna stood 7 feet 11 inches and weighed just over 400 pounds while Capt. Bates at 28 weighed 470 pounds and stood 7 feet 9 inches tall.

Famous for their heights and weight, he was born in Kentucky and was a captain in the Confederate Army. She was born in Nova Scotia and died unexpectedly in 1888 just before her 42nd birthday. The Bateses were wed in London at Trafalgar Square in 1871 and two years later chose a less hectic life in quiet Seville. Capt. Bates died in 1919.

Once in Seville, the couple built a house that could accommodate them on a 130-acre farm, with 8-foot doorways and 14-foot ceilings. They had two sons: the first stillborn, weighing 18 pounds and measuring 30 inches long; and a second who died 11 hours after birth, weighing almost 24 pounds.

A historic marker stands in Seville in their honor, and a section of the Seville Historical Society Museum is dedicated to them and their memorabilia, including two papier-mâché mannequins of them and a crib for their second child, named Babe.

The third annual “Stories From the Graves” program will be staged among the gravesites this Saturday night at the Mound Hill Cemetery. (Note: The uneven turf may be too much for adults with walking difficulties since each group will go from one grave to another with a guide.) The planning, research and writing are the work of Patty Martens, who has been a longtime Seville history buff and member of the Seville Historical Society. The one-hour programs include Martens-written speeches given by the historical figures' friends and relatives, who will be wearing period costumes.

The first show is at 6 p.m. and second is at 7. Those at the latter show need to bring a flashlight, Martens says, because the cemetery is so dark by the end of the program that some may have problems finding their vehicles. Tickets at $10 for adults are available at Seville Flower & Gift on East Main Street and Velvet’s W. Main Framing during regular business hours.

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Fun and parks

Although the community is small, there are five village parks. Reservations are needed at some locations, but the playgrounds are open to the public. The parks, their locations and facilities are:

• The Russel “Cy” Hewit Park at the corner of Liberty and Spring streets is Americans With Disabilities Act-accessible and has baseball and softball fields, fishing, a playground, soccer field and tables and restrooms. Hewit and Gary Eichler were the community’s only two veterans killed in the Vietnam War. For the pair’s valor, Seville received a grant to honor each with a 44-inch Fallen Soldier Battlefield Cross consisting of their rifle, helmet, boots and dog tags. Hewit’s is displayed in this park.

• Leohr Park on High Street is where Eichler’s honor is displayed. The park also includes most of the 1.25-mile Eichler Trail, most of which runs through the city. Leohr also offers picnic and fishing areas and a large snow hill plus a smaller one along the trail in Cy Hewit Park.

• Memorial Park at 60 Market St. is where families and friends have contributed to the Seville Military Battlefield Fund, started last year, to purchase personalized bricks around Memorial Park honoring veterans who have served in any war. The park is dedicated to veterans and features a WWII cannon.

Mayor Carter, who is in her third mayoral term and planning to seek a fourth, said, “I don’t think we do enough to show our gratitude to those who have served us and our country.”

• Maria Stanhope Park on West Main at Pleasant Street is AKA Triangle Park and features a gazebo for weddings, swings for the kids and picnic tables. The Farmers Market is held there on Saturdays all summer and fall.

• Freeman Park in downtown Seville is the frequent site of cars, trucks, vans and motorcycle shows on numerous Sundays. The park also is site of the downtown Christmas Lighting on Nov. 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. On Nov. 12, will be the kick-off of Christmas in Seville. Merchants stay open that evening to encourage visitors to shop downtown.

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Dining

• El Patron Mexican Restaurant at on Greenwich Road specializes in Mexican and Southwestern cuisine. Also offers a patio setting. For details, email: patronmexicancuisine@gmail.com.

• Number One Kitchen at 247 Center St., featuring a Chinese menu for dine-in or carry-out. For more information, go to: http://www.myno1kitchen.com.

• Sparky’s Pizza Co. at 1 W. Main St. for dine-in or take-out, featuring pizzas, subs, and a variety of other meals. In business since 1974. For details, see Sparky’s Pizza Co. on Facebook or Instagram.

• Country Pride Restaurant at the TA Truck Service at 8834 Lake Road for dine-in or take-out in a full-service restaurant, offering a vast selection of homemade comfort foods. For details, go to Facebook for Country Pride Restaurant.

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About Seville

Founded: 1816; village, 1828

Population: 2,335 in 2020

Village Hall website: villageofseville.org

School district: Cloverleaf Local Schools

District website: cloverleaftlocal.org

Mascot: Colts

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Medina County’s tiny Seville has a giant tale to tell