City of Mentor

Mentor was settled in 1797 when Charles Parker, a surveyor from Vermont, built a cabin on the marsh. This was the first settlement in what would later become Lake County.

Mentor Township officially formed in 1815 and was primarily a farming community. In 1855, the people that lived in the center of Mentor chose to incorporate 3,000 acres in the middle of the township, resulting in the formation of Mentor Village. There were few businesses at that time and most commerce was conducted in nearby Painesville or downtown Cleveland.

In 1932, Mentor resident and nurseryman Joseph Kallay developed Blaze, the country’s first patented rose. After that, rose growing became big business and Mentor became known as the Rose Capital of the Nation. After a previous failed attempt to consolidate the two Mentors – the township and the village incorporated as the City of Mentor on December 18, 1963.

Today, more than 50,000 residents and 1,700 businesses call Mentor their home. Our location near State Route 2 and Interstate 90 means we’re only a short drive from Cleveland’s arts, culture and sports venues. And there’s also plenty to do right here, whether it’s dining at one of our many restaurants, shopping in one of Ohio’s largest retail center, or participating in the hundreds of recreational programs offered through the City’s Recreation Department.