Wikipedia

Euclid Avenue (Cleveland)

Euclid Avenueis a majorstreetinCleveland,Ohio,United States. It runs northeasterly fromPublic SquareinDowntown Cleveland,passingPlayhouse SquareandCleveland State University,toUniversity Circle,theCleveland Clinic,Severance Hall,Case Western Reserve University'sMaltz Performing Arts Center(formerly the Temple Tifereth Israel), Case Western Reserve University andUniversity Hospitals Case Medical Center.The street runs through the suburbs ofEast Cleveland,Euclid,andWickliffe,toWilloughbyas a part ofU.S. Route 20andU.S. Route 6.TheHealthLinebus rapid transitline runs in designatedbus lanesin themedianof Euclid Avenue from Public Square toLouis Stokes Station at Windermerein East Cleveland.

Euclid Avenue
Looking westbound on Euclid Avenue from above E. 9th Street and theSchofield Building.TheSoldiers' and Sailors' Monumentcan be seen in the distance.
Part ofUS 6/US 20/US 322
Length18.9 mi (30.4 km)[1]
LocationCleveland,Ohio
West endUS 6/US 20/US 42/US 322/US 422
SR 3/SR 8/SR 14/SR 43/SR 87atPublic Square
Major
junctions		US 322inUniversity Circle
US 6inEast Cleveland
US 6/SR 84inEuclid
I-90inWickliffe
East endUS 20/SR 174inWilloughby
Construction
Commissioned1815
Sylvester T. Everettmansion on Euclid Avenue (since demolished), designed byCharles F. Schweinfurth

It received nationwide attention from the 1860s to the 1920s for its beauty and wealth, including a string of mansions that came to be known asMillionaires' Row.There are several theaters, banks, and churches along Euclid, as well as Cleveland's oldest extant building, theDunham Tavern.It can be reached through the Healthline.

Millionaires' Row

edit
Homes on Euclid Avenue's "Millionaire's Row" (south side of Euclid Avenue), circa 1870
Advertising postcard (pre-1906) for the R&L Electric Car, taken in front of the Leonard Hanna mansion on Euclid Avenue

In the second half of the 19th century and early in the 20th century, Euclid Avenue was internationally known.Baedeker's Travel Guides called theelm-lined avenue "The Showplace of America", and designated it as a must see for travelers from Europe. The concentration of wealth was unparalleled; the tax valuation of the mansions along "the Avenue" far exceeded the valuation of New York'sFifth Avenuein the late 19th century. Accounts at the time compared it to theAvenue des Champs-ÉlyséesinParisand theUnter den LindeninBerlin.[2]

Euclid Avenue was an elegant showcase for Cleveland's wealthy citizens, who built their high, grand mansions high on a ridge overlookingLake Erie.Set two to five acres back from the avenue, which was paved with Medina sandstone, the mansions seemed to float amid spacious, landscaped grounds.[3]

Families living along "Millionaires' Row"included those ofJohn D. Rockefeller(during the period, 1868–84),[3]Sylvester T. Everett,Isaac N. Pennock I (inventor of the first steel railway car in the US),arc lightinventorCharles F. Brush,George Worthington,Horace Weddell,Marcus Hanna,Ambrose Swasey,Amasa Stone,John Hay(personal secretary toAbraham Lincolnand Secretary of State underWilliam McKinley),Jeptha Wade(Cleveland benefactor and founder ofWestern UnionTelegraph),Samuel Augustus Fuller(steel industrialist),Alfred Atmore Pope(iron industrialist and art collector),Charles E.J. Lang(automobile industrialist),Worthy S. Streator(railroad baron, coal mine developer, and founder of the city ofStreator, Illinois),Mary Corinne Quintrell(clubwoman), andCharles Lathrop Pack.Euclid Avenue's most infamous resident was con artistCassie Chadwick,the wife of Leroy Chadwick, who was unaware that his wife was passing herself off to bankers as the illegitimate daughter of steel magnateAndrew Carnegie.

ArchitectCharles F. Schweinfurthdesigned at least 15 mansions on the street.Samuel Mather'sMansion,built around 1910, "was among the last" to be built on Euclid Avenue.[4]The Mather Mansion remains as part ofCleveland State University,but most of the homes were later demolished.

Christmas shoppers on Euclid Ave. and Ontario St. in the 1950s

Growth of commercial district and decline of Millionaires' Row

edit

Charles Lathrop Packis credited with at least part of the development of Euclid Avenue, on which he lived from about 1888 to the early years of the 20th century, into a thriving business district. According to Eyle, "In 1913, an article about Charles reported that 'inside of ten years...the [one-story, commercial buildings that he had developed at the lower end of Euclid Avenue] have disappeared. In their stead are skyscrapers, great retail establishments, magnificent banks, and a hotel that cost $2,000,000. Much of the land is owned by Mr. Pack and is leased for long periods. He helped to organize the companies which erected the buildings. It is said that his rentals, out of which not a penny is subtracted for taxes or anything else, amount to $100,000 a year."[5]

As Cleveland's commercial district began to push eastward along Euclid Avenue, families moved east towards University Circle. However, southeast of University Circle, the topography of the area rises sharply into what is referred to as "The Heights", and the development ofCleveland HeightsandShaker Heights,along with more efficient means of travel, became more attractive than the increasingly commercialized Euclid Avenue.

By the 1920s, the former "Millionaires' Row" was in decline. During theGreat Depression,many mansions were converted by their owners into rooming houses, which accelerated the decline. In the 1950s, Cleveland'sInnerbelt Freewaycut through the Euclid Avenue neighborhood between downtown and the rail crossing at East 55th Street. By the 1960s, the street that once rivaled Fifth Avenue as the most expensive address in the United States was a two-mile (3 km) long slum of commercial buildings and substandard housing. In the late 1960s,Cleveland CavaliersownerNick Miletiannounced plans to move the basketball club from Euclid Avenue'sCleveland Arenatoa new arenain suburbanRichfield Township.

Playhouse Squarefaces Euclid Avenue.

Legacies and redevelopment

edit

Eight houses from the era remain on Euclid, including theSamuel Matherand Howe mansions owned and used byCleveland State University.One of the most recent to be demolished was theLyman Treadway Mansion,which served as part of theCleveland Museum of Healthfrom the 1930s until it was razed in 2002 for a new museum building.

TheEuclid Avenue Historic Districtis listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.

On August 5, 1914, the American Traffic Signal Company installed a traffic signal system on the corner of East 105th Street and Euclid Avenue, the first traffic light installed in the United States.[6][7]

Theaters of Playhouse Square

edit
Main article:Playhouse Square Center

In their 1949 musicalSouth Pacific,Rodgers and Hammersteinindirectly acknowledged the street's fame. In the script, Captain Brackett sends a grass skirt to one "Amelia Fortuna, 325 Euclid Avenue, Shaker Heights, Cleveland, Ohio". Theaters on Euclid include theAllen Theatre,State Theatre,Ohio Theatre,andPalace Theater.

Recent events

edit
Euclid Avenue during the construction of the Euclid Corridor project

In April 2006, parts of Euclid Avenue were closed to traffic for the filming of a scene from the filmSpider-Man 3.No major stars were on location, but the filming drew thousands of gawkers. Most of the filming involved explosions and destroyed cars, with hired extras walking the sidewalks. The sections of the street that were closed off were redressed to resemble a city street inNew York City,complete with magazine stands and poster-covered walls.[8]

TheGreater Cleveland Regional Transit Authoritycompletely refurbished the western section of Euclid Avenue as part of the Euclid Corridor Transportation Project, which opened fully in 2008. Abus rapid transitline, theHealthLine,now runs from Public Square to theStokes Rapid Transit stationinEast Cleveland,which is the eastern terminus of theRed Linerapid transit route. The refurbishing also entailed development – as of November 2009,more than $3.3 billion worth of completed or proposed urban renewal projects lined the street and surrounding area.[9]

Route designations

edit

Euclid Avenue, originally known as part of theBuffalo Stage Road,[10]has carried various route designations throughout history:

  • Prior to 1923 Euclid Avenue carried Inter-county Route 2 and Main Market Road VI in parts.[11][12]
  • In 1923, when Ohiointroduced the modern numbering system,State Route 2andState Route 15were assigned to Euclid Avenue from Public Square in Cleveland to Mayfield Road in the University Circle neighborhood, and SR 2 was assigned to it from there to Willoughby.[13][14]
  • In 1926 SR 2 was rerouted onto Superior Avenue, leaving Euclid Avenue as only SR 15 from Public Square to Mayfield Road, and undesignated from there to Superior Avenue in East Cleveland.[15][16]
  • In 1927U.S. Route 20replaced SR 2 in most places including along Euclid Avenue, andU.S. Route 322replaced SR 15.[16][17]
  • In 1932U.S. Route 6was added to the US 20 portion from Superior Avenue eastward to Euclid.[18][19]
  • In 1936U.S. Route 6 AlternateandU.S. Route 20 Alternatewere created to run along the US 322 portion from Public Square to Mayfield Road then along the previously undesignated section from there to Superior Avenue.[20][21]
  • In 1950 US 322 was shifted north to run along Superior Avenue and Chester Avenue from Public Square to Euclid Avenue in University Circle. US 322 remains on Euclid Avenue from Chester Avenue to Mayfield Road.[22][23]
  • In 1967 US 20 was removed from Superior Avenue and US 6 and placed on Euclid Avenue from Public Square to Superior Avenue in East Cleveland, replacing Alt. US 6 and Alt. US 20.[24][25]

Landmarks on Euclid

edit

Public Square

edit

East 4th Street District

edit

Nine-Twelve District

edit
The Hickox Building in 1920. Demolished in 1946, the building was located at Euclid and East 9th (today the location of thePNC Center).

East 12th

edit

East 14th St.

edit
GE Chandelier soon after installation in 2014

Playhouse Square

edit

East 17th-East 24th St.

edit

Cleveland State UniversityCampus

edit
  • CSU School of Communication
  • CSU Student Center
  • CSU Main Library/Rhodes Tower
  • Main Classrooms
  • CSU Science Building

East 30th St.

edit
  • WEWS-TV[40][41]
  • Cuyahoga Board of Elections
  • Applied Industrial Technologies
  • Karpinski Engineering

Midtown East 55th St.

edit

East 105th St.

edit

See also

edit

Notes

edit
  • Eyle, Alexandra. 1992.Charles Lathrop Pack: Timberman, Forest Conservationist, and Pioneer in Forest Education.Syracuse, NY: ESF College Foundation, Inc., and College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Distributed by Syracuse University Press. Available:books
  • Wilson, Ella G. 1932.Famous Old Euclid Ave.Cleveland.

References

edit
  1. ^"Euclid Avenue"(Map).Google Maps.RetrievedAugust 5,2015.
  2. ^Theiss, Evelyn (2011-04-03)."The Stockbridge in Cleveland has been sitting proudly on Euclid since the days of Millionaires' Row".The Plain Dealer.Retrieved2011-04-05.
  3. ^abEyle, p. 39
  4. ^Eyle, p. 40
  5. ^Morrow, James B. January 5, 1913. "No sentiment, just plain common sense made him the first active worker for forest conservation",Sunday Plain Dealer,editorial and drama section. Quoted in Eyle, p. 40
  6. ^Sessions, Gordon M. (1971).Traffic devices: historical aspects thereof.Washington: Institute of Traffic Engineers. pp. 27–28.OCLC278619.
  7. ^"New Traffic Signal Installed".The Motorist.Ken Pub. Co: 28–29. August 1914.
  8. ^Ewinger, James (2006-04-17)."Spidey's web to make Euclid Ave., E. 9th sticky".The Plain Dealer.Retrieved2009-07-01.
  9. ^Jarboe, Michelle (2009-11-29)."Cleveland's Euclid corridor project has paved the way to economic development".The Plain Dealer.Retrieved2009-11-30.
  10. ^DeMarco, Laura (July 27, 2009)."More on Cleveland walking tours and history".The Plain Dealer.RetrievedAugust 7,2022.
  11. ^Ohio State Highway Department (June 1918).Highway Map of Ohio(PDF)(Map). 1:500,000. Columbus: Ohio State Highway Department.RetrievedAugust 7,2022.
  12. ^Ohio State Highway Department (July 1919).Highway Map of Ohio Showing Conditions for Travel(PDF)(Map). 1:506,880. Columbus: Ohio State Highway Department.RetrievedAugust 7,2022.
  13. ^Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works (April 1922).Map of Ohio State Highways Showing All Improved Roadways and Indicating System Constructed Under Administration of Gov. Harry L. Davis(PDF)(Map). c. 1:563,200. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works.RetrievedAugust 7,2022.
  14. ^Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works (July 1923).Map of Ohio Showing State Routes(PDF)(Map). 1:760,320. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works.RetrievedAugust 7,2022.
  15. ^Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works (August 1925).Map of Ohio Showing State Routes(PDF)(Map). 1:760,320. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works.OCLC5673562.RetrievedAugust 7,2022.
  16. ^abOhio Department of Highways and Public Works (August 1, 1926).Map of Ohio Showing State Routes(PDF)(Map). 1:760,320. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works.OCLC5673562.RetrievedAugust 7,2022.
  17. ^Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works (June 1, 1927).Map of Ohio Showing State Routes(PDF)(Map). 1:760,320. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways and Public Works.OCLC5673562.RetrievedAugust 7,2022.
  18. ^Ohio Department of Highways (1931).Map of Ohio Showing State Highway System(PDF)(Map). 1:760,320. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways.OCLC5673562,7231737.RetrievedAugust 7,2022.
  19. ^Ohio Department of Highways (1932).Map of Ohio Showing State Highway System(PDF)(Map). 1:760,320. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways.OCLC5673562,7231704.RetrievedAugust 7,2022.
  20. ^Ohio Department of Highways (1935).Official Highway Map of Ohio(PDF)(Map). [1:760,320]. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways.OCLC5673562,54667348.RetrievedAugust 7,2022.
  21. ^Ohio Department of Highways (1936).Official Highway Map of Ohio(PDF)(Map). 1:760,320. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways.OCLC5673562.RetrievedAugust 7,2022.
  22. ^Ohio Department of Highways (1949).Ohio Highway Map(PDF)(Map). 1:633,600. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways.OCLC5673562,13655762.RetrievedAugust 7,2022.
  23. ^Ohio Department of Highways (1950).Ohio Highway Map(PDF)(Map). 1:633,600. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways.OCLC5673562,7448760.RetrievedAugust 7,2022.
  24. ^Ohio Department of Highways (1966).Official Highway Map(PDF)(Map). c. 1:563,200. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways.OCLC5673562.RetrievedAugust 7,2022.
  25. ^Ohio Department of Highways (1967).Official Highway Map(PDF)(Map). c. 1:563,200. Columbus: Ohio Department of Highways.OCLC5673562,7444249.RetrievedAugust 7,2022.
  26. ^Bullard, Stan (November 17, 2008)."Huntington moving to 200 Public Square".Crain's Cleveland Business.RetrievedSeptember 1,2015.
  27. ^Perkins, Olivera (June 3, 2011)."New sign on Public Square: Huntington Bank regional headquarters".The Plain Dealer.Cleveland, Ohio.RetrievedSeptember 1,2015.
  28. ^McFee, Michelle Jarboe (June 22, 2011)."200 Public Square skyscraper for sale in downtown Cleveland".Cleveland.Advance Publications.RetrievedSeptember 1,2015.
  29. ^Dave Davis (April 6, 2011)."Gifts to renovate Soldiers and Sailors Monument sit in bank while county awaits repayment".The Plain Dealer.cleveland.RetrievedSeptember 1,2015.
  30. ^"Arcade".Encyclopedia of Cleveland History.Case Western Reserve University.RetrievedSeptember 1,2015.
  31. ^"East 4th & Arcades".clevelandgatewaydistrict.Archived fromthe originalon September 26, 2015.RetrievedSeptember 1,2015.
  32. ^Cindi, Szymanski (January 14, 2014)."PlayhouseSquare Announces GE Lighting as Major Supporter of Neighborhood Transformation and Exclusive Chandelier Sponsor"(PDF)(Press release). PlayhouseSquare. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on May 3, 2014.RetrievedMay 3,2014.
  33. ^Simakis, Andrea (May 2, 2014)."Chandelierious! Dazzle the District Lights the Way to New Era for Playhouse Square".The Plain Dealer.RetrievedMay 3,2014.
  34. ^"Innerbelt Freeway".'Encyclopedia of Cleveland History.Case Western Reserve University.RetrievedSeptember 1,2015.
  35. ^"Cleveland Restoration Society: About Us - Contact Us".clevelandrestoration.org.Archived fromthe originalon 2018-05-17.Retrieved2018-05-16.
  36. ^"CLEVELAND-MARSHALL LAW SCHOOL".The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History.Case Western Reserve University.RetrievedSeptember 2,2015.
  37. ^Earnest, G. Brooks (1974).History of Fenn College.Cleveland, Ohio: The Fenn Educational Fund ofthe Cleveland Foundation.pp. 718 (total).
  38. ^"History".Trinity Cathedral. Archived fromthe originalon September 19, 2015.RetrievedSeptember 2,2015.|work=trinitycleveland.org|publisher=Trinity Cathedral
  39. ^"The Edge on Euclid".
  40. ^"NewsChannel5's first 60 years".WEWS-TV.E. W. Scripps Company.Archived fromthe originalon September 5, 2015.RetrievedSeptember 2,2015.
  41. ^"WEWS (Channel 5)".The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History.Case Western Reserve University.RetrievedSeptember 2,2015.

Further reading

edit

Cigliano, Jan (1991).Showplace of America: Cleveland's Euclid Avenue, 1850-1910.Kent, Ohio:Kent State UniversityPress.ISBN0-87338-445-8.

edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related toEuclid Avenue (Cleveland).

41°30′14″N81°36′42″W/ 41.504007°N 81.611555°W/41.504007; -81.611555

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Euclid_Avenue_(Cleveland)&oldid=1258921206"