Suburban Lorain Growth Spurt – May 7, 1951

Here’s an interesting article by Doug Moore that appeared in the Lorain Journal back on May 7, 1951 – 70 years ago this month. It provides an early 1950s snapshot of the area surrounding Lorain, when new houses were beginning to pop up everywhere.

As the article notes, “One of the fastest-growing parts of suburban Lorain is the area just west and south of the city.

“New houses there are springing up so fast that one can scarcely drive a mile on any of the roads south of the city without seeing the foundation or skeleton of a new house going up.

“A row of houses on Broadway past Penfield Junction or on Meister-rd west of Oberlin-av is not like the development type community where houses vary only in color and in minor construction details. Here as in some other areas south of the city, each house has its own personality – each is set apart from the house next door and each is one an American family will make into a dream home.

“Many of the owners are building their own houses. Among the others, seldom does one see houses side by side done by the same contractor.

“As these enterprising people build their homes, they are adding both beauty and value to suburban Lorain.”

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Today, the 1950s concept of 'suburban Lorain’ doesn’t seem applicable any more. Over the years, houses have replaced farmland to the point where it really is one big, continuous city.

The article does make a good observation about how families were building their own houses (as opposed to being part of a planned development) and consequently created neighborhoods with much variety in home styles. 

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I managed to come up with “now” views of two of the photos that accompany the 1951 article.

Here’s the row of homes described as being "on Route 254 at Middle Ridge.”

And here’s the recent Google Maps view.

Here’s the home at “461 W. Foster Park-rd.”

And here it is today – still quite lovely –  courtesy of the Lorain County Auditor website.