Established by Benjamin Hilbish in1849, the Hilbish Farmland was a 300 Acre Farm on the eastern edge of Brittian Village, Ohio. The farmland was dominated by the topography of two rivers, and forested areas to the north and south. A valley bottom that extended from the northwest corner of the farmland rolled gentle upwards to the east and central part of the property, following present day East Ma
rket Avenue. Along the northern line of the farmland the Little Cuyahoga river flowed from East to West alongside Mogadore Road. Near the southern farmland, the Summit Lake Outlet flowed also from East to West. Early maps of the farmland indicate that the original Hilbish Farmland was established along the Summit Lake Outlet (1856) , and future growth and property acquisitions to the estate were made to the north, culminating in the property line shared with Gilcrist at Mogadore Road by 1879. On the northeast portion of the farmland, a densely forested hilltop, locally referred to as Oakhill, dominated the horizon. By 1879, Hiblish Farmland extended to the south near present day Quayle Avenue. Following the Summit Lake outlet, in the southwestern line of the property, the estate extended out to include the site of a grist mill and coal mine. The western edge of the property line extended from north to south along present day Hilbish Avenue. The eastern edge of the farmland extended extended from north to south along present day Pfeiffer Avenue. A sizable portion of the forested southern area of the Hilbish Farmland has been preserved in the area of Hyre Park. Census records indicate that Benjamen Hilbish was a farmer and stock trader. It is likely to conclude that in the broad lowland areas of the Hilbish Farmland, wheat was grown in abundance -- it was the largest produced agricultural product of that time in this area. His livestock trading would have covered large portions of the Farmland, with steep inclines to the south providing natural barriers against wandering herds. In 1869, Benjamin Hilbish finished construction on his new home, located at present day 151 Eastholm Avenue. By 1910, significant parceling of the farmland area was present among Hilbish descendants. Urban sprawl in subsequent decades rendered the Hilbish Farmland as a highly developed residential area.
