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Parma Heights, Ohio Centennial 1911-2011

Presentation by Ken Lavelle

Friday, November 11,

2011

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Local Political Authority Introduction Timeline

Cuyahoga County Commissioners 1810 -

2010

Parma Township 1826 - 1924

Parma Train Station CL&W Depot 1895

Parma Heights Village 1911-1956

Parma Village 1924 - 1931

City of Parma 1931 - Present

City of Parma Heights 1957 - Present

Cuyahoga County Council District No. 4

2011 - Present

Local Mayors John 1912 -1913

E.W. Denison 1914-1917

Edwin Heffner 1918-1921

J. B. McCrea 1922-1924

Vernon Croft 1925-1932

F. F. Theobald 1933-1934

W. D. Uhinck 1935-1944

George Busch 1945-1950

Frank Breen 1951-1952

Grant Morgenstern 1953-1954

Roy Cappallo 1955-1956 06/05/10 3

Local Mayors Paul Cassidy 1957-2000

Martin Zanotti 2001-2010

Michael Byrne 2010-

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06/05/10 5 5 Mayor Mayor Cassidy Mayor Zanotti

Mayor Stadler Mayor Hefner Mayor McCrea Mayor Busch

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Robert P. Sepik was elected to City Council in 2001 and elected to President of Council in 2010. He currently serves on the Finance and Recreation Committees as well as the Ad-Hoc Committee for the Parma Heights Senior Center. Bob has been a Parma Heights resident since 1996. Lesley A. DeSouza has been a member of City Council since 2003. She was elected to President Pro-Tem in 2010. Lesley currently serves as Chairwoman of the Finance Committee. She also serves on the Police, Fire and Safety Committee, and the Ad-Hoc Committee for the Parma Heights Senior Center. She moved to Parma Heights in 1954.

Jim McCall was elected to City Council in 2006. He currently serves as Chairman of the Parma Heights Recreation Committee and Chairman of the Utilities, Streets, and Sidewalks Committee. Jim has been a Parma Heights resident since 1989. Source: website for

The City of Parma Heights

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Robert Verdile was appointed to City Council in 2008. He previously served on City Council for 14 years. He currently serves as Chairman of the Ad-Hoc Committee for Community Development, the Recreation Committee and is Council Representative on the Planning Commission. Bob attended Dyke College, is a past president of the Chamber of Commerce, serves as a member of the Parma Hospital Health Care Foundation Board and is a United States Army veteran. He has been a resident of Parma Heights for 48 years. JoAnn Koch was elected to serve on City Council in 2010. She currently serves on the Utilities, Streets, and Sidewalk Committee and the Ad-Hoc Committee for Community Development. She graduated from James Ford Rhodes High School in 1969 and from Kent State University in 1973 with a Bachelors of Fine Arts Degree - Graphics and Advertising. JoAnn and her husband Fred are parents of two and have been homeowners in Parma Heights since 1975.

Source: website for The City of Parma Heights

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Ralph Kolasinski was elected to serve on City Council in 2008. He currently serves on the Parma Heights Police, Fire and Safety Committee,the Ad-Hoc Committee for Community Development, and as Council Representative on the Recreation Commission. From 1990 to February of 2009, Ralph served as a trial attorney in the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office and in February of 2009, was promoted to the position of Region Supervisor. The Kolasinski family have been residents of Parma Heights since 1985. Marie Gallo was appointed to serve on City Council in July 2010. She currently serves on the Police, Fire and Safety Committee and on the Utilities, Streets and Sidewalks Committee. As the former Clerk of Council for the City of Parma Heights, she worked for the residents by providing guidance and resolving issues on a daily basis. Marie is a graduate of Holy Name High School, and she has a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice from Baldwin-Wallace College. She has been a resident of Parma Heights since 2001. Source: website for The City of Parma Heights

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Parma Heights voters elected ward, at-large council representatives in November 2011. Ward 1 – Ralph Kolasinki Ward 2 – Lesley DeSouza Ward 3 – Joann Koch Ward 4 – Marie Gallo At-Large – Jim McCall At-Large – Bob Verdile At-Large - Anthony Stavole

Local Cuyahoga County Council District No. 4 Elected Members Regionalism

Chuck Germana 2011-

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Topics of Discussion Local Historical Sites

Local Historical Markers

Local Landmarks

Local Stagecoach Routes

Local Roads and Early Toll Roads

Local Mayors

Local Schoolhouse

Local Planned C. B. & E. Electrical

Ry. 1908 routes along Wooster Pike:

South at & on York Rd to Zanesville,

Southwest on Wooster Pike to Elyria.

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Down arrow indicates the general direction for the proposed interurban from Cleveland in 1907 and 1915.

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Parma and Parma Heights were both rural country farming communities south of Cleveland, Ohio

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Parma Airport indicated on this 1949 map

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Parma Airport

Parma Airport

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1953 map

Local Roads Wooster Pike became Pearl Road

York Road, Olde York Road

Settlement Road became W. 130th

Snow Road

Stumpf Road became Stumph Rd

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Parma Heights Historical Village

and City Population Figures

Census Pop. %±

1920 310 —

1930 960 209.7%

1940 1,330 38.5%

1950 3,901 193.3%

1960 18,100 364.0%

1970 27,192 50.2%

1980 23,064 −15.2%

1990 21,448 −7.0%

2000 21,659 1.0%

2008 19,757 -8.8%

2010

2020

2030

Farms 8 + 8 7 2 0

20,718 -4.3%

2040

Asa Emerson House 1822 along Wooster Pike 1832 Photograph. 6103 Pearl Road

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K.K. Hodgman House along the Wooster Pike 1840’s 5969 Pearl Rd

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The Reinhardt - Schultz Residence Circa 1937 6461 Pearl Road

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Gilchrist House 6515 York Road Parma Ohio Photo 1936

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Robert W. Henry House along Wooster Pike 1850 6607 Pearl Road

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Henry Home is on the National Register of Historical places

Robert W. Henry House Photo 1934

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Bonnybrook Barn 1973 Photo Pearl & Stumph Road

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Old Stone Tavern 1817 - 1959

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6108 Pearl Road, Parma Heights, Ohio 44130

Old tree next door to Parents’ House on Pearl Road until October 2011

First Pres. Church of Parma, Ohio Along Wooster Pike 1926

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The historic brick road began just South of the old Brooklyn & Parma Toll Road Booth in Parma, Ohio.

This is a 1907 photo of the B&P Plank Road Toll Booth from the Historical Society of Parma Heights

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Parma Township District No. 9 Schoolhouse

First Schoolhouse in Parma Twp. was in The Parma Cemetery1826-1841. Log cabin destroyed by fire.

Parma Twp. Schoolhouse No 1 (1841-1921)

Parma Twp. School No. 7

Parma Post Office

Fay Homestead

Stagecoach Stop Hotel

1850s toll gate

Temperance Hall Parma Heights Village Hall Parma Grange Hall No. 1732

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Parma Grange Hall

Members of Parma Grange No.1732 in 1917

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Early Schoolhouse Site

Location of Old No. 9 Schoolhouse

along Wooster Pike (Pearl Road)‏

South of York Rd (now Olde York)‏

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New Town Hall? Near No. 9 Twp. School

Parma Heights Board of Education Parma Township Schoolhouse No. 9 Hu

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Site of No. 9 Schoolhouse next to Parma Heights Village Hall

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Old No. 9 Schoolhouse

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New Town Hall?

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Detroit - Cleveland

Defense Area

Site CL-59 - Parma/Midpark Station

Unit: 7/56 - 9/58, HHB, 351st USA 7/56 - 9/58, Battery B, 351st USA

9/58 - 8/61, HHB, 1st Battalion, 68th USA 9/58 - 8/61, Battery B, 1st

Battalion, 68th USA Activation Date: July 1956 De-activation Date: 1961 IFC Area: GPS: +41° 22' 14", -81° 45' 31" Launch Area: GPS: +41° 21' 49", -81° 45' 57" Radar(s): LOPAR Missiles: 30 Ajax Magazine(s): 1

type B, 2 type C Launchers: 12 Ajax Current Status: Comments:

CL-59 Aerial Photo of Nike Site as seen in 1959.

http://nikehercules.tripod.com/cl-59.html Parma Heights Histsorical

Society website.

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The Wooster Pike was a route along the Underground Railroad in the 1830s and 1840s. The illegal activity was a secret one and few details were written down. Parma Twp. was known to help the runaway slaves. They were fed, hidden in a barn and in an underground tunnel near the Old Stone Tavern that led to Countryman’s Creek as they waited for transport by wagon at night. The next underground station stop was Cleveland, which was called “Hope”, where the runaway slaves boarded ships to travel to Canada. Routes for the runaway slaves changed as the local slave hunters and U.S. Marshals learned of the routes. An Ohio Historical marker in Strongsville, Ohio was erected in 2003 to document the route there from Strongsville to Berea when the route changed along the Wooster Pike. The County Sheriff had learned of the location of the underground tunnel in Parma Twp. at the Old Stone Tavern and had it destroyed by blasting the exit near Countryman’s Creek. The next slide shows the generally known routes used in the 1850s. Several local taverns were stations along the Wooster Pike in the 1830s mentioned in local history books for Parma, Middleburg Heights, and Strongsville, Ohio. State and Federal laws were enacted to return runaway slaves to their masters since slaves were not citizens, but property for the slave owners who lived in other states. Ohio did not allow slavery and did not encourage its citizens to help runaway slaves escape to freedom.

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The Wooster Pike was a route along the Underground Railroad in the 1830s and 1840s. The illegal activity was a secret one and few details were written down. Parma Twp. was known to help the runaway slaves. They were fed, hidden in a barn and in an underground tunnel near the Old Stone Tavern that led to Countryman’s Creek as they waited for transport by wagon at night. The next underground station stop was Cleveland, which was called “Hope”, where the runaway slaves boarded ships to travel to Canada. Routes for the runaway slaves changed as the local slave hunters and U.S. Marshals learned of the routes. An Ohio Historical marker in Strongsville, Ohio was erected in 2003 to document the route there from Strongsville to Berea when the route changed along the Wooster Pike. The County Sheriff had learned of the location of the underground tunnel in Parma Twp. at the Old Stone Tavern and had it destroyed by blasting the exit near Countryman’s Creek. The next slide shows the generally known routes used in the 1850s. Several local taverns were stations along the Wooster Pike in the 1830s mentioned in local history books for Parma, Middleburg Heights, and Strongsville, Ohio. State and Federal laws were enacted to return runaway slaves to their masters since slaves were not citizens, but property for the slave owners who lived in other states. Ohio did not allow slavery and did not encourage its citizens to help runaway slaves escape to freedom.

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Underground Railroad trails led runaway slaves to Lake

Erie ports to escape to Canada 1820-1861

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The Pomeroy House, built from 1847 to 1848, was the home of Alanson Pomeroy and his wife, Kezia. They continued the tradition, known as "Pomeroy Hospitality," that began when Alanson's parents established a tavern in Strongsville. Prominent in the community, Alanson served as township trustee and Justice of the Peace in Strongsville Township, and was a leader in the Congregational Church. Oral tradition holds that the Pomeroy House served as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Runaway slaves were brought from Oberlin, often concealed under bales of hay in wagons, and hidden in the cellar of the house until they could be safely taken to Rocky River. From there, the fugitives boarded ships headed to Canada. The Pomeroy House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was restored in 1979 and opened as Don's Pomeroy House restaurant in 1980.

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One Known Underground Railroad Station Stop.

Old Stone Tavern was another known Underground Railroad Stop.

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First Rural Brick Road In U.S. Ohio Historical Marker

Additional Background

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The deplorable conditions of the nation’s roads had

great public concern in the late nineteenth century

with the invention of the bicycle and later the motor

car. In the early 1890's bicycle clubs in the United

States pushed hard for road improvements. These

efforts brought about the "National League for Good

Roads" in 1892. Continued dissatisfaction with the

conditions of the nations roads resulted in the creation

of the "Office of Road Inquiry" by Congress in 1893.

A test road was built in Parma, Ohio at York Street

along the Wooster Pike. It was one of three in

Cuyahoga County, O. and later more brick roads were

built since it proved successful.

First Rural Brick Road In U.S. Ohio Historical Marker

Additional Background

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The deplorable conditions of the nation’s roads had

great public concern in the late nineteenth century

with the invention of the bicycle and later the motor

car. In the early 1890's bicycle clubs in the United

States pushed hard for road improvements. These

efforts brought about the "National League for Good

Roads" in 1892. Continued dissatisfaction with the

conditions of the nations roads resulted in the creation

of the "Office of Road Inquiry" by Congress in 1893.

A test road was built in Parma, Ohio at York Street

along the Wooster Pike. It was one of three in

Cuyahoga County, O. and later more brick roads were

built since it proved successful.

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Parma Heights Water Facility Water Reservoir Built between 1933-1937

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Aerial Map From Ebay

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Parma Heights, Ohio

Good Historical Area Sources: Historical Markers, Newspapers, Local Residents, Elected Officials, Your County Archives and Library, Visit Your Local Historical Society, Maps and City Directories. Books by local authors.

This is the end of

the slideshow.

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