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From Brooklyn Centre Wiki
WIKI for the History of Cleveland's westside
Contents |
Origins
The area of Cuyahoga County west of the Cuyahoga River was originally called Brooklyn. Brooklyn was township number 7 of range 13. [see the article on the Western Reserve for more information on how townships were numbered.]
Brooklyn's northern boundary was Lake Erie, it's eastern boundary was the Cuyahoga River, it's southern boundary was Parma and Independence, and it's western boundary was Rockport.
Pioneers
The westside was known as the Lord and Barber allotment. All settlers would have purchased their land from Samuel P. Lord and Josiah Barber.
The first permanent white settler of Brooklyn was James Fish.
Transitions
1836 - The residents of the northern part of Brooklyn incorporated their area as "The City of Ohio" later more commonly known as Ohio City. (See page 304 of Griswold, S. O., The corporate birth and growth of the city of Cleveland : an address to the Early Settlers' Association of Cleveland Cleveland: Western Reserve and Northern Ohio Historical Society, 1884, 32 pgs.)
1837 - That part of Ohio City that lay south and west of the Barber & Sons allotment became known as Willeyville. Named, no doubt, for John W. Willey, Ohio City's first mayor. It was here that a riot almost occurred over the bridge built across the river at Columbus Street. (See page 305 of Griswold, S. O., The corporate birth and growth of the city of Cleveland : an address to the Early Settlers' Association of Cleveland Cleveland: Western Reserve and Northern Ohio Historical Society, 1884, 32 pgs.)
1864 - Cleveland annexes that part of Brooklyn township that lay north of Walworth Run.
1867 - Cleveland annexes another part of Brooklyn township south of the original "City of Ohio".
1872 - Cleveland annexes more of Brooklyn township.
Street Names
Ever wonder how some streets came to be named what they were? In a lot of cases, streets were named for the property owner or for a member of their family.
A lot of street names were lost forever in 1906 when the city of Cleveland decided to rename all north-south running streets with numbers.
Old Version vs New Version:
- Botany Avenue - Between W.14th St. and W.16th St.
- Denison Avenue
- Foster St. - West 14th St. (between Redman Ave and Denison Ave)
- Gertie St. - West 15th St. (between Redman Ave and Denison Ave)
- Jennings Avenue
- Lookout St. - West 13th St. (between Redman Ave and Denison Ave)
- Redman Avenue - Between W.13th St. and W.15th St.
See Cleveland city code - Section 305
Utilities
1833 - Attempt by Philo Scovill to create the Cleveland Water Company.
1846 - Cleveland Gas Light & Coke Company. Laid gas lines to provide gas for lighting.
1854 - An act is passed to build a water reservoir in the "City of Ohio"
Railroads
1834 - All of the following railroad companies were incorporated:
- Cleveland and Newburgh Railroad Company
- Officers: Aaron Barker, David H. Beardsley, Truman P. Handy, John W. Allen, Horace Perry, Lyman Kendall, and James S. Clarke.
- From the harbor at Cleveland to the eastern terminus near the corner of four townships, Newburgh, Warrensville, Cleveland, and Euclid.
- Rails made of wood. Train powered by a tandem team of two horses.
- Ohio Railroad Company - crossed the state through the lake counties.
- Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad - destination the state line in the general direction of Pittsburgh.
- Cleveland, Columbus & Cincinatti Railroad - destination Cincinatti.
- Cleveland and Warren Railroad - destination Warren.
- Cleveland and Erie Railroad - destination Ravenna and Portage County.
1851 -
- Cleveland, Painseville, & Ashtabula Railroad
- Junction Railroad - from Ohio City to Toledo
- The above two merged to form the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad
1861 - As the need to move around the city became more necessary, several street railways were formed.
- West Side Street Railway - Detroit Street to Superior Street.
1863 -
- St. Clair Street Railroad -
1869 -
- Brooklyn Street Railroad - A streetcar rather than a true railroad. Two miles in length.
1872 -
- Broadway and Newburgh Street Railroad - A streetcar rather than a true railroad.
- Southside Railroad - From Union Depot through Bank Stree, Seneca Street, Scranton Avenue, and Jennings Avenue (modern name W.14th St.)
1874 -
- Superior Street Railroad - From Public Square to Willson Avenue (modern name E.55th St.)
1891
- Cedar and Jenning Line - From Lake View Cemetery to Brooklyn Bridge
References
- "The World's" history of Cleveland : commemorating the city's centennial anniversary, Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland World, 1896, 445 pgs.
