Cleveland's Bygone Millionaire's Row Comes to Willoughby Hills on September 28th. An Evening Program about Life on the Avenue.

A stretch of Cleveland street on Euclid Avenue (US Route 20) was once the most beautiful street in America.  From the late 1860's through the early 1920's, the richest and most influential men in Ohio and the country lived east of Cleveland's University Circle.  Their homes celebrated the Gilded Age of Cleveland.  Some of the names that dotted Millionaire's Row included John D. Rockefeller, George Worthington, Charles F. Brush, Samuel Mather, and Jeptha Wade.  Others included Marcus Hanna, John Hay, Dr. Worthy S. Streator, and the infamous Cassie Chadwick.  Architect Charles Steinfurth designed 15 of these famous mansions, the Mather mansion located on the CSU campus being the last.  Sadly, most of these homes have been lost to history.  Some industrialists had their homes razed at the time of their deaths.  The Great Depression re-purposed some.  Local expansion carved into some mansion properties.  Dunham Tavern and Forest Hills Park ( gifted to East Cleveland by Rockefeller) remain as some of the oldest tributes to Cleveland's early history.

The Willoughby Hills Historical Society, Willoughby Historical Society and Willoughby Hills Public Library have joined together to co-sponsor an evening program about this bygone era in Cleveland history.  It will be held this Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 6:30pm in the O'Ryan Room at the Willoughby Hills Community Center.  The program is titled Who (and What) Built Cleveland's Millionaire's Row?  The program will feature an illustrated talk about the builders of the mansions.  Additionally, the lecture will move downstairs and examine those that helped run the mansions.  Finally, personal tidbits about life on the Avenue and some local lore will close out the program.  The event is free but it is necessary to register prior to the event.  Call 440-942-3362 to reserve your place at this Millionaire's Row retrospective.