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From Brooklyn Centre Wiki
WIKI for the History of Cleveland's westside
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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.
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.
Neighborhoods
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.
For instance, West 15th Street between Redman Avenue and Denison Avenue was originally called Gertie Street. The property owner, Leonard Foster, named the street after his deceased young daughter, Gertrude.
West 13th Street, also between Redman Avenue and Denison Avenue, was originally called Lookout Street. In this case, it wasn't a family name that was used, but rather a reference to the view across the valley. The area may have been frequented by Indians prior to and for a time after the pioneers arrived here in the early 1800's. The Indians were known to use these prominent bluffs to watch out for their enemies.
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.
From the city code:
Section 305.01 Street Suffixes
All thoroughfares in the section bounded by Lake Erie, easterly City limits, Euclid Avenue and Ontario Street, except numbered streets shall have the suffix N.E., meaning northeast, added to the name of the thoroughfare. All thoroughfares in the section bounded by Euclid Avenue, the easterly City limits, southerly City limits to the River, the River to Canal Street extended, Canal Street to Huron Street and Ontario Street except numbered streets shall have the suffix S.E., meaning southeast, added to the name of the thoroughfare. All thoroughfares in the section bounded by Lake Erie, Ontario Street to Huron Street, Huron Street to the River, the River south to the Cincinnati Slip, from Cincinnati Slip west to Lorain Street, Lorain Street, to the City limits, the west City limits to Lake Erie, except numbered streets shall have the suffix N.W., meaning northwest, added to the name of the thoroughfare. All thoroughfares in the section bounded by Ontario Street by way of Vinegar Hill to Canal Street, Canal Street to the River, the River south to the southerly City limits, the southerly City limits and westerly City limits to Lorain Street, Lorain Street to the River at Cincinnati Slip and north along the River to Huron Street, except numbered streets, shall have the suffix S.W., meaning southwest, added to the name of the thoroughfare.
Section 305.02 Classification of Thoroughfares
As used in this chapter, "thoroughfare" means all ways used or opened for public travel, whatever their present designation. All thoroughfares running in a general east and west direction shall be called avenues. All thoroughfares running in a general north and south direction shall be called streets. All diagonal thoroughfares shall be called roads. All short or disconnected thoroughfares running in a general north and south direction shall be called places. All short or disconnected thoroughfares running in a general east and west direction shall be called courts. All curved thoroughfares shall be called drives.
Section 305.03 Building Numbering
In general, one number on each side of the thoroughfare will be allowed for each twenty feet in the residence section of the City, and ten feet in the business section of the City. Even numbers shall be placed on the right hand of all thoroughfares, progressing with the numbers, all odd numbers on the left hand. All avenues and courts will be numbered in blocks, the first number in each being the 100 corresponding to the street number at the beginning of the block, blocks running in the same direction as street numbers. The house numbers on streets and places shall in general be continuous from north to south, and so arranged that numbers on parallel streets will be in the same block. All streets and places north of Euclid Avenue between Ontario Street and the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Mayfield Road S.E. shall be numbered from 1999 at Euclid Avenue, backward.
All streets and places north of Mayfield Road S.E. shall be numbered from 1999 at Mayfield Road S.E. backward. All streets and places south of Euclid Avenue between Ontario Street and the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Mayfield Road S.E. shall be numbered from 2000 at Euclid Avenue, then upward progressing southerly. All streets and places south of Mayfield Road S.E. shall be numbered from 2000 at Mayfield Road S.E. then upward progressing southerly. All streets and places north of Lorain Avenue between the Cuyahoga River and West 58th Street shall be numbered from 1999 at Lorain Avenue backward. All streets and places north of Madison Avenue N.W. between West 58th Street and the westerly City limits shall be numbered from 1999 at Madison Avenue N.W. backward. All streets and places south of Lorain Avenue between the Cuyahoga River and West 58th Street shall be numbered from 2000 at Lorain Avenue upward, progressing southerly. All streets and places south of Madison Avenue N.W. between West 58th Street and the westerly City limits shall be numbered from 2000 at Madison Avenue N.W. upward progressing southerly.
The Public Square shall be numbered beginning at the west intersection of Superior Avenue, the even numbers around the south half of the Square, one number for each ten feet, and the odd numbers around the north half of the Square for each ten feet.
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
Source: "The World's" history of Cleveland : commemorating the city's centennial anniversary, Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland World, 1896, 445 pgs.
