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| rescue.jpg | Red Cross Nurse Stands By To Help Tornado Victim | Rudy Moc Studios | June, 1924 | Dec 05, 2009 | Red Cross Nurse, Clara Lodwick, stands by to assist as rescue workers lift an injured man from the debris of a demolished house. | Jane L. Smith | Photograph | 158 |
| RCC.jpg | Red Cross Disaster Relief After The Lorain Tornado | National American Red Cross | August 16, 1924 | Dec 05, 2009 | The weekly Journal of the American National Red Cross, THE RED CROSS COURIER, featured many stories about the Lorain Tornado disaster relief efforts. QUOTED FROM THE RED CROSS JOURNAL: In this special Disaster Relief issue of THE RED CROSS JOURNAL will be found articles giving comprehensive details of the preparedness measures which made it possible for the Cleveland chapter to give instant and highly effective assistance when the devastating tornado of June 28 descended upon Lorain, Ohio, its neighbor. Due to their advance training and preparation to handle disasters, the local Red Cross chapters were able to start providing aid within six hours of the tornado's touchdown. | Jane L. Smith | Newspaper Clipping | 157 |
| Nurses Lineup.JPG | Lorain Tornado Relief - Red Cross Nurses | Rudy Moc Studio, Lorain Ohio | 1924 | Dec 05, 2009 | The American Red Cross Northern Ohio Tornado Relief Administration Headquarters was located in the Antlers Hotel on West Erie Avenue. Clara Lodwick, was the Supervisor of Nursing Services for the Red Cross Northern Ohio Tornado Relief effort. In the days following the storm she supervised a crew of dozens of nurses, some of whom made numerous house calls to the less seriously injured.
By the Monday after the storm 152 doctors from 13 localities had registered with the Red Cross to volunteer their services.
Clara is wearing a dark suit and standing at the left near the first automobile. | Jane L. Smith | Photograph | 156 |
| RedCrossgrouppic.jpg | American Red Cross Northern Ohio Tornado Relief Administration Headquarters | Moc Studios, Lorain, Ohio | 1924 | Dec 05, 2009 | The American Red Cross Northern Ohio Tornado Relief Administration Headquarters was located in the Antlers Hotel on West Erie Avenue. Clara Lodwick, was the Supervisor of Nursing Services for the Red Cross Northern Ohio Tornado Relief effort. In the days following the storm she supervised a crew of dozens of nurses, some of whom made house calls to the less seriously injured. (She is seated in the first row, fourth from the left.)
This photo shows the Red Cross doctors, nurses and volunteers who worked for many weeks after the tornado to help the community recover.
| Jane L. Smith | Photograph | 155 |
| Clara.jpg | Clara Lodwick - Supervisor of Red Cross Nurses Following the Lorain Tornado Disaster | | 1924 | Dec 05, 2009 | Clara Lodwick, was the Supervisor of Nursing Services in Lorain for the Red Cross Northern Ohio Tornado Relief effort for months after the event.
She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1900 and graduated from Christ Hospital Training School for Nurses. From 1919 to 1922 she worked in Washtenaw County, Michigan, developing public health nursing in the rural district. In the spring of 1922 she became attached to the Washington Division of the Red Cross as field representative for the state of Ohio. In this capacity she supervised public health nursing service undertaken by Red Cross chapters across the state. She came from a family of nurses where twin sisters and an aunt also worked in public health nursing.
| Jane L. Smith | Photograph | 154 |
| Tornadoreport.jpg | Northern Ohio Tornado June 28, 1924 Official Report of Relief Activities June 28, 1924 - April 3, 1925 | American National Red Cross, Washington, D.C. | 1925 | Dec 05, 2009 | Northern Ohio Tornado June 28, 1924 Official Report of Relief Activities June 28, 1924 - April 3, 1925
The American National Red Cross, Washington, D.C.
In Sandusky, Lorain and Elyria the local chapters of the American National Red Cross dispatched volunteers and aid the same day of the storm. The Cleveland chapter organized and sent medical personnel into Lorain using automobiles and trucks. They also arranged for the steamship, City of Erie, to bring in medical supplies and personnel. The ship arrived at the Lorain harbor by 3:00 a.m. of the morning following the storm. The City of Erie also transported seriously wounded victims to Cleveland area hospitals. The Red Cross had canteens set up in Lorain to feed the homeless and rescue volunteers by the morning after the storm.
The American National Red Cross received over $1,000,000 in donations from around the country on behalf of the communities damaged by the June 28, 1924 tornado. Between June 28, 1924 and March 25, 1925 the Red Cross disbursed family rehabilitation funds totalling over $930,000 to people in a number of northern Ohio counties as well as almost $90,000 in business rehabilitation funds. Over $770,000 was distributed to families in Lorain. Funds were disbursed to provide food, building and repairs, clothing, household goods, tools and equipment, medical aid, burial expenses, and other emergency relief. | Jane L. Smith | Pamphlet | 153 |
| ThewShovel-1915.JPG | Thew Gasoline Shovel - Lorain | Thew Automatic Shovel Company | 1915 | Jun 07, 2008 | Thew Shovel was founded in 1895 by Lorain native, Captain Richard Thew. Thew was the inventor of America's first fully revolving shovel. His company built cranes and steam shovels for use in construction and excavation. Thew Shovel's facilities were located in south Lorain, on Twenty-Eighth Street at Fulton Avenue, along the B&O railroad tracks.
This advertisement dates from about 1915 and shows the selling points that a gasoline powered shovel had over a steam-powered one. | | Photograph | 152 |
| GilderNMapleBlacksmith.JPG | Gilder & Maple Blacksmith Shop - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1898 | May 06, 2008 | The Gilder & Maple blacksmith shop was originally started at Fields Corners. Charles Gilder later opened his own blacksmith shop (pictured here in 1898) on Center Ridge Road, across from the District No. 1 school - the present site of St. Peter's Gymnasium. The Gilders later operated an automobile towing & repair service at the same location. | Lorain Public Library System | Pamphlet | 151 |
| CutandBindingGrain.JPG | Cutting & Binding Grain With Horse-Powered Machinery - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1912 | May 06, 2008 | These Ridgeville Township farmers (about 1912) are cutting & binding grain with horse-powered machinery, before the days of gasoline-powered combines.
| Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 150 |
| TrappFam1910Car.JPG | Mr. Frank Trapp Sr Posing With Family - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1910 | May 06, 2008 | The large family of Mr. Frank Trapp, Sr. (father of Pastor Joseph Trapp of St. Peter's Church), posing in their new 1910 open touring car near Ridgeville Center - it may be an EMF/Flanders automobile. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 149 |
| GreenlineTicket.JPG | Cleveland & Southwestern Electric R.R. Ticket Office - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1900 | May 06, 2008 | Mr. Alex Brewster, ticket agent for the Cleveland & Southwestern Electric R.R. company the "Greenline" interurban), is pictured standing in front of his ticket office near the southwest corner of Center Ridge and Station (Avon-Belden) Roads. The Greenline operated through Ridgeville from 1895 to 1931. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 148 |
| RidgevilleCenter.JPG | Ridgeville Center - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1910 | May 06, 2008 | This panoramic view (about 1910) along the north side of Center Ridge Road at the intersection with Center or Station Road (now called Avon-Belden) - shows the area known as "Ridgeville Center," including (L to R) a hotel, Luster's general store, and Humphrey's Tavern (an early stagecoach inn). | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 147 |
| 1989Library.JPG | North Ridgeville Branch Library - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Unknown | May 06, 2008 | Built in 1971 as a branch of National City Bank, this building was used in the mid-1980's as a restaurant ("The Money Pit"), and later housed the North Ridgeville Branch Library, from September 1989 to April 2003. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 146 |
| YeOldeDiner.JPG | Ye Olde Diner - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1940 | May 06, 2008 | "Ye Olde Diner" - In April 1936, John & Marie Johnson purchased the former Parlor Car #200 from the defunct Greenline Interurban trolley line, and moved it to the north side of Center Ridge Road, west of Avon-Belden (shown here about 1940). The Johnsons operated the diner until 1972, and it was demolished in the spring of 1996. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 145 |
| Dist9School.JPG | District No.9 School - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1988 | May 06, 2008 | District No. 9 one-room school on Jaycox Road near Mills Road (built 1859) housed grades 1-8, and was in use until 1924. In 1988 the Sullivan family donated the building to the North Ridgeville Historical Society, and the renovated school is now open for public tours. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 144 |
| 143 HorsedrawnBobsled.JPG | Horsedrawn Bobsleds - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Unknown | May 06, 2008 | In the wintertime, early Ridgeville residents often traveled in horsedrawn bobsleds such as this. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 143 |
| 1958Library.JPG | North Ridgeville Branch Library - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1958 | May 06, 2008 | Ridgeville Twp. began receiving library service in 1939, when the Lorain Public Library bookmobile established several stops within the township. In 1958, the first North Ridgeville Branch Library was opened in a storefront in the Tran Building (pictured here) on Avon-Belden Road, just south of Center Ridge; it was used for the library until September 1977. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 142 |
| 1922Dist1SchPic.JPG | District No. 1 School - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1922 | May 06, 2008 | Students and teachers pose in October 1922 in front of the District No. 1 two-room school at "Ridgeville Center," built in 1869, and used until the 1923-24 centralization of the township schools. This building was near the site of the present-day St. Peter's Gymnasium. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 141 |
| GrnLineBaggageCar.JPG | Greenline Baggage Car - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1916 | May 06, 2008 | This is a baggage or package car on the Cleveland & Southwestern ("Greenline") interurban trolley line, on the south side of Center Ridge Road, about 1916. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 140 |
| 139 FatherTrapp-16.JPG | Father Joseph Trapp - North Ridgeville | Unknwon | Circa 1914 | May 06, 2008 | Father Joseph Trapp served St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church from 1909-20, and enjoyed photography as a hobby; many of his photos are now in the Historical Society's collection. He is shown here about 1914, "motoring" with a friend. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 139 |
| MooersChairWorks.JPG | A.H. Mooers Chair Works - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1900 | May 06, 2008 | The A.H. Mooers Chair Works was located on the south side of Center Ridge Road, just east of the Congregational Church; in business from 1853-1910, the chair factory once comprised three buildings, and employed as many as 60 men. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 138 |
| HSOrchestra.JPG | 1928 Ridgeville High School Orchestra - North Ridgeville | UInknown | Circa 1928 | May 06, 2008 | The 1928 Ridgeville High School Orchestra, led by Mr. B.W. Baird, the school's first band leader. The orchestra included 28 pieces, including two banjos. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 137 |
| Railroad1853.JPG | Lake Shore & Michigan Southern R.R. - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1915 | May 06, 2008 | In 1853 the railroad through Ridgeville Twp. was completed; the "Lake Shore & Michigan Southern R.R." later became the "New York Central." This locomotive is shown passing Shawville Station at Avon-Belden Road (then called Station Road) in July 1915; the Shaw family operated the station for many years. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 136 |
| FirstPresbyterianCh.JPG | First Presbyterian Church - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1822 | May 06, 2008 | The first church organized in Ridgeville Township, in 1822, was the "First Presbyterian Church" (now the "First Congregational U.C.C.); this brick building on Center Ridge Road at Stoney Ridge was built in 1875, and later enlarged. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 135 |
| BeanHole.JPG | Bean Hole Restaurant - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1920 | May 06, 2008 | The "Bean Hole" restaurant, built on the south west corner of Center Ridge & Avon-Belden Roads in the 1920's by Jim Curran, was well-known for its baked ham sandwiches & baked beans. It closed in 1957. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 134 |
| HotelRidgevilleCenter.JPG | Ridgeville Center Hotel - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1900 | May 06, 2008 | This hotel was a landmark just west of Ridgeville Center (Center Ridge & Avon-Belden Roads) in the late 1800's and early 1900's. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 133 |
| RidgevilleTownHall.JPG | Ridgeville Town Hall - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1910 | May 06, 2008 | The Ridgeville Town Hall, built 1882-83, is pictured here in about 1910 to 1915; the Cleveland & Southwestern ("Greenline") trolley car tracks ran in front of the building. It served as township hall (1883-1958), village hall (1958-60), and city hall (1960-75), housed the public library (1977-89), and currently houses the North Ridgeville Historical Society's museum and the Olde Towne Hall Theatre. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 132 |
| RTwpVFD.JPG | Ridgeville Twp Volunteer Fire Department - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1949 | Apr 30, 2008 | Members of the 1949 Ridgeville Twp. Volunteer Fire Department (formed in 1931), standing in front of their first fire engine, a 1931 "Buffalo." | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 131 |
| Dist4School.JPG | District No. 4 School - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1906 | Apr 29, 2008 | A 1906 photograph showing students planting a tree in the front yard of District No. 4 school on Butternut Ridge Road, across from (L to R) the C.C. Benjamin general store, the Benjamin home, and Fields Methodist Episcopal Church (remodeled in 1916, and used by that church until 1968).
| Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 130 |
| SteamSawmill.JPG | Steam Sawmill on a Ridgeville Township Farm - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1900 | Apr 29, 2008 | Local men operating a steam sawmill on a Ridgeville Township farm about 1900. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 129 |
| RidgevilleHS.JPG | Ridgeville High School - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1943 | Apr 29, 2008 | Ridgeville High School (from the 1943 yearbook), originally built in 1923-24 when the town's schools were centralized; the building was expanded in 1928, 1952, and in 1969-70, and is now the North Ridgeville Middle School. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 128 |
| MeyersFarm.JPG | Meyers Family Farm - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1912 | Apr 29, 2008 | The Meyers family at their farm on Stoney Ridge Road, posing with their horses, about 1912. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 127 |
| ThomesFarm.JPG | Threshing day at Christian Thome's farm on Stoney Ridge Road - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1910 | Apr 29, 2008 | Threshing day at Christian Thome's farm on Stoney Ridge Road, about 1910; these are mostly members of the Thome, Bacher & Meyers families posing with a Gaar-Scott steam-operated thresher. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 126 |
| Greenline.JPG | Greenline Interurban Ticket Office - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1950 | Apr 29, 2008 | Former Greenline interurban ticket office (later doctors' offices) and Jack Knight dry cleaning store on Center Ridge, about 1950. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 125 |
| DwntwnNR.JPG | Downtown Ridgeville Center - North Ridgeville | Unknown | Circa 1910 | Apr 29, 2008 | Downtown "Ridgeville Center" about 1910, showing (L to R) Greenline interurban office & trolley tracks, hotel, and general store - looking west on Center Ridge Road. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 124 |
| 103-OVI-3.JPG | 103rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry - Ohio Historical Marker | Valerie Smith | August 25, 2007 | Apr 08, 2008 | Location directions: At 103rd O.V.I. Memorial Foundation, 5501 East Lake Road, Sheffield Lake | Lorain Public Library | Photograph | 123 |
| 103-OVI-2.JPG | 103rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry - Sheffield Lake | Valerie Smith | August 25, 2007 | Apr 08, 2008 | The 103rd O.V.I. was recruited for Civil War service from Cuyahoga, Lorain, and Medina counties. The Regiment was organized at Cleveland in August, 1862, and served until 1865 in campaigns at Cincinnati, Knoxville, Atlanta, Franklin, Nashville, and the Carolinas.103rd O.V.I. veterans and their descendants have held continuous, annual reunions since 1866. The organization is believed to be unique in the nation. Descendants live on these grounds today. | Lorain Public Library | Photograph | 122 |
| Jasperfa.jpg | Harvest Picture Taken of the Jasper Farm on East River Road - Columbia Township | Unknown | Circa 1920 | Apr 08, 2008 | Pictured, from left to right: W.C. Jasper, Tom Armitage, Ira Ring, Charlie Eichoff, John Unerhill, Godfrey Herold, Let Powel, Jerry Martin, Lesley Ring, John Olmsted, William Weekly, George Neumyer, Burl Martin, Raymond Fuller, Perry Reisinger, Charley Hitchcock, Jake Smith. The two boys at the end of the wagon are Henry Weekly and Jay Jasper. | Dr. Elbert Jasper | Photograph | 121 |
| Issacosb.jpg | Issac W. Osborn - Columbia Township | Unknown | Circa 1920 | Apr 08, 2008 | Issac Warren Wally Osborn, 1848-1929, feeding his chickens on his farm at 11832 West River Rd. The photo was probably taken on a Sunday as he is still in his Sunday attire. He was one of the builders of the Baptist Church. He and his wife Cynthia lived in the home built in 1847 by his father, Thomas Wakely Osborn 1817 - 1900. His grandfather Thomas Osborn, 1775 - 1830 came from Waterbury. | Joyce Schroth | Photograph | 120 |
| Iceboxqu.jpg | Car Being Pulled From Quarry On Jaquay Road - Columbia Township | Donna Bunce | Circa 1925 | Apr 08, 2008 | After the stone was removed from the quarries, they were used as swimming holes in the summer. Ice was cut in the winter and sometimes the hole in the ground was used for other purposes. | Robert MacIntyre | Photograph | 119 |
| Horseand.jpg | Before Snowmobiles - Columbia Township | Dr. Elbert Jasper | Unknown | Apr 08, 2008 | William C. Jasper would hitch Belle to the cutter and take his grandchildren Elbert and Shirley for a ride around the farm. Jay Jasper had the house at 17143 East River Rd. built for him and his new bride Marion Baker. Jay Madison built the house for $1500. Marion Baker was a descendent of the pioneer Hoadley family and lived in the Hoadley house where the Riverside Golf Club house stands today. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 118 |
| Flood191.jpg | Sprague Road Bridge Just Before It Fell in the 1913 Flood - Columbia Township | | 1913 | Apr 08, 2008 | | Ellen Roth | Photograph | 117 |
| Girlshsb.jpg | First Girls High School Basketball Team - Columbia Township | Unknown | Circa 1921 | Apr 08, 2008 | When the new school was finished in 1921, high school sports became a reality. The first girls basketball team (front row, left to right): Mabel Durrack, Cleo Hayes, Dorothy Crocker, Alice Grills, Helen Burk, (back row, left to right): Coach E.P. Reinhart, Elsie Cartwright, Lucille Churchward, Eva Prindle. The picture was taken in the new gym. The fans stood around the edges of the floor. There was a small bleacher in the double door for the old folks. Copopa cafeteria is the site of the old gym. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 116 |
| Wyleswoo.jpg | Quarry on East River Road - Columbia Township | Gladys Wyles | September 27, 1960 | Apr 08, 2008 | Columbia had quarries in the late 1800s. By the 1930s, most were not being operated as quarries. In 1958 Gladys and Howard Wyles of Berea bought the quarry at 11200 East River Rd. They planned to open a swimming park. It took them between three and four years to get the quarry ready. They pumped the quarry down about 100 feet, finding a bit of steel, but nothing else. The buildings and equipment had been removed years before. Mr. Wyles installed a reverse dam to keep the creek and river out. The water was tested once a week and considered as pure as drinking water. The picture was taken September 27, 1960 looking east from North Beach. The trucks may be removing sand and gravel to be used to build Cleveland Hopkins Airport. | Robert MacIntyre | Photograph | 115 |
| Womanino.jpg | Sally Bronson - Columbia Township | Unknown | Circa 1860 | Apr 08, 2008 | In September 1807 members of the Waterbury Land Company left their homes and families in Waterbury, Conn. Sally Twitchell Bronson was 24 and her husband Bela Bronson was 26 when they started their journey to Columbia Township in the Western Reserve. They had a 6-month-old son Sherlock A. It took them about two months to get to Buffalo, New York. There they decided to try taking a boat to Cleveland, a settlement of three houses at that time. Lake Erie had other ideas. The immigrant party tried three times to get to Cleveland by boat. After the third attempt Sally and Bela decided to walk. Sally carried the baby 50 miles before people who had finally made it by boat came to search for them, and met them. Once they reached Cleveland, a portion of the men, with Bela, Sally and the baby, traveled on to Columbia. It took them eight days to cut a road. They reached Columbia on December 7, 1807. A log cabin was ready by Christmas. As the first pioneer woman in the area she was accorded the privilege of naming the new community. Sally and Bela had two children who survived.
In the summer of 1808, Sally taught school in her cabin. An epidemic struck the new community in 1811. Bela was one of the victims. A while later Sally married Benoni Adams. Benoni Adams and Sally had two children, both dying in infancy in 1813 and 1823.
The War of 1812 brought many alarms, but no real fighting in the area. However on September 10, 1813 they heard the cannon roar and the earth seemed to rock and reel. Some days later they heard of Perrys Victory.
Sally's son, Sherlock, went to great lengths to get an education and become an Episcopal clergyman. Sherlock related two incidents of his mother's courage in a talk given on July 4, 1859. One night there was a bellowing among the yearlings. Sally said to the hired man run there, a wolf. She took a light, ran and drove the wolf from its victim. The hired man reached the spot followed by the dog behind them. On another occasion she was walking in the field and met a bear in her path, not more than 10 yards distant. Instead of screaming or running, she shook her apron. She and the bear parted on good terms, though without an embrace.
Sally passed away July 1, 1865 at 82 years of age. She is buried between Bela and the two children. Benoni passed away in 1876 at age 92. They are buried in the Columbia Township Cemetery on West River Road. Sally's story is from the History of Lorain County Ohio, 1879, an Address before the Lorain County Historical Association, delivered at Columbia by Rev. S.A. Bronson D.D., July 4, 1859. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 114 |
| Vetspara.jpg | VFW and Auxiliary Marching in a Memorial Day Parade - Columbia Township | Unknown | Circa 1950 | Apr 08, 2008 | Front row (left to right): The two Navy men not identified, next Ruth Broschk, and Catherine Jones carrying flags. Also in the picture are Bob Koester, Henry Duplaga and Edith Duplaga. | Ruth Broschk | Photograph | 113 |
| Townhall.jpg | Columbia Town Hall - Columbia Township | Unknown | 1895 | Apr 08, 2008 | The Town Hall was built in 1895. It has been the site of many formal community activities, among them the eighth grade commencements and some of the high school commencements, the Farmers Institute, the Acme Grange and the government of the township. Less formal activities have included basketball games, dances and plays. Many dinners were also held in the Town Hall. They were so popular that people had to get a number and wait upstairs for their turn to eat. In the 1940s, a womens organization (under Dorothy Crocker Denglers lead) would sometimes serve hot school lunches in the basement since the school did not have a cafeteria kitchen until the second addition to Copopa. These ladies went on to become the cooks in the new school kitchen. The Town Hall is on the National Register of Historic Places. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 112 |
| Townband.jpg | The Columbia Town Band - Columbia Township | Unknown | Circa 1925 | Apr 08, 2008 | On June 7, 1922 The Band Association was organized. Mrs. Ida Heineman was elected President, Mrs. Hazel Goodman, Secretary and Mr. Frank Tiltjies, Treasurer. On July 12, there were 10 boys enrolled. Mr. Shelby was hired to give music lessons and lead the band. In February 1924 a motion was made to allow as many girls as wanted to, to join the band. Thirty-two uniforms were purchased in February 1925 at $26.50 from the Lilley Co. of Columbus, Ohio. The Band gave concerts in Columbia as well as traveling around the area to give paid concerts. Concerts were given in Berea, Parma, and Hinckley to name a few places. Pictured - top row (left to right): Wade Jaquays, Julian Perkins, Wilmore Burnett, DeForest Babe Osborne, Art Goodman, Margaret Prindle, Mr. Shelby (leader), Marjorie Allen, Hilda Martin, Marion Hales, Lawrence Hales, Gordon Hughes, Carl Rundle, Kenneth Wright, Howard Richards, Howard Tiltjies Front row (left to right):) - Leroy Burnett, Oliver Allen, Ivan Bartter, Harold Hales, Russell Heineman, Rollie Cartwright, Glenn VanArsdale, Laurence Burnett, Wendall Wood, Carroll Jones, Glenn Beaumont, Ross Churchward, Clyde Martin, Leonard Prindle, DeForest Walkden, Wood Bay, Gordon Bartter, Clyde Snell. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 111 |
| Storenex.jpg | Columbia Center General Store - Columbia Township | Unknown | Circa 1920 | Apr 08, 2008 | This building, next to the Baptist Church, was built some time around the 1890s to early 1900s. It was used as a Macabee Hall (a fraternal order) then later as a general store. The owners over the years were Joe Bastard, Lou and Ella Emmons, Lyman and Ella Sabins, Ray and Calista Howard and Herb and Lorena Garman. Stanley Cole operated the store for a few years. The Baptist Church bought the building in 1963. It was used for Sunday School. The building was razed in 1984. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 110 |
| Stockade.jpg | The Columbia Block House - Columbia Township | Unknown | Unknown | Apr 08, 2008 | The Columbia Block House was located on the east bank of Rocky River, south of Rt. 82. Columbia had only been in existence for three years when the war with England began to approach the area. Calvin Hoadley organized a militia and the building of a Block House for the protection of the new settlement. There was at least one false alarm when the community went to the Block House. The settlers were glad it was never needed for protection in a real battle. The community heard the distant thunder from the Battle of Lake Erie. This depiction is from a painting done by Andrew Barber about 1952. He used the description from the Williams Brothers History of Lorain County and block houses seen at historic sites. The DAR recognized the importance of Columbias Block House with a bronze plaque in 1932. | Andrew Barber | Drawing | 109 |
| Staingla.jpg | Columbia Methodist Church - Columbia Township | Ellen Roth | Unknown | Apr 08, 2008 | This is a photograph a stained glass window depicting the original Methodist Church that stood on the location of the current church. This stained glass window is located in the bell tower of the current church.
The Methodist Society was organized in 1818. By 1829 a church building was started and finished in 1830. It served the local congregation until 1904 when it was sold to C. Case at auction for $71. It was moved to where the Lutheran Church now stands. Perry and Libby Heineman bought the property in 1914, using it for his car repair business. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 108 |
| Schoolbu.jpg | School Bus - Columbia Township | Dorothy Lauten Leinweber | Circa 1940 | Apr 08, 2008 | The student getting on the bus is Dorothy Lauten. The seats ran the length of the bus; a quick stop had everyone sliding together. The bus is a 1934 Ford Model B with a 4-cylinder engine. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 107 |
| School__.jpg | The Center School - Columbia Township | Unknown | 1895 | Apr 08, 2008 | This school was built in 1895. The first floor had grades 1 - 4 and the second floor had grades 5-8. It continued this way until Copopa was built. Howard Tiltjies remembered that home economics and industrial arts were taught downstairs and home rooms for the high school students were located on the second floor. Later, students remembered that the music room and chemistry lab were located on the second floor. The high school home rooms were moved to the west side of Copopa. It was used until 1939 when the addition to Copopa was added on the West River side. It was torn down. Today the high school sign and grass oval mark where it stood. | Robert MacIntyre | Photograph | 106 |
| School0n.jpg | One of Columbias One Room Schools - Columbia Township | Folsom Family | Unknown | Apr 08, 2008 | The Township was in charge of the schools originally. Most were constructed of wood. It was decided that the schools should be of brick. They all appear to be of one design. This one was located on North Boone on the Folsom property. Two of the teachers at this school were Mrs. Art May and Florence Tiltjies. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 105 |
| Sandston.jpg | The Grindstone at Rt. 82 and 252 - Columbia Township | Linda Adkins | Unknown | Apr 08, 2008 | The grindstone serves as a marker commemorating the founding of Columbia. Columbia's name was chosen by Sally Bronson. She was the first white woman to settle in town and she was asked to name it. She selected the name of her native township, Columbia. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 104 |
| Rrstatio.jpg | Railway Depot - Columbia Station | | Circa 1920 | Apr 08, 2008 | Located by the railroad tracks near the end of Anderson Street, this depot burned in 1922 or 1923. (Where do you live? If you said Columbia Station you are probably incorrect. You would be correct if you live on Station Rd. where the train crosses the road. That is Columbia Station. Where the schools, churches and Town Hall are, is Columbia Center. The mail came to The Station, which then became our mailing address.) Before 1921 if you wanted to go to high school you might catch the train at The Station to go to Berea daily. If you lived too far from The Station you could go in on Monday morning and back Friday night, staying with friends or relatives during the week. The other option was to board in Elyria to attend high school. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 103 |
| Rockyriv.jpg | A Flood Across Route 82 - Columbia Township | Unknown | Unknown | Apr 08, 2008 | Even though the Route 82 bridge across the river was above water you can see that, at times, the approaches were flooded so that traffic still could not cross the river. The Lorain County MetroParks, Columbia Reservation now occupies this area. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 102 |
| Postoffi.jpg | Post Office - Columbia Station | Unknown | Circa 1905 | Apr 08, 2008 | Musa Artz Richardson, was appointed Postmaster December 17, 1904 to August 7, 1906. She is pictured with her daughter Ruth. | Columbia Historical Society | Drawing | 101 |
| Plowwith.jpg | Clair Howard with His Team and Unique Equipment - Columbia Township | | | Apr 08, 2008 | Clair Shorty Howard was a well-driller. He and his wife Bernice lived at the west end of the park where the park pavilion nearest Royalton Rd. is now. Bernice often accompanied him when he went to drill wells. The umbrella advertises A.D. Martin - Sampson Tractors - Implements North Eaton, Ohio. A.D. Martin was Alonzo Don Martin who had a mill and other business ventures at the corner of 82 and Cowley Rd. across from North Eaton Hardware. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 100 |
| Openhous.jpg | Columbia Branch Library - Open House | Mr. C. E. Lacey | February 8, 1959 | Apr 08, 2008 | This shows the open house on February 8, 1959 of the new 28 x 40concrete block library on Rt. 82, which is now included within the Board of Education building. Mrs. Bessie Scott County Supervisor, Mrs. Marguerite Furlong Librarian, Miss Marion King Library Director, Mrs. Bernice Avins Master Acme Grange (borrowing books), Mrs. Esther Lacey Publicity Agent. Mr. C.E. Lacey, local resident, took the picture. The Library had 4,027 books and 960 borrowers. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 99 |
| Mollisen.jpg | Mollison Family - Columbia Township | Unknown | Circa 1905 | Apr 08, 2008 | Pictured are Catherine Bohn Mollison, Alexander Sandy Mollison, William B. Mollison, Albert and John B. Mollison. Sandy Mollison was foreman of Clough Quarry, which donated stone for the Methodist Church. He also served as Township Trustee - 1908. | Carol Pippin, Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 98 |
| Mechurch.jpg | Methodist Church - Columbia Township | Flora Bell Snell Day | Circa 1905 | Apr 08, 2008 | The Methodist Church was built in 1904-05 for a cost of $9,000. By the dedication on April 28, 1905, only $3,000 more was needed. It was pledged that day. By 1907, the church was clear of debt. This new building was heated with a wood and coal furnace located in the basement. The first lights were acetylene from a plant in the basement. Nathaniel Cole, a Baptist, donated the bell. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 97 |
| Library.jpg | Columbia Branch Library - Columbia Township | Lorain Public Library | 1973-2003 | Apr 08, 2008 | In November 1971, the residents of Columbia Township approved a 2 mill tax for one year to construct a larger library facility on township property at 13824 West River Road, North.
Service at the current building began on March 1, 1973 with a collection of 10,000 items. In December 1995, the interior was painted and then updated with new furniture, carpeting, shelving, and revised floor plan.
This library building replaced a previous one located on Royalton Road. That building then became part of the Board of Education Building. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 96 |
| Jsnell&f.jpg | John Snell and Forrest Goodman - Columbia Township | Flora Belle Snell Day | Circa 1910 | Apr 08, 2008 | John Snell married Kate Alice Osborn, daughter of Issac W. Osborn on March 11, 1906. They had three children, Clyde Warren, Eleanor Mae and Flora Belle. John Snell served as township trustee 1938-1949. Forrest "Forey" Goodman lived on S. East River Rd. He also lived on the N.E. corner of Rt. 82 and East River Rd. A barn on the property was moved across the property to become the Columbia Ball Room. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 95 |
| Jlautenw.jpg | Coal Truck - Columbia Township | Dorothy Lauten Leinweber | April, 1928 | Apr 08, 2008 | Hauling coal for the greenhouse sometimes had its problems. John Lauten is pictured on Route 82 with a broken spring and a load of coal, April, 1928. He was headed for the Burnett and Lauten Greenhouse at 24377 Royalton Rd. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 94 |
| Firedept.jpg | The 25th Anniversary of the Columbia Fire Department | Columbia Fire Department | 1954 | Apr 04, 2008 | Pictured, from left to right: Sheldon Fisher, Forrest Ives, Clyde Rundle, Kenneth Hawke, Leon Rising, Leon Ives, Roy Walker, Perry Heineman, Herman Dengler, Murle Fish, Lyman Hitchcock, Charley Hitchcock, Herbert Leinweber, Henry Metzner, Everitt Stone, Floyd Busch, Russell Fitch, Russell Miller, Huet Hitchcock and Ray Berger. Not available for the picture were Carroll Jones, Max Hitchcock and Richard Hitchcock. Before the fire department was formed in 1929 a bucket brigade was used. The new organization heard Berea was selling old equipment which it acquired to start up the department. In a few years this was replaced with a 400 gallon tank with a pump. The equipment was kept in a small garage behind the Town Hall. By 1941, the old garage was inadequate to hold the equipment. The force had grown from 15 men to 23. In 1942 the Township received $16,690 in inheritance taxes from the D. P. Osterling estate. Osterling owned the stone quarry that became commonly known as Jaquay Lake. This money was used to buy land from the Morse estate, build the original block and brick building, and purchase a 500-gallon per minute pumper located at the fire station. One way the men were called to a fire was by the fire siren. For many years it marked the noon hour also. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 93 |
| Edpmadak.jpg | Edward P. Madak - Columbia Township | | | Apr 04, 2008 | Edward P. Madak was the first person from Columbia killed in WWII. The VFW Post was named in his honor. S/Sgt. Madak, July 14, 1912 Jan. 4, 1944, served with the 303 Bomb Group (H) Hells Angels. He was a gunner and served under five different pilots. On a mission December 1, 1943, the plane ran out of gas over the English Channel. The plane ditched in Pealie or Peale Bay. The crew was picked up by air sea rescue making them members of the Goldfish Club. On his tenth and final mission to Kiel, Germany, the plane was hit by enemy fire and went down in the North Sea, where he perished. | Columbia Township VFW | Photograph | 92 |
| Drfloydj.jpg | Floyd Jaquays - Columbia Township | | | Apr 04, 2008 | Floyd Jaquays was born and raised in Columbia. He started as a general practitioner. He delivered several members of the community. He went back to school to become an ophthalmologist. His office was in the Kamms Corners area. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 91 |
| Distno71.jpg | School District # 7 - Columbia Township | Ellen Roth | 1908 or 1909 | Apr 04, 2008 | School District #7 School was located in the northwest corner of the township. Jennie Stephens is the teacher. Pupils are Celia Skortz, Esther Dair, Mary Rothel, Seward Black, Mildred Cole, Hazel Hathaway, Wiley Roth, Clara Roth, Ione Cole, Ruth Carpenter, Doris Jones, Carl Stephens, Leonard Rothel, Lee Herrington, Theodore Roth, Charlie Rothel, Grace Jones, Bertha Rothel, Irene Stephens, Minnie Rothel, Dorothy Dair, Mamie Skortz, Theresa Skortz, Elwin Carpenter, Glenn Strannahan, Vernon Mitchell, Bert Rothel, Harold Carpenter, Lewis Black, William Jones. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 90 |
| Dinosaur.jpg | Columbia Library Summer Reading Program | Columbia Branch Library | 1992 | Apr 04, 2008 | Lorain County MetroParks presented a program on dinosaurs at the Columbia Branch Library. After hearing about dinosaurs the children had an archeological experience by finding the "bones" around the book shelving and then putting them together. The children as identified in 2003. Front row: _____, _____, Jeremy Denington, Brooke Mott, Victoria Petrosky, Jessica Zander. Second row: Bradley Taphous, Mike Dunn, Aaron Gray, _______, James Havran, Justin Baldwin, Mark Bibby. Third row: Bryon Zander, Peter Daley, Sandy Morris, Mary Beth Morris, Eric Seman, Kevin Seman, Marc Seman, Matt Marzi, ______, ______. Fourth row: Julie Pallendino, Bethany Taphous, Megan McKinley, Brandon Mott, Celeste Taphous, ______, Kristen Cletzer, Branden Zander, _______, Valerie Morris. Fifth row: Jeremy Zander, Eric Tehoke, ________, Jason Zande (Can you help identify some of the children? If so, contact the Columbia Branch Librarian.) | Columbia Branch Library | Photograph | 89 |
| Copopasc.jpg | Copopa School - Columbia Township | Flora Bell Snell Day | 1921 | Apr 04, 2008 | Copopa School was built in 1921. When Copopa opened the four front rooms were the first eight grades, with two grades to a room. The high school rooms were where the present library is. This configuration was changed. As a student entered the front door the elementary grades first through sixth, were to the left and the upper grades were to the right. Over-crowding was a problem and a portable building which held three classrooms was placed at the east end of Copopa. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 88 |
| Burnett&.jpg | Burnett-Lauten Greenhouse - Columbia Township | Dorothy Leinweber | June, 1039 | Apr 04, 2008 | Burnett-Lauten Greenhouse 24377 Royalton Road. Pictured, from left to right: Faith Lauten (holding Midnight), Francis Burnett, Pearl Burnett, Virginia Lauten, Dorothy Lauten, Laurence Burnett, and Wilmore Burnett standing on a load of alfalfa. The tractor is a Silver King. Jessie Burnett started the Greenhouse in 1926. John Lauten was his son-in-law. Laurence Burnett was the mechanic and John was the grower. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 87 |
| Boyshsba.jpg | First Boys Basketball Team - Columbia Township | | 1921-1922 | Apr 04, 2008 | The First Boys Basketball Team (1921-1922) Row one: Clyde Snell, Edgar Hamlin, Clarence Hayes, Clarence Rogers, Ralph Cartwright. Row two: Coach Edwin Parker Rinehart, Joe Weber, Paul Goodman, Walter Rundle, L.L. Myers, Principal. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 86 |
| Bostonrd.jpg | Threshing in the Beebetown Area - Columbia Township | Dorothy Ziemer | 1910-1912 | Apr 04, 2008 | Family, friends and hired workers would gather at harvest time. Frank Heineman is at the back of the Huber tractor and by the front wheel is Perry Heineman. Ella Mayer is the woman on the left holding daughter, Leona. Sitting on the wagon with the big hat is Billy Mayer. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 85 |
| Bernicea.jpg | Bernice Churchward Allen and Niece Edna Churchward - Columbia Township | Columbia Historical Society | 1910 | Apr 04, 2008 | Bernice Churchward married Leon Allen on December 18, 1907. They had four children: Marjorie, Oliver, Virginia (Watson), and Clyde. They operated a general store for about nine years in what became known as Ann and Andys on the southwest corner of Rt. 252 and Rt. 82. They were married for over 50 years. Edna Churchward married Harold Hursh in June 1927. They went into business with Ross, Frank and Jessie Churchward in 1933 forming Hillside Florist with a greenhouse at 25082 Royalton Rd.. They were the first to use hydroponics for raising flowers. In 1950, they sold the greenhouse to Andrew Barber and moved to Florida. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 84 |
| Baptistc.jpg | Baptist Church - Columbia Township | Ruth Broschk | 1900 | Apr 04, 2008 | This Baptist Church, built in 1900,replaced an earlier building. The sandstone used to build the church came from local quarries. Members used their farm wagons to haul the stone to the site. The Cleveland Stone Quarry donated the stone. The dedication was September 12, 1900. The Baptist Church is on the National Register of Historic Places. | Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 83 |
| Aljasper.jpg | Old Mill, Dam and Buildings - Columbia Township | Dr. Elbert Jasper | | Apr 04, 2008 | The Original Old Mill, Dam and Buildings at the Corner of East River and Sprague Roads. | Dr. Elbert Jasper | Photograph | 82 |
| Aerialsh.jpg | Aerial View of Columbia Center | James Hitchcock, DDS | 1940 | Apr 04, 2008 | Aerial View of Columbia Center about 1940.
(If you visit the Columbia Branch Library to view the historical mural you will be able to read descriptions of the various buildings seen in this photograph.) | James Hitchcock, DDS | Photograph | 81 |
| 98TILLIN-10.jpg | Bartter Martin Greenhouse - Columbia Township - 1940s | | Early 1940s; pre-World War II | Apr 04, 2008 | This greenhouse was located at 23920 Snell Rd. Homer Bartter and Leo Martin started it in 1927. Clarke Bennett was tilling for a new crop. Soon he would be leaving to join the armed forces during WWII. He became a fighter pilot. The men in the rear are carrying new plants to start the new crop. | Elane Martin, orig. From Columbia Historical Society | Photograph | 80 |
| Rotary Club monument - small.jpg | Rotary Club Monument - Lakeview Park | Lorain Public Library | March 27, 2008 | Mar 31, 2008 | The Lorain Rotary Club has a long history of service to the community as reflected by its initial sponsorship of the planting of the Lakeview Park Rose Garden in 1931 and its continuing sponsorship in the current Rose Garden restoration project. | Lorain Public Library | Photograph | 79 |
| Beach amphitheatre - small.jpg | Lakeview Park - Amphitheatres | Lorain Public Library | March 27, 2008 | Mar 31, 2008 | In 2006 the city of Lorain and Lorain County Metro Parks signed a 50-year lease agreement for the Metro Parks to maintain and develop the northern portion of Lakeview Park. Part of the new development includes outdoor "amphitheatres" built into the east and west sides of the park allowing people to sit on "steps" leading down to the boardwalk. | Lorain Public Library | Photograph | 78 |
| Bathhouse-April 2009.jpg | Bathhouse - Lakeview Park | Lorain Public Library | April 10, 2009 | Mar 31, 2008 | In 2006 the Lorain County Metro Parks and the city of Lorain signed 50-year lease agreement for the Metro Parks to develop and maintain the northern portion of Lakeview Park. The old bathhouse was demolished that year and a new one was designed with input from the community. The Rose Cafe in the bathhouse opened in December, 2007. | Lorain Public Library | Photograph | 77 |
| Easter Basket April 2009-1.jpg | Easter Basket at Lakeview Park - at Easter Time | Lorain Public Library | April 12, 2009 | Mar 31, 2008 | The concrete Easter basket, located in the northeast section of Lakeview Park, was constructed in 1941 by David Shukait, a Lorain Parks Department employee. The structure was originally called the "flower basket" but the "Easter Basket" name caught on instead.
The sculpture in Lakeview Park is 7'2" high, 10'3" wide and 5'4" deep. The basket is surrounded by a fountain and is located south of the park's bowling green.
Shukait also built a concrete Easter Basket in Oakwood Park in Lorain.
A plaque is attached to upper rim of the basket; it includes this inscription: In memorium/ David Shukait/ 1892-1976/ In recognition of the exceptional artistic creativity in design and construction of the concrete Easter Baskets for the City of Lorain's Park System.
Through the years it has become a tradition among some families in the Lorain area to come to a basket at Easter time to take photos of family members in their holiday finery. The Lorain Parks Department places colorful concrete Easter eggs in the baskets during that season. Some years, when Easter comes early and spring doesn't, you can see snow atop the Easter eggs in the basket. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 76 |
| Weathervane-small.jpg | Weathervane in Lakeview Park | Lorain Public Library System | March, 2008 | Mar 31, 2008 | This weathervane is now displayed in the northeast section of Lakeview Park's parking lot area. The weathervane was one of three that were originally located on Lorain's Black River swing bridge. The swing bridge operated from approximately 1900 - 1940. The Lakeview Park Manager for Lorain Metroparks estimates that this weathervane dates back to 1917. | Lorain Public Library | Photograph | 75 |
| Bathhouse from beach.jpg | Lakeview Park Bathhouse | Lorain Public Library System | March 27, 2008 | Mar 27, 2008 | In 2007 the park's newest Bathhouse was built by the Lorain County Metroparks. On the outside of the lower level a sand shower is provided. There are 8 family changing rooms inside the lower level. In the warmer months a concession stand will be open. An outdoor observation deck is located on the upper level overlooking the beach. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 72 |
| Terrible_Fish_Marker.jpg | Jay Terrell and His "Terrible Fish" - Ohio Historical Marker | | | Aug 23, 2007 | This Ohio Historical Marker, located at Shell Cove Park, Lake Road (US 6) Park in Sheffield Lake, was erected in 2003. The text on the marker reads as follows:
Around 1867, along the shale cliffs of the lakeshore of Sheffield Lake, Jay Terrell found fossils of a terrible fish later named in his honor as Dinichthys Terrelli. This animal, now known as Dunkleosteus terrelli, was a massive arthrodire (an extinct, joint-necked, armor-plated fish) that lived in the Devonian sea, which covered much of eastern North America some 354-364 million years ago. Dunkleosteus was armed with an incredible set of shearing jaws and was clearly the top marine predator in the Devonian Period (the Age of Fishes).
Ohio Bicentennial Commission,
The Longaberger Company,
Sheffield Lake Park Board,
The Ohio Historical Society,
2002,
12-47 | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 71 |
| CharlestonCemetery.jpg | Charleston Cemetery Arches | | August, 2007 | Aug 23, 2007 | Many of Lorain's early settlers are buried in this public cemetery located between 6th and 7th Streets. The arches and masonry, part of a volunteer project, were completed in mid-2007. One arch is at the entrance of 6th Street and the other is on 7th. The next phase will include the installation of gates and wrought-iron fencing. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 69 |
| Escaping Slaves-2.JPG | Lorain "Juneteenth" Sculpture | | August, 2007 | Aug 10, 2007 | The African American Walkway Committee installed a bas-relief bronze sculpture commemorating the holiday Juneteenth (Emancipation Day) at Black River Landing in June, 2007. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 68 |
| Lakeview Park Sign-1.JPG | Lakeview Park | Lorain Public Library System | April, 2007 | May 04, 2007 | Leonard Miller Moore, the mayor of Lorain from 1916 to 1917, was instrumental in engineering the city's purchase of land to provide a lakeside park for the public. After much discussion and negotiations more than 40 acres of land on the north and south sides of West Erie Avenue was purchased for $53,551.38. The bathhouse was constructed in 1919.
Lakeview Park's many attractions include a lighted fountain, swimming beach, boardwalk, bathhouse with concession stand, historic rose garden, concrete Easter basket, picnic areas, baseball diamonds, children's play areas, lawn bowling and paved walkways.
In March, 2006, the city of Lorain and the Lorain County Metro Parks signed a 50-year lease agreement for the Metro Parks to maintain and develop the northern portion of Lakeview Park. With this purchase Lakeview Park became the Lorain County Metro Parks' first lakeside park. The first phase of renovation of the rose garden was completed by mid-summer 2006 with more plantings and upgrades planned for 2007. The old bathhouse was demolished in preparation for construction of a new facility in 2007. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 67 |
| Easter Basket-2 smaller.jpg | Easter Basket - Lakeview Park | Lorain Public Library System | April, 2007 | May 04, 2007 | David Shukait, an employee of the Lorain Parks Department, constructed the concrete Easter Basket in Lakeview Park in 1941. He constructed another one that was placed in Oakwood Park. The structure was originally called the "flower basket" but the "Easter Basket" name caught on instead.
The two city Easter Baskets are a popular family photo location every spring. For a few days around Easter Sunday concrete Easter eggs are placed in the baskets. Many Lorain area families have made it an annual tradition to take photos of the family, posed in front of the basket, dressed in their Easter finery.
Text of the plaque on the Easter Basket:
IN MEMORIAM
DAVID SHUKAIT
1892 - 1976
IN RECOGNITION OF THE EXCEPTIONAL ARTISTIC CREATIVITY IN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONCRETE EASTER BASKETS FOR THE CITY OF LORAIN'S PARK SYSTEM. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 66 |
| 1013c.jpg | Fireman's Memorial - Washington Park | unknown | Est. Spring 197x | Dec 04, 2006 | This memorial was dedicated to the memory of Lorain Firemen and was probably dedicated on Memorial Day. Lions Club members Mr. Morgan and Mr. Nugent assist Lorain Mayor E.A. Braun and Fire Chief Hatt. | Lorain Lions Club | Photograph | 65 |
| Ohio Historical Marker - Lorain Tornado.JPG | Lorain Tornado - Ohio Historical Marker | Lorain Public Library | September, 2006 | Sep 28, 2006 | This Ohio Historical Marker is located near the Black River Landing Transportation Center on the western bank of the Black River in Lorain. The text on the marker reads as follow: LORAIN TORNADO, 1924 Just after 5:00 p.m. on June 28, 1924, a tornado swept off Lake Erie directly into downtown. Within five minutes seventy-eight people lost their lives. Fifteen died in the old State Theater that stood upon this site, as an audience of two hundred watched a Saturday afternoon musical performance. More than one thousand suffered injuries. The tornado did extensive damage to the business district, destroyed 500 homes, and damaged a thousand more. The city's largest industry, American Shipbuilding yards, was severely damaged. The tornado, which had hit Sandusky before striking, continued along the shoreline and struck Sheffield and Avon minutes later. Contemporary accounts listed eighty-two deaths resulting from the deadliest tornado in the State's history. THE BLACK RIVER HISTORICAL SOCIETY; THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY | Lorain Public Library | Photograph | 64 |
| Lorain_Founding.JPG | The Founding of Lorain - Ohio Historical Marker | Lorain Public Library | September, 2006 | Sep 28, 2006 | This Ohio Historical Marker is located near the Coast Guard station on the eastern bank of the Black River in Lorain. The text on the marker reads as follows:
FOUNDING OF LORAIN, OHIO
At the mouth of the Black River in April, 1787, Moravian missionary David Zeisberger attempted a settlement of Indians but was ordered further west by unfriendly Delaware Indians. On July 16, 1834, a plat of this site was filed by Conrad Reid, Daniel Baldwin, Quartus Gillmore and Barna Meeker.
The town, Black River, was incorporated as Lorain fifty years later.
GREATER LORAIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
AND THE OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIET 1984 4-47
| Lorain Public Library | Photograph | 63 |
| Freighter (Small).JPG | Lake Freighter St. Clair Passes Under the Charles Berry Bascule Bridge | Lorain Public Library | September 5, 2006 | Sep 12, 2006 | This view of the Charles Berry Bascule Bridge was taken from Black River Landing on September 5, 2006 . The lake freighter, St. Clair, is seen heading out to Lake Erie.
When first constructed in 1940, the Charles Berry Bascule Bridge was the largest bridge of its type in the world, and still ranks as one of the largest bascule bridges in service. With the most recent reconstruction in 1987, and the continuing maintenance and upgrading by the Lorain County Engineers Department, it is expected that the bridge will serve the citizens of Lorain for many years to come.
| Lorain Public Library | Photograph | 62 |
| Stop100_marker (Small).JPG | Lorain Stop 100 - Ohio Historical Marker | Lorain Public Library | September 8, 2006 | Sep 10, 2006 | This Ohio Historical Marker, located at Black River Landing in Lorain, was dedicated on September 9, 2006. The text on the marker reads as follows:
LORAIN STATION 100
Prior to the Civil War, Ohio was a leading state for enslaved Americans of African descent traveling the Underground Railroad to freedom in Canada. For these fugitives, their final stop in Ohio was a Lake Erie port community in the north. One such port was at the mouth of the Black River in Lorain that came to be identified as Lorain Station 100, named because it was thought to be one of the last stops or stations before the fugitive slaves reached freedom in Canada. Many arrived here in a wagon driven by Robbins Burrell who owned a farm five miles up the Black River. Concealed by vegetables, grain, or hay, the slaves were smuggled into schooners, some of which belonged to Burrells cousin Captain Aaron Root. From Lorain Station 100, the determined travelers were transported across Lake Erie, completing the final leg of their long journey to freedom.
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF NEGRO WOMEN. LORAIN COUNTY SECTION.
THE LORAIN CLUB OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF NEGRO BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL WOMENS CLUBS, INC./THE LORAIN COUNTY URBAN LEAGUE
THE OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
2006
| Lorain Public Library | Photograph | 61 |
| RiceMarker-sm1.JPG | Helen Steiner Rice - Ohio Historical Marker | Lorain Public Library | April 14, 2006 | Apr 14, 2006 | In 2002 anOhio Historical Marker honoring Helen Steiner Rice was installed in Lakeview Park in Lorain to acknowledge her literary achievements.
The text on the marker reads as follows:
Helen Steiner Rice was born on May 19, 1900, in Lorain, the daughter of Anna and John Steiner. Demonstrating an early propensity for writing, Helen planned for college, but her father's death during the 1918 Spanish influenza epidemic kept her working the at the Lorain Electric Light and Power Company. In 1929 she married Franklin Rice, a Dayton bank vice president. Following the 1929 stock market crash, she worked for the Gibson Greeting Cards Company in Cincinnati and became editor of verse lines. Known for her words of inspiration, Helen's gift for writing continues to reach millions in her poetry found in modern-day greeting cards and dozens of books. One of America's most prolific poets, she was also an early advocate of women in the workplace. She was elected to the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame in 1992. Helen died April 23, 1981, and was buried next to her parents in Elmwood Cemeter in Lorain. OHIO BICENTENNIAL COMMISSION AND LONGABERGER COMPANY, FRIENDS OF HELEN STEINER RICE AND DUTCH INK, THE OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 2002" | Lorain Public Library | Photograph | 60 |
| morrison4.jpg | Dedication of the Toni Morrison Reading Room at the Lorain Public Library | Lorain Public Library | January 22, 1995 | Oct 31, 2005 | During her school days in Lorain, Chloe Wofford worked as alibrary aide in the "old" Lorain Public Library building located on 10th Street. On January 22, 1995, Ms. Morrison
returned to Lorain to participate in the dedication of the Toni Morrison Reading Room at the Lorain Public Library, 351 Sixth Street. Hundreds of people attended the event as her hometown celebrated her accomplishments. Toni's friend, Poet Sonia Sanchez, attended and recited a poem that she had written for the
occasion.
These were the comments that Toni Morrison addressed to the people present the day ofthe dedication of the Toni Morrison
Reading Room:
"I think that it's proper that I should say thank you. And I didn't want to say much more because it was important to me that everything that happened this afternoon be focused on the consequence of this event - which was the Reading Room. I am grateful to Sonia for coming with me and for delivering this revised, and I say
improved, poem. She's in a class by herself. I also want to thank Tiara for your work, your efforts and your compliment to me. And if I've been in any way useful to your imagination I'm
grateful for that too. I'm happy that so many members of my family are here and who inconvenienced themselves in order to come. And I want to thank all of you because of your enthusiasm and the commitment with which so many of you undertook to complete this project, which is very dear to me. In talking about a number of
things that might have been done in order to signal an accomplishment of a native citizen of this town, this felt fine to me. It felt so much better than all of the other possibilities for a number of reasons. One - not this building - but the Lorain Public Library was so important in my life. And the reason it was important was
not only because much of the time I worked there and made a little change. But basically because it was the place I spent long, long hours reading and it was a place where a group of women were very careful with avid reading children. I had a letter just before I came, yesterday actually, from Marion King, for whom my sister worked
for so many years; Mrs. Books as her assistant at the Lorain Public Library. She was describing to me that it was not really fun to be 92. And that she could not - she could go back and forth to
her meals on a cane - but she really could not come. And Jean Lawless and Miss Ambrose and a number of people who were as important as the faculty. They selected books, they talked about books, they taught us love and they liked it, they loved it when we would read. They were not hostile. So it was personally important to me. And, also I know that the obligations of
more and more libraries are outreach programs and so on. And I wanted there to be one place where, if you happened to be in the neighborhood, you could come in and sit down on what I hoped would be some comfortable chairs, in a quiet room and just spend 45 minutes or an hour or two with a book. Not for entertainment, not even for rest, because the point is that in them lies real knowledge - real knowledge. At any rate, I can't wait. They wouldn't let me see it unless I actually went to the process of the formalities of
cutting the ribbon. But, again, I'm grateful to my family, to my friends, to my colleagues, co-writers, but especially my strongest feeling is for the citizens of this town. One more thing, I have to tell you. I was three months in Paris and Italy this fall. And I ended up in Milan with somebody, who works for the consulate there or something, who said he was also from Lorain.
And I said, "Where did you go to school?" And he said, "St. Mary's." There were two high schools when I was there. I want to tell you that he and I had a lot of trouble - a lot of trouble - trying to explain to these Europeans what this town was like. They could not believe that there was any socializing between the races. They couldn't believe that. That you could live in a
neighborhood where next door to you were all these kinds of people. They couldn't believe the languages that were spoken in this town. They couldn't believe it all, they kept saying.
I said, "That's nice for you to be here, because you know I really have never been able successfully to describe what that experience was
like." So, when I came into this room and looked around, I thought, "Now this is what I need. I need a picture to take with me so that when I go to these outposts of civilization I can describe to them what this community looks like." Thank you." | Lorain Public Library | Photograph | 59 |
| morrison3.jpg | Ribbon-cutting for the Toni Morrison Reading Room at the Lorain Public Library | Lorain Public Library | January 22, 1995 | Oct 31, 2005 | On January 22, 1995, Ms. Morrison returned to Lorain to participate in the dedication of the Toni Morrison Reading Room at the Lorain Public Library, 351 Sixth Street. Hundreds of people attended the event as her hometown celebrated her accomplishments. The "Toni Morrison Collection" provided in this reading room includes dozens of books written about her as well as copies of her literary works and art work depictions of her.
Left to right in the photo are her nephew Kenneth Brooks, Library Board President Norman Herschelman, her son Ford, poet Sonia Sanchez, Congressman Sherrod Brown, and Library Director Kenneth Cromer.
| Lorain Public Library | Newspaper Clipping | 58 |
| St Clair Freighter.jpg | Charles Berry Bascule Bridge | Lorain County Commissioners | 1990s | Oct 15, 2005 | This view of the Charles Berry Bascule Bridge shows both "leaves" upright as a freighter progresses upriver.
On Veterans Day in 1988 the bridge was renamed the Charles Berry Bridge in Honor of Charles Berry a Marine from Lorain who lost his life in the battle of Iwo Jima, and was awarded The Congressional Medal of Honor. | Lorain County Commissioners | Photograph | 57 |
| Bridge Spring.jpg | Charles Berry Bascule Bridge | Lorain County Commissioners | circa 2003 | Oct 15, 2005 | This is a view of the Charles Berry Bascule Bridge as seen from the south.
On Veterans Day in 1988 the bridge was renamed the Charles Berry Bridge in Honor of Charles Berry a Marine from Lorain who lost his life in the battle of Iwo Jima, and was awarded The Congressional Medal of Honor. | Lorain County Commissioners | Photograph | 56 |
| Bridge North.jpg | Charles Berry Bascule Bridge | Lorain County Commissioners | circa 2003 | Oct 15, 2005 | The Lorain County Bascule Bridge carries Route 6 traffic over the Black River in Lorain, Ohio. The bridge was built in the late 1930's and opened for traffic in the fall of 1940. At the time of its construction it was the largest "double leaf" bascule bridge in the world. A bascule bridge is a drawbridge with a counterweight that continuously balances the span, or "leaf", throughout the entire upward swing in providing clearance for boat traffic. Bascule is a French term for seesaw and balance. Bascule bridges are the most common type of movable bridge in existence because they open quickly and require relatively little energy to operate.
Lorain County's Bascule Bridge remained unchanged until major bridge rehabilitation was completed in 1988. During the construction period, the bridge's deck, lift motors, drive system, consoles, boilers, and lighting systems were all replaced. In addition a fire and security, including TV cameras and monitors, and an auxiliary generator were added. The Bridge was also repainted at this time. On Veterans Day in 1988 the bridge was renamed the Charles Berry Bridge in Honor of Charles Berry a Marine from Lorain who lost his life in the battle of Iwo Jima, and was awarded The Congressional Medal of Honor. On July 1,1989 the Ohio Department of Transportation took over the funding of the bridge.
More information, with other photos, is available from the Lorain County Commissioners - Charles Berry Bascule Bridge" website: http://www.loraincounty.us/website/index.asp?webpageid={2AB476BD-609D-4495-AC6E-3462AC9BC81E}"
| Lorain County Commissioners | Photograph | 55 |
| Rose Garden Color.jpg | Rose Garden at Lakeview Park | Richard Koontz | 1960s | Oct 13, 2005 | The rose garden, located on about one acre of thenorthern section of Lakeview Park,got its roots as a memorial garden for those who died in the Lorain tornado of 1924. Civic groupscooperatedin the project of making the rose garden a reality. Thelargest group working on the project was theLorain Rotary Club. The circular layout of the rose garden was intended to resemble the Rotary Club "wheel" symbol. In 1932 the dedication of the Memorial Rose Garden at Lakeview Park was held. Seventeen town organizations sponsored rose beds in the Central Rose Garden. In 1935, the Lorain Rotary Club, along with 35 other civic organizations and Lorain Parks and Recreation, was responsible for planting 3,250 roses. The garden had 48 beds and, at one time, had 75 varieties of roses. This image is from a postcard published sometime in the 1960s. | Albert C. Doane | Postcard | 54 |
| Easter Basket Color PC.jpg | Easter Basket - Lakeview Park | Howard Studios, Cleveland OH | 1950s | Oct 13, 2005 | David Shukait, an employee of the Lorain Parks Department, constructed the concrete Easter Basket in Lakeview Park in 1941. He constructed another one that was placed in Oakwood Park. The structure was originally called the "flower basket" but the "Easter Basket" name caught on instead. The two city Easter Baskets are a popular family photo location every spring. For a few days around Easter Sunday concrete Easter eggs are placed in the baskets. Many Lorain area families have made it an annual tradition to take photos of the family, posed in front of the basket, dressed in their Easter finery. Text of the plaque on the Easter Basket: IN MEMORIAM DAVID SHUKAIT 1892 - 1976 IN RECOGNITION OF THE EXCEPTIONAL ARTISTIC CREATIVITY IN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONCRETE EASTER BASKETS FOR THE CITY OF LORAIN'S PARK SYSTEM. | Albert C. Doane | Postcard | 53 |
| tornado cars.jpg | Lorain Tornado Damage | Rudy Moc | June 30, 1924 | Sep 23, 2005 | This photograph, taken by Lorain photo studio owner, Rudy Moc,shows automobiles that were tossed against a building during the Lorain Tornado. The location where the automobiles came to rest is the alley that is on the north side of the current Lorain Palace Theater (6th and Broadway). | Lorain Public Library System. | Photograph | 50 |
| church1.jpg | Lorain Tornado Damage - First Congregatonal Church | Rudy Moc | June 30,1924 | Sep 23, 2005 | The First Congregational Church was located at the corner of 4th Street and Washington Avenue. Its roof and steeple collapsed on top of the adjacent Lorain #1 Fire House. Lorain, Ohio, photographer Rudy Moc, took numerous photographs of the aftermath of the Lorain Tornado and later published them in souvenir booklets and as posters and postcards. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 49 |
| streetcar.jpg | Lorain Tornado Damage - West Erie Avenue - Lake Shore Electric Streetcar | Rudy Moc Photo Studios | June 30, 1924 | Sep 23, 2005 | This photograph, taken by Lorain photo studio owner,Rudy Moc, shows a Lake Shore Electric streetcar on West Erie Avenue, between Mildred and Allison Avenue, after the Lorain tornado of 1924.
A nurse who lived on West Erie Avenue took injured people from this streetcar to her own home to give them medical attention. No one on the streetcar was killed.
The tornado struck Sandusky and Lorain on Saturday, June 28, 1924 and led to approximately eighty-five fatalities. In Lorain, the tornado came ashore at the Lorain Municipal Bath House in Lakeview Park and tore a three-mile path through downtown Lorain in about three minutes. Its width varied from 4,000 to 500 feet, becoming narrower as it progressed eastward. The tornado lifted east of the city and set down again at Sheffield and Avon. Damage in Lorain was greatest from West Erie Avenue south to Seventh Street and along Broadway south to Eighth Street. Buildings were damaged for thirty-five blocks along Broadway. More than one thousand homes were damaged and five hundred destroyed in Lorain. | From the collection of Albert C.Doane | Photograph | 48 |
| bridge_2.jpg | Lofton Henderson Memorial Bridge | Lorain County Commissioners | 1940-1942 | Sep 23, 2005 | The Lofton Henderson Bridge was originally known as the Central High Level Bridge in Lorain, Ohio. The bridge was dedicated on September 25, 1940.
The photograph was taken by the office of the Lorain County Commissioners between 1940 and 1942.
The bridge is large enough for freighters to pass underneath. It carries Ohio Route 611 over the Black River in Lorain, Ohio.
This bridge was re-named the Lofton Henderson Memorial Bridge to honor a local man killed in service during World War II.
Lofton Henderson (1903-1942) was shot down by a Japanese plane in the Pacific during the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942. As his last act of valor, he guided his wounded aircraft into the smokestack of a Japanese aircraft carrier, destroying the enemy vessel in the resulting explosion. For this act he was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. | From the collection of Albert C.Doane | Photograph | 47 |
| henderson_bridge.jpg | Lofton Henderson Memorial Bridge | Lorain County Commissioners | 1940-1942 | Sep 23, 2005 | The Lofton Henderson Bridge was originally known as the Central High Level Bridge in Lorain, Ohio. The bridge was dedicated on September 25, 1940.
The photograph was taken by the office of the Lorain County Commissioners between 1940 and 1942. The bridge is large enough for freighters to pass underneath. It carries Ohio Route 611 over the Black River in Lorain, Ohio.
The bridge is large enough for freighters to pass underneath. It carries Ohio Route 611 over the Black River in Lorain, Ohio.
This bridge was re-named the Lofton Henderson Memorial Bridge to honor a local man killed in service during World War II.
Lofton Henderson (1903-1942) was shot down by a Japanese plane in the Pacific during the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942. As his last act of valor, he guided his wounded aircraft into the smokestack of a Japanese aircraft carrier, destroying the enemy vessel in the resulting explosion. For this act he was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. | From the collection of Albert C. Doane | Photograph | 46 |
| Rice-1c.jpg | Helen Steiner Rice | Unknown. | 1960s | Sep 22, 2005 | Helen Steiner Rice was (1900-1981) was often called the "poet laureate of inspirational verse,". She was born in Lorain, Ohio. Rice's first job after high school was with the Lorain Electric Light & Power Company, where she worked her way up to advertising manager. In 1931 she began writing poetry for greeting cards for the Gibson Greeting Cards Company in Cincinnati, and continued to do so for forty years. She became nationally known during the 1960s when her verses were read on the "Lawrence Welk Show" television program. After her poem "The Praying Hands" was read on the show, it became one of the best-selling inspirational verses of all time. More than fifty books of her poetry have been published.
The Helen Steiner Rice Foundation provides more information about the author. | Lorain Public Library System. | Photograph | 45 |
| TornadoDmg-4.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage | Myrle E. Feightner Family | July, 1924 | Sep 19, 2005 | Tornado damage in a residential area - location unknown. | Myrle E. Feightner Family | Photograph | 44 |
| TornadoDmg-3.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage | Myrle E. Feightner Family | July, 1924 | Sep 19, 2005 | Tornado damage in a residential area - location unknown. | Myrle E. Feightner Family | Photograph | 43 |
| TornadoDmg-2.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage | Myrle E. Feightner Family | July, 1924 | Sep 19, 2005 | Tornado debris in the streets of Lorain took days to clear up. | Myrle E. Feightner Family | Photograph | 42 |
| TornadoDmg-1.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage - Brownell Avenue Area | Myrle E. Feightner Family | July, 1924 | Sep 19, 2005 | This photograph shows the house of relatives of Myrle E. Feightner. The house was located on the west side of Brownell Avenue between Fifth and Sixth Streets. Notes on the border of the photograph state "Roof from our house blew across the street and hit corner of house where X is.". On the photograph a faint X can be seen pencilled in above the house on the far left. The donor, John T. Feightner, states "My uncle had both of his legs crushed by the house that was blown off its foundation. He later died of those injuries." | Myrle E. Feightner Family | Photograph | 41 |
| Brownell School.jpg | Brownell School Classroom - | Unknown. | June 11, 1913 | Sep 17, 2005 |
This photograph is one kept by the family of Katherine Hageman. It shows 6th and 7th grade students at their desks at Brownell School. (The school no longer exists.)
Katherine Lucile Hageman was born April 1, 1898 and died in 1969. Miscellaneous items from her childhood (early 1900s) are on display in the Lorain Public Library. She was a lifelong Lorain resident and Oberlin College graduate. The Library received her book collection and personal memorabilia as a bequest from her estate. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 40 |
| Admiral King Parade - Sweethearts of the Service.jpg | Ernest J. King World War II Victory Parade - Sweethearts of the Service Float | Lorain Journal | September 30, 1945 | Sep 17, 2005 | The Sweethearts of the Service float in the Victory Day Parade. This parade honored native son, Admiral Ernest J. King, and celebrated the end of the war. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 39 |
| Admiral King Parade - Library Float.jpg | Ernest J. King World War II Victory Parade - Library Float | Lorain Journal | September 29, 1945 | Sep 17, 2005 | Lorain Public Librarys float for the Victory Day Parade included the motto: "Nazis burn books, we build with books." This parade honored native son, Admiral Ernest J. King, and celebrated the end of the war. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 38 |
| Admiral King Parade.jpg | Ernest J. King World War II Victory Parade - Admiral King & Ohio Governor | Lorain Journal | September 30, 1945 | Sep 17, 2005 | Native son, Admiral Ernest J. King, is shown being welcomed home after World War II at a Victory Parade held in his honor. Seated with Admiral Ernest J. King are (left to right) Ohio Governor Frank Lausche and Lorain Mayor Harry Van Wagnen.
King, an 1897 graduate of Lorain High School, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1901, and served as the commander in chief of the U. S. fleet and chief of naval operations during World War II.
| Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 37 |
| Lt45.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage - Brownell Avenue | Cleveland Plain Dealer | June 30, 1924 | Sep 13, 2005 | Aftermath of the Lorain Ohio Tornado of June 28, 1924 - The Connor residence on Brownell Avenue was damaged so badly that the family could only try to retrieve whatever valuables were left. | Image provided courtesy of the Cleveland Public Library | Photograph | 36 |
| Lt46.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage - Broadway Avenue | Cleveland Plain Dealer | June 30, 1924 | Sep 13, 2005 | Aftermath of the Lorain Ohio Tornado of June 28, 1924 - This photo shows the extent of the debris trail left on Broadway by the tornado. Many of the items on the street were blown out of the Lorain Hardware store. In this view you can see the 4th Street side of the Peoples Bank on the north side of the street. | Image provided courtesy of the Cleveland Public Library | Photograph | 35 |
| Lt47.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage - First Congregational Church | Cleveland Plain Dealer | June 30, 1924 | Sep 13, 2005 | Aftermath of the Lorain Ohio Tornado of June 28, 1924 - the Congregational Church steeple fell on the #1 Fire Station (located at 4th Street and Washington Avenue). | Image provided courtesy of the Cleveland Public Library | Newspaper Clipping | 34 |
| Lt48.JPG | Tornado Damage in Sandusky | Cleveland Plain Dealer | June 30, 1924 | Sep 13, 2005 | Location of the area seen in this photo is unknown. Our guess is that this is a photo of damage done by the same tornado that touched down in Sandusky before coming to Lorain on June 28, 1924. | Image provided courtesy of the Cleveland Public Library | Photograph | 33 |
| Lt49.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage - East Side | Cleveland Plain Dealer | June 30, 1924 | Sep 13, 2005 | Aftermath of the Lorain Ohio Tornado of June 28, 1924 - a group of east side residents standing in front of their overturned home on Colorado Avenue. They are talking to Henry R. Baker, national Red Cross director. He was taking their applications for relief. | Image provided courtesy of the Cleveland Public Library | Photograph | 32 |
| Lt50.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage - Broadway Avenue | Cleveland Plain Dealer | June 30, 1924 | Sep 13, 2005 | Aftermath of the Lorain Ohio Tornado of June 28, 1924 - This was the Vernon Block west side of north Broadway Avenue the northwest corner of West Erie Avenue and Broadway Avenue. | Image provided courtesy of the Cleveland Public Library | Photograph | 31 |
| Lt51.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage - West Erie Avenue | Cleveland Plain Dealer | June 30, 1924 | Sep 13, 2005 | Aftermath of the Lorain Ohio Tornado of June 28, 1924 - looking west on West Erie Avenue. | Image provided courtesy of the Cleveland Public Library | Photograph | 30 |
| Lt52.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage - Broadway Avenue | Cleveland Plain Dealer | June 30, 1924 | Sep 13, 2005 | Aftermath of the Lorain Ohio Tornado of June 28, 1924 - These furnished rooms, located above storefronts on Broadway, had much more of a main street view than the renters would have desired. | Image provided courtesy of the Cleveland Public Library | Photograph | 29 |
| Lt54.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage - Residential Neighborhood | Cleveland Plain Dealer | June 30, 1924 | Sep 13, 2005 | Aftermath of the Lorain Ohio Tornado of June 28, 1924 - Street address unknown. | Image provided courtesy of the Cleveland Public Library | Photograph | 27 |
| Lt55.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage - Mildred Avenue | Cleveland Plain Dealer | June 30, 1924 | Sep 13, 2005 | Aftermath of the Lorain Ohio Tornado of June 28, 1924 - Although this house on Mildred Avenue was demolished the tornado left a picture hanging on the wall. (See the pointing arrow to note the picture.) | Image provided courtesy of the Cleveland Public Library | Photograph | 26 |
| Lt56.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage - First Congregational Church | Cleveland Plain Dealer | June 30, 1924 | Sep 13, 2005 | Aftermath of the Lorain Ohio Tornado of June 28, 1924 - This was the First Congregational Church at 4th Street and Washington Avenue. Its steeple, seen at the left, toppled over onto the #1 Fire House. | Image provided courtesy of the Cleveland Public Library | Photograph | 25 |
| Lt57.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage - Ore Bridge | Cleveland Plain Dealer | June 30, 1924 | Sep 13, 2005 | Aftermath of the Lorain Ohio Tornado of June 28, 1924 -This was an ore bridge situated on the docks along the Black River, north of the Erie Avenue viaduct. Loss here was estimated at $1,000,000. | Image provided courtesy of the Cleveland Public Library | Photograph | 24 |
| Lt58.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage - State Theater | Cleveland Plain Dealer | June 30, 1924 | Sep 13, 2005 | Aftermath of the Lorain Ohio Tornado of June 28, 1924 - The deaths and injuries in the State Theater happened when two balconies collapsed onto the seats below. This is a view of the Theater from the back of the building. | Image provided courtesy of the Cleveland Public Library | Photograph | 23 |
| Lt59.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage - St. Mary Church | Cleveland Plain Dealer | June 30, 1924 | Sep 13, 2005 | Aftermath of the Lorain Ohio Tornado of June 28, 1924 - the St. Mary's Church building and rectory, on 7th Street, were hard hit by the tornado. The church was so badly damaged that it was razed. The rectory was rebuilt. | Image provided courtesy of the Cleveland Public | Photograph | 22 |
| Lt60.JPG | Lorain Tornado Damage - West Erie Avenue | Cleveland Plain Dealer | June 30, 1924 | Sep 13, 2005 | Aftermath of the Lorain Ohio Tornado of June 28, 1924 - on West Erie Avenue looking west from Allison Avenue toward Lakeview Park. Note that the streetcar's undercarriage still rests on the rails. | Image provided courtesy of the Cleveland Public Library | Photograph | 21 |
| tornado01.jpg | Lorain Tornado Damage - Broadway Avenue | Cleveland Plain Dealer | June 30, 1924 | Sep 13, 2005 | Aftermath of the Lorain Ohio Tornado of June 28, 1924 - looking south on Broadway near the intersection of Broadway and Erie Avenue. The site of the future Heilmans Restaurant is at the right edge of the photo. From the Plain Dealer library, dated July 1, 1924: "A view of Broadway, Lorain's principal business street, taken yesterday afternoon. This street, wrecked by the tornado late Saturday afternoon, was a mass of debris Sunday. Wreckage from demolished and damaged buildings was mingled with broken automobiles and shattered poles. Late yesterday, the pavement and sidewalks were clean and such autos as appear in the picture were parked there, not by the wind, but by man."
For more details about the Lorain Tornado visit this portion of the Lorain Public Library's website.
| Image provided courtesy of the Cleveland Public Library Photograph Collection. | Photograph | 19 |
| Thew Name Plate.JPG | Thew Shovel - Crane Name Plate | Thew Shovel | Circa 1920. | Sep 13, 2005 | Founded in 1895 by a sailor (Captain Richard Thew), Thew Shovel built cranes and steam shovels for use in construction and excavation. Its facilities were in south Lorain, on Twenty-Eighth Street at Fulton Avenue, along the B&O tracks. This name plate, a souvenir from a Thew Shovel crane, included the model number of the crane, which would have been manufactured in the 1920s or later. Thew Automatic Shovel Company was reorganized as the Thew Shovel Division of Koehring Company in 1920.
For further information about Thew Shovel you can visit this website: LIZZIE'S GUIDE TO LORAIN. | Albert C. Doane | Photograph | 18 |
| Berry.jpg | Charles Berry | Lorain Public Library System | mid 1940s | Sep 09, 2005 | Charles Joseph Berry was born July 10, 1923 in Lorain, Ohio. He enlisted in the Marine Corps October 1, 1941. Corporal Berry was killed in action at Iwo Jima on March 3, 1945, when he saved his comrades from an exploding hand grenade by throwing himself upon it. This unhesitating and selfless sacrifice of his life led to the posthumous award of the Medal of Honor.
This portrait is part of a display in the local history collection area at the Lorain Public Library, 351 Sixth Street, Lorain. The Charles J. Berry display was donated to the Library by the Charles J. Berry Memorial Post No. 496 Veterans of Foreign Wars.
For further information about Charles J. Berry, you can visit this Medal of Honor information website.
In February, 2005 a monument in Elmwood Cemetery in Lorain Ohio was dedicated in Berry's honor. The Morning Journal website details that event.
| Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 17 |
| Medal.jpg | Medal of Honor Awarded to Charles J. Berry | Lorain Public Library System | 2002 | Sep 09, 2005 | Charles Joseph Berry was born July 10, 1923 in Lorain, Ohio. He enlisted in the Marine Corps October 1, 1941. Corporal Berry was killed in action at Iwo Jima on March 3, 1945, when he saved his comrades from an exploding hand grenade by throwing himself upon it. This unhesitating and selfless sacrifice of his life led to the posthumous award of the Medal of Honor. This Medal of Honor is part of a display in the local history collection area at the Lorain Public Library, 351 Sixth Street, Lorain. The Charles J. Berry display was donated to the Library by the Charles J. Berry Memorial Post No. 496 Veterans of Foreign Wars. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 16 |
| hist_pic.jpg | Lorain Public Library - Carnegie Building on 10th Street | Lorain Public Library System | 1904 | Sep 03, 2005 | In 1902 the Lorain Library Association notified Andrew Carnegie of the acceptance of his terms for his gift of $30,000 for the erection of a library building in the city of Lorain. The terms required that two conditions be met by the city: a suitable site had to be be provided for erection of the building and the city had to promise to support the library with an annual appropriation amounting to $3,000 or 10% of the cost of the erection of the building.
The Carnegie Public Library building on 10th Street (part of Streator Park) was dedicated on May 20, 1904. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 15 |
| col_new.jpg | Columbia Branch Library | Lorain Public Library System | 2003 | Sep 03, 2005 | In October 2003, the construction of the remodeled and enlarged Columbia Branch Library was completed. A Grand Opening Celebration was held on November 9, 2003. Since then, the community has been able to enjoy the "new" library. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 14 |
| avon.jpg | Avon Branch Library | Lorain Public Library System | 1994 | Sep 03, 2005 | On June 13, 1994, the Lorain Public Library system opened the new Avon Branch Library doors to serve the community in a 10,400 square foot location. The branch is now open seven days a week during the school year to provide a total of 59 hours a week of library service for the community. The new Avon Branch Library has a spacious room available for library programs and community group meetings. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 13 |
| domonkas.jpg | Domonkas Branch Library | Lorain Public Library System | 2003 | Aug 31, 2005 | The city of Sheffield Lake has been served by the Lorain Public Library since 1940. The community was served by a bookmobile for the first 22 of those years. In 1964, the present Domonkas Branch Library was built with $100,000 donated by the late Stephen Domonkas who was a Sheffield Lake resident. The library building, built on land provided by the city of Sheffield Lake, was equipped with a meeting room that could seat 50 people.
In 1985, a trust fund was established by the estate of Ruth and Stephen Domonkas for improvements and expansion of the Domonkas building. In 1998, the parking lot was expanded to provide 41 parking spaces. By March 1989, construction began on the 3,700 square foot addition, which allowed for computerization of library services, expanded reference and audio-visual areas and provided space for expansion of the collection. The addition was opened for service in November 1989.
| Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 12 |
| nridgeville.jpg | North Ridgeville Public Library | Lorain Public Library System | 2004 | Aug 15, 2005 | Thanks to the community's support of an operating levy in November 1999 and the donation of land by the City of North Ridgeville, a 27,500 square foot building was constructed at 35700 Bainbridge Road. This $4.7 million building project was funded through the Library and Local Government Support Fund (LLGSF), borrowed funds using LLGSF tax anticipation notes, and the ability to set aside funds thanks to the passage of a levy by the citizens of North Ridgeville. Grand opening of the new building was May 4, 2003. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 11 |
| cinderella.jpg | Cinderella Curtain Call - Lorain Catholic High School | Valerie Smith | March 25, 2004 | Jul 21, 2005 | Curtain call for the last musical play presented at Lorain Catholic High School. Lorain Catholic High School closed in June, 2004. The school's last musical play, Cinderella, was presented to an appreciative audience, the weekend of March 26, 2004. | Valerie Smith | Photograph | 10 |
| newbkmobile2.jpg | Lorain Public Library System Bookmobile | Lorain Public Library System | 2001 | Jul 21, 2005 | The fifth bookmobile in the Lorain Public Library System's history was delivered in April, 2001. By 2005 the bookmobile's monthly circulation occasionally exceeded the number of items loaned from some of the library system's branch buildings. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 9 |
| new_south2.jpg | South Lorain Branch Library, Lorain Ohio | Lorain Public Library System | 2000 | Jul 21, 2005 | Groundbreaking for the new South Lorain Branch Library was held in March 1999. On March 13, 2000, the new 12,000 square foot building opened to the public. | Lorain Public Library System | Photograph | 8 |
| lighthouse-sail.JPG | Lorain Lighthouse - 2003 | Valerie Smith | May, 2003 | Jul 21, 2005 | A scenic view of the Lorain Lighthouse as seen from Lakeview Park in May, 2003.. | Valerie Smith | Photograph | 7 |