Alling-Hawkins Homestead

This home, part of the Alling-Hawkins homestead, is located on the northern border of Hudson and was once part of a large parcel acquired in 1815 by Esquire Gideon Mills, an early settler of Hudson and the brother of John Brown’s mother. Mills quickly resold part of the parcel to Connecticut resident Steven Alling, who sent his 16-year-old son Ethan to explore the territory and establish a homestead. By 1817, young Ethan had built a barn and home on the site, along with a working sawmill and grist mill. A community called Millville grew up along the river, named after the Mills family. Alling grew to become a leading businessman in the Twinsburg community, but maintained strong ties to nearby Hudson, which served as the center of commerce for the then just-developing Twinsburg township.

In 1837, Alling sold the farm to Joseph Hawkins and his wife Lucia, early settlers who ran a farm and inn in northeast Hudson. Joseph and Lucia built the home that bears the HHA marker and established a 400-acre dairy farm that they operated together for 56 years. After Joseph Hawkins died, Lucia and their sons operated the farm until 1893. The house is Greek Revival in its architecture and contains many features common to that style.