We’ve been talking about Cleveland’s East Side streetcar suburb, Cleveland Heights. Let’s look at the West Side. What became Lakewood’s Clifton Park was founded in 1866 by a group of Cleveland businessmen not, originally, as a suburb but as a resort. This became, and remained popular through the 1870’s and ‘80’s, with swimming beaches, boating, picnic grounds, a dance hall and beer gardens. Although located along the line of what later became the New York Central RR, a steam powered suburban line, the Rocky River RR, was built to provide a better connection with downtown. In 1881 this line was purchased by what became the Nickle Plate RR to gain an entrance into Cleveland, but it continued to operate accommodation trains to the resort. An organization, the Clifton Park Association was created and, in 1884, built the Clifton Club, as a community center., with dining room, ball room and guest rooms.

However, over time resort business dropped off and, beginning in 1894, the Association refocused on developing an up-scale residential community. To design the community, they hired landscape architect Ernest W. Bowditch, who also designed Calhoun’s Euclid Heights project, discussed recently. As the community developed, better transportation was needed, and the Clifton Blvd trolley line arrived in 1902. This line operated on a reserved right of way but was unusual in that, rather than occupying the center of the thoroughfare, the tracks ran along wide tree lawns at either side. Although keeping the roadway clear for other traffic, it could pose a danger for persons entering the street from driveways. At least it left lots of room for automobile lanes after the streetcars were ditched and a major highway was cut through the neighborhood.