When Leavitt Road was Rough – June 1963

Leavitt Road has been the main thoroughfare on the west side of Lorain for a long time, connecting the city with the neighboring communities to the south, as well as providing access to State Route 2. In the last few years, it's been the address of much commercial development, including the city's Meijer superstore, Chick-fil-A, Five Guys and more.

That's why it's hard to imagine Leavitt Road being in such poor condition that drivers would consider it "the worst highway and state route in Lorain County."

But apparently that was the condition of Leavitt Road back in 1963, according to the article above, which appeared in the Journal back on June 21, 1963.

As the article notes, "The highway – although it's worse than an old country road – is used by heavy north-south traffic entering and leaving Lorain each day.

"But it's Enemy Number One to springs, shock absorbers, axles, tires and frames of cars.

"The speed limit has been reduced to 25 mph because of the roughness which is worse than temporary detours during highway construction.

"Thousands of temporary tar patches – old and new – make the road resemble an oversized quilt.

"The worst section is between W. 21st St. and the yet-to-be-opened 40th St."

But help was on the way. The article points out that "The State Highway Department has proposed an estimated $1.3 million program to widen (to four lanes) and resurface it.

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The widening and repaving of Leavit Road from W. 21st Street south to North Ridge Road became a reality in 1964, with construction contracts about to be awarded in early summer (which I wrote about on this post).

And a little more than a year later in December 1965, the ribbon-cutting ceremony took place, (which was the subject of this blog post).

The second part of my two-part series on O'Hara's Beverage Spot included a few photos of the beverage store while Leavitt Road was being paved.

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While preparing this post, I made a feeble attempt to answer the question, "Who or what was Leavitt Road name for?" I've been checking vintage maps for some time, but still haven't seen the Leavitt name on a farm or property. (Remember, many local roads were often named for the farm located at the end of it.)

This rather neat vintage map (which I believe is from the 1930s) includes the misspelled 'Levitt Road.' I wonder if the name was in place in the Amherst area before being applied to the entire road, extending into Lorain?

Using the online Journal archives, it seems the Leavitt Road name was in use in the earliest editions available, dating back to the early 1920s.

An article from December 5, 1922 notes that talk of improving the road was going on even then. "Following the approval of the proposed permanent improvement of Leavitt road given last night by the trustees of Amherst township, the proposition will be laid before the county commissioners tomorrow at Elyria.

"Trustees of Black River and Amherst townships, the Chamber of Commerce good roads committee and Service Director Snell will meet with the county commissioners to determine what can be done in the attempt to pave the Leavitt road from Whiskeyville to East Erie avenue.