As noted in blog post last week, President Dwight D. Eisenhower had just passed away, and a UPI article tracked the progress of his funeral train across the country. It would be the last time a train carried the body of a president until the death of George H. W. Bush. (Click here to read a good Smithsonian magazine article entitled, “The Somber History of the Presidential Funeral Train.”)
The biggest news was the tragic story of an explosion and fire in a Mexican coal mine that would result in the death of more than 150 miners. According to this Wiki page, it is considered the second worst disaster in Mexico’s coal mining history.
Locally, the big story was that the planned relocation of SR 611 was in jeopardy, because the Ohio Dept. of Highways was not going to accept the new route preferred by Lorain City Council.
What was the route that ODOT preferred? As the article notes, “the recommendation was to relocate the route, which now runs on West 21st Street, over the Henderson Avenue bridge and east on Colorado Avenue, by taking it along West Erie Avenue over a new bridge over the Black River and then building a new limited access highway curving east from East Erie Avenue to the city limits for a linkup with I-90.
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| Map from May 12, 1967 Lorain Journal showing proposed routes of the new SR 611 |
It’s hard to imagine a multi-lane highway running parallel to today’s State Route 611, whether it was located north or south of it. In view of the loss of so many of Lorain's industries, it’s probably just as well that it was never built. The proposal also would have replaced the Bascule Bridge with a new high-level bridge.
So what else was on the front page?
A heartwarming photo of first graders at St. Ladislaus and SS. Cyril and Methodius schools taken by Journal Photographer Terry Thomas graced the upper left hand corner of the front page. The students were wishing Lorain Fireman Elias Lee a Happy Easter. As the photo caption noted, Lee "had a foot amputated fighting a fire near the school and now is recuperating at his home at 1515 W. 19th St., Lorain.
“The children have written to Lee and he has written to them.”
A Chronicle-Telegram account of the fire on January 27, 1969 noted that a flaming wall had collapsed on Lee while he was fighting a fire in the basement of Ralph’s Restaurant. Two other firemen were injured as well.
Apparently Lee's injury did not end his career as a fireman. After his passing on October 7, 1998, his obituary noted that the ex-Marine was employed as a firefighter with the Lorain Fire Department for 32 1/2 years before retiring in 1992.
Wow. Seems to me that highway plan would have severely disfigured east Lorain. And for what? Was there really so much traffic on 611 back then that it was considered necessary? Or were they thinking everything would just keep growing and booming and it would be necessary in the near future? Replace the bascule bridge with a new high-level bridge? How would that have even worked in downtown Lorain?
ReplyDeleteHi Drew,
ReplyDeleteI guess at the time it was all based on the idea that Lorain needed to expand its port facilities into a world-class operation, enabling it to handle more cargo and boost the local economy. Thus a new high-level bridge offering 120-foot clearance for ships would have been needed, and the necessity to connect the improved port to I-90 for distribution of all the expected cargo.
It was a very ambitious idea, but you're right – it would have made a mess out of the East side. Council felt the same way and as a result, it never happened.
Wow! What a coincidence! That’s me, front row, center, in the photo of the Saint Ladislaus 1st grade class. An even bigger coincidence:
ReplyDeleteWhen my son and I were visiting Lorain this past August, my uncle gave me a newspaper clipping of that same article that my late grandmother had saved for so many years. I don’t remember being in the Journal, but I do remember the story of Fireman Lee. Our first grade teacher, Sister Celestine, had us make get well cards and Easter wishes for him. Unfortunately, most of our drawings depicted a fireman surrounded by flames and falling off his ladder. Hopefully, he knew we meant well and wasn’t traumatized by our get well cards.
Saint Ladislaus was on the western border of the urban renewal project you featured last
week. Sadly, St. Lad’s no longer exists. But thanks to you (and my grandmother), the memories live on.
Happy 10th Anniversary to your blog, Dan! You take us back to a Lorain that only exists as a memory. I look forward to to the journey every morning. I wish you and the
great city of Lorain all the best in the future!
Charlie Marko
Los Angeles, CA
Charlie, thanks for the wonderful comment. I really appreciate it.
ReplyDelete