The tracks run under the U. S. Route 6 highway overpass, which is directly across from my windows that face north. It makes my condo a great place to do some serious trainspotting once the leaves have all fallen.
Here's a view of my condo building from the southern end of the lake looking north. You can see the Route 6 (Liberty Avenue) overpass in the background.
Anyway, it's interesting to me that I live so close to what used to be a very dangerous railroad crossing before the overpass was built. Making it even worse was the fact that the Lakeshore Electric Railway crossed the highway in the same area, making it double trouble for Route 6 motorists.
I wrote about this dangerous crossing back here in 2010.
Here’s a vintage photo of it from that post (copied from the book Lake Shore Electric Railway by Thomas J. Patton with Dennis Lamont and Albert Doane). The view is looking east. My condo building would be on the hill to the right.
And here’s something I didn’t have when I did that 2010 post: a photo of the crossing looking west. The August 1927 photo was on Ebay a few years ago.
The caption pasted on the back of the photo reads, “Railroad brakemen are accustomed to “ducking” when their head hits the ropes that dangle over a track near a low bridge. But on the road between Lorain and Vermilion, O., it is the autoist who takes notice. The suspended ropes tell him there is a railroad crossing near.”
And here’s a “now” view of the same area, a Pit’s-eye view of the Route 6 highway overpass looking west.
Speaking of the Pit, I’ll be doing a multi-part post on it very soon!
Historian and archivist Dennis Lamont has informed me that indeed there was a quarry at that site. Here's a portion of an 1896 township map (courtesy of Dennis) showing the area south of the railroad crossing as being associated with the Cleveland Stone Company.
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UPDATE (Jan. 7, 2020)Historian and archivist Dennis Lamont has informed me that indeed there was a quarry at that site. Here's a portion of an 1896 township map (courtesy of Dennis) showing the area south of the railroad crossing as being associated with the Cleveland Stone Company.
7 comments:
That small lake you referred to I believe is a quarry. In the 70's it was well hidden. We used to sneak in and swim. There was a vine you could swing on and jump off it was a blast. However it was deep water, no where to stand. You had a to be a good swimmer. My Mother was always warning me about swimming in those quarries.(she as a youth swam to the lighthouse. Something I never did.) In truth I swam in them all over the county and on Kellys Island. Thank you Mr. Monos. Rae
Wow - great post! Spent a lot of time in vermilion as a kid!
I never thought that the small lake could be a quarry. I just assumed that it was a "barrow pit" that supplied the earth needed to build the raised access for the railroad overpass. If you notice when driving the Ohio turnpike there is a small lake or pond near virtually every overpass that was built. However the small lake occurred it now obviously provides a nice setting for your condo Dan!
Rick, I agree. Its just we called it. I also swam in those ponds, one that became Jellystone Park Campgound along route 2/90. Not sure that still exists. We even took our horses swimming in that one lol. Rae
Another great Vermilion post would be about the old Burger Chef that used to exist...i believe it burned down years ago... it was around the same location as burger king is now... but not the exact location.
A 10 year old girl from East 33rd (west of Elyria Avenue) street drowned in the pond back in the early 70's. We were afterwards told that one had to be a strong swimmer to swim that pond.
I don't think I'll be swimming in that swamp hole of death.
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