Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Early 1960s Lorain Promotional Brochure Part 2

Here's the large map of Lorain (above) that is included in the brochure. Remember how I said it was unbelievable? Well, what else would you call a street map with only six street names on it? Don't bother looking for Leavitt or Meister Roads, or Reid Avenue for that matter – they're not there.

Whoever did the artwork for the map didn't worry about the points of interest listed in the brochure either. The Rose Garden, the Giant Flower Basket, and Admiral King's birthplace are all left off, but BOBS PLACE on the east side is listed prominently.

Want to see the World's Largest Tower Windmill? "Too bad," the mapmaker seems to be saying. "It's off the page somewhere – go find it yourself!"

Moving on, the brochure includes a spread for Recreation.


There's a few interesting items, such as auto racing at Cromwell Park at Root Road and Colorado. Sadly, only the Palace Theater and Rebman's Recreation remain of the listed Lorain recreation establishments.

Lastly, a page lists some facts about the area and lists the area's industries, including both big (American Ship Building, FordNational Tube, Thew Shovel, Fruehauf Trailer Co.) and small (Arvay Potato Chips and Faroh Candy Co.)

It's pretty apparent that what made Lorain such a great place back then was the wide variety of businesses, both large and small in the area. The brochure pretty much drives home why the city in 2012 is in the sad state it is: most of the businesses listed are gone.

Hopefully, Lorain can reinvent itself in the years to come as part of the "Vacationland."

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

When you mentioned Worlds largest Wind Mill, my thoughts went to the one on the edge of Oberlin at Butternut? Also literally laughed out loud at the illustration next to the Stables.

Drew Penfield said...

Yes, I'm curious about that windmill too. Was it the one at Kolbe and Jeager Roads? Doesn't seem like that would qualify as the world's largest.

Anonymous said...

My husbands family moved to the last duplex on Colorado going E. in 58 from Memphis He said they had go cart racing back there and where he had his 1st Sasparilla. I remember fishing rodeos. From there they moved to 113 in front of Lorain Cty Speedway Where he worked the concessions in his youth.