The Ohio and Erie Canal turned Peninsula into a thriving community. The village, halfway between Cleveland and Akron, was a logical place to spend the night. Peninsula had four boatyards, two dry docks, three blacksmith shops, two hotels, and several saloons. During the canal's heyday, about half the boats on the canal were built in Peninsula and Boston. The village gained a reputation for being tough because of drinking and fighting by the boatmen. But Peninsula also had grocery stores, three churches, an academy, a town hall that doubled as a theater, and substantial homes.