The Lorain Hedge Revisited – Again

One of the things of interest to a kid growing up in Lorain in the 1950s and 60s (and largely seeing the city from the backseat of the family car) was the large hedge spelling out LORAIN. The original version faced Lakeview Drive, across the street from the Lakeview Park.

It's been a favorite topic on this blog. Here it is in a photo probably dating from the latter part of the 1930s. It's near the top the photo, just to the right of the tennis courts.

Many of us Baby Boomers remember the hedge looking like this (below) – looking a little worse for wear.

I've posted several other photos of it over the years, on these two posts.

Well, two photos of it that I've never seen before have recently shown up on eBay. The first is from someone's family photo collection. It's dated July 23, 1950.

That's a pretty good location for a photo op, one to rival the Lakeview Park Easter Basket. I wonder if any other families thought the same thing?

And here's the other photo. It's dated July 1947.

I wondered what was going on in the background. From what I could tell from the Journal archives, it was probably part of the Lorain County 125th Anniversary celebration, which brought a carnival to Lakeview Park. The ad below ran in the paper on July 5, 1947.

Today, a newer version of the LORAIN hedge is located on West Erie Avenue facing the park. 

I think whoever planted it goofed. They should have built up the ground to make a little slanted hill under it, like the original, so you can read it. Oh well, in another 80 years it will get replanted again!

I don't know if kids are still watch from the backseat for things like the LORAIN hedge, the Easter Basket, the Big V or the Bascule Bridge – or if they are too distracted by their phones. But I know that all of those things (and more) made Lorain seem like a pretty interesting place to live to a kid growing up in the 1960s.