Jaite Paper Mill

Highland Road
Sagamore Hills, Ohio

History

Built in 1905, this mill was started by Charles Jaite, former president of the Standard Paper and Bag Company. Charles began his paper career at the age of 13 working for a Cleveland, Ohio, paper company. Jaite Paper Company started out making flour bags; the company quickly grew. Employee housing, a general store, post office, and train stations composed the nearby company town of Jaite. Two dormitories still stand (they are used as park service offices); the other two burned down years ago.

The mill remained in use until December 1984 when it closed its doors forever. An arson fire destroyed parts of the building on October 2, 1992. Toxic chemicals remained on the premises for years afterward until the National Park Service won a lawsuit for their removal. The entire mill was demolished by the National Park Service in the spring of 2007. Only the fourdrinier machine, used for rolling out immense reels of paper, remains to this day.

Hauntings

Tales of Jaite being haunted have circulated among nearby residents for years. There was at least one documented account of a death in the building: a worker killed while operating part of the fourdrinier machine. The factory whistle, blown four times a day until 1950, has been heard on certain nights. Visitors have reported feeling watched and being chased by a male figure said to frequent the site.

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Photographs

Freight train at Jaite, Ohio, in 1957.

Jaite Mill in the 1970s.

Last roll of paper made at Jaite Mill.

Abandoned fourdrinier machine circa 1990s.

Documents