After our fun in Medina, we then headed to Brunswick, where we stopped at another cemetery that we have often driven past, right in the center of town. It is apparent that this cemetery had been forgotten by time. Brunswick, growing from small rural township, to bustling and ever-growing suburb has grown all around this little piece of land, slowly creeping in on it's territory. In the past year or so, there has been a bit of a rebirthing project that has started. There is a new gazebo that is a work in progress, and we only hope that this is the start of some very much needed TLC to this lovely little cemetery. It is worth mentioning that we were very surprised at the age of some of the grave markers in this cemetery. Although the sign at the entrance said that the cemetery was founded in the 1830's, there were a number of markers that pre-date that period by 10 or so years. The earliest marker that we saw was dated 1820. That makes this cemetery one of the oldest that we have seen in the area-- quite old for the Western Reserve!
After the cemetery in Brunswick, we decided to check off one of the Ohio Historical markers on our list... #4-52 Heritage Farm. This location absolutely broke our hearts! This location has been shut down indefinitely due to safety issues with the farm house on the property. The house has fallen into disrepair. I believe that there is a major structural issue with the home that will be extremely expensive to be repaired, not to mention the fact that there are a number of cosmetic issues, including an entire house covered with peeling paint! It's a true shame, as this property is simply wonderful... it is a perfect example of a typical Western Reserve farmstead... the barn, the corn crib, the outhouse! Such a great little property. So sad that it is in such disrepair. It's tragic properties like this that make me wish that I was a billionaire and could sponsor a major renovation project. The Brunswick Historical Society has updated their website with some of the details pertaining to the state of Heritage Farm. If you would like to help Brunswick save Heritage Farm, I urge you to visit their website.
After visiting Heritage Farm, we decided to head back into Berea/Middleburg Hts. to catch some of the markers that we had missed on our first visit. We were heading to the Old District 10 Schoolhouse in Middleburg, when we made a happy mistake. A wrong turn took us to the Berea Union Depot- Marker #43-18. What a great old building! It is so unusual... one of those rare treasures that has some how survived the test of time. After the Depot closed as functioning train depot, it sat unused until it was turned into a restaurant in the 1980s. The restaurant has now closed, and the building sits, sadly forgotten. I would love to see something great happen here. A building as great as this deserves special care and attention!
After the depot, we started to head over to the old schoolhouse. En route, we were distracted by a teeny-tiny cemetery, so we stopped. The cemetery (at Eastland and Sheldon Rds. in Middleburg Hts.) belongs to the St. Paul Lutheran church in Berea, and it is slowly being gobbled up by road projects and the railroad. There were a handful of recent interments, but for the most part, it was mainly older graves. The cemetery is in poor shape. It looks like there may have been some vandalism at some point, as well as just general effects of time and of being so near polluting industry, etc, wearing on the surfaces of the grave markers. It made us sad to see so many head stones in disrepair, but also to see that the cemetery is slowly being eaten up, little by little by newly widened road.
We FINALLY made it to the Old District 10 Schoolhouse (AKA "Little Red Schoolhouse"), Marker #6-18. I think it is safe to say that this is the most tragic of our destinations for the day. This poor little schoolhouse looks so tired. It sits, seemingly forgotten, except by the vandals, watching the world pass it by. The city and the Middleburg Heights Historical Society wants to save the schoolhouse, but do not have the funds to do so. Again, here is another project that if I were a billionaire.........but alas, I am not. I have contacted MHHS to see how we can help save The Little Red Schoolhouse. I will keep you updated on my findings.
We left the schoolhouse and headed into Parma Heights to photograph Marker #49-18, First Rural Brick Road in the US. Located at the corner of Pearl and Old York Rd in the front yard of the Marathon Station, it commemorates the starting point of the first brick rural road. We thought that it was really neat that such a place has been commemorated, but then we thought, "how many people drive past this sign everyday and have no idea that it even exists!" Well, friends, you now know it exists! If you ever find your way into Parma Hts, stop and enjoy a small glimpse into our past! While in Parma Hts., we decided to make a stop at Pearl Rd. Elementary, a beautiful old school (built in 1921) that will be closing after school lets out this year as part of the Parma City School District's consolidation program. Both of us were students in the PCSD, and are saddened to hear that so many of the elementary schools will be closing at the end of this year. In 2010, Parma bulldozed its first high school, which had been serving as its board of education building. It was such a great old building, and we are sad that we never got to document it in photos. We want to be sure that that does not happen to us again, so just in case , we documented Pearl Rd. Elementary (one can never have too many old building photos!!). Plus, one of my dearest friends is an alumna of Pearl Rd, so I was thinking of you A. E. H.! We also decided to make a stop at another old cemetery, Parma Heights Cemetery, which is still in use. It's a little one, but is in rather good shape. It's quite an interesting cemetery-- an almost perfect blend of old and new. There is also a marker that denotes the original location of the first Parma Schoolhouse, which was a pleasant little surprise :) It was the day of forgotten schoolhouses, I guess! It was great to take our little impromptu trip into Parma Heights. How we miss it! (We were married in Parma Heights, and I went to school in Parma Heights...)
We then continued north on Pearl and headed into PARMA! Our old stomping grounds!! Mark grew up on the south end of Parma, and I on the north end of Parma. We returned to my old neighborhood to photograph a historical marker that was erected long after my family moved out of Parma. Marker #91-18, Parma's Birthplace, located at the corner of Pearl and Ridge (in front of the new Rite Aid). I remember the very cool building that used to occupy the spot prior to the new Rite Aid. It was built some time in the 1920s (if I'm not mistaken) and served as a drug store for a long period of time, and I remember it when it served as a dental office. It was torn down sometime after 2001 (after I had moved away) and has been replaced with a giant "cookie cutter" Rite Aid building. Not so cool. I would have to say, and not just because I grew up in this part of Parma, that this is (read: was) the most interesting part of Parma. One can still see some of the old store fronts that once existed here. We documented our favorite, which now stands empty. Slowly, one by one, the old store fronts and buildings are disappearing, left to exist only in one's memory.
We have more to share from our exploits today, but I will save that for tomorrows blog. I have already managed to write a novel here! Don't forget to check out the photos!
Thanks friend,
:) ABCS