Lorain Yacht Club Regatta Ad – July 10, 1954

Hey, our pal Reddy Kilowatt has an ad on this page!

Seventy years ago, Lorain was getting ready for the 25th Annual Lorain Yacht Club Regatta, which was taking place July 10th and 11th off Lakeview Park.

Above is the full-page ad for the Regatta that ran in the Lorain Journal on July 10, 1954. There was a pretty full schedule.

As the paper noted on the front page, "Lorain Yacht club's silver anniversary Regatta is under full power and sail today after getting underway with three sail class races run off this morning and 10 more scheduled for tomorrow morning.

"Thousands of spectators are expected to line the shore at Lakeview Park tomorrow. Special police will be on hand to direct the crowds and traffic.

"Favorite weather with temperatures in the near 90s has been forecast, and is expected to help swell the crowds.

"Between 8 and 8:30 p.m. today the Universal and Lighting races from Rocky River will cross the finish line. Captains and crews will be treated to a Regatta Ball at the Yacht Club's new building, behind the Coast Guard Station.

"The Walker Rubber Band of Detroit will be on hand, touring the waterfront and playing when the spirit moves them.

"A buffet dinner will end Saturday's scheduled festivities at midnight in the club house.

"Tomorrow doughnuts and coffee will be served at 7 a.m. at the club, with the sailboats again taking to the water all morning. In the afternoon the powerboats will start circling the buoys.

"The trophy awards luncheon for the sailing vessels will be at 1 p.m. Sunday with the power winners being named at 4 p.m."

Today, the Lorain Harbor Boat Club (LHBC) carries on the tradition of the Lorain Yacht Club, with a season-long program of sailboat races, regattas, a cruise week and various social events at its club located near the US Coast Guard station.

New Lorain Yacht Club Building – June 30, 1951

Back in June 1951, the Lorain Yacht Club was drawing up plans for a new building.

Above is the article that appeared in the Lorain Journal back on June 30, 1951. The article notes, "A new Lorain Yacht club building will decorate Lorain's waterfront area in the near future, according to an announcement made today by Don Heisner, commodore of the club.

"The announcement came after it was learned that the club had purchased land on Alabama-av from the Todd estate.

"The acre of ground purchased, a lot 150 feet wide by 200 feet deep, sets on high ground above Riverside park near the coast guard station.

"Architect's plans have already been drawn and officers of the club hope to start building operations as soon as the present war emergency ban on non-essential building is lifted.

"The new clubhouse, very nautical in design, will include a big sundeck, a dining or assembly room, showers for men and women, a club room, bar commodore's office, kitchen and other facilities. It will be approximately 70 feet wide by about 50 feet deep, leaving plenty of room for parking for club members, according to Heisner.

"The present yacht club, located at the foot of Oberlin-av, at the rear of the Lorain water works, was started in the mid-1920's with club members themselves erecting the four walls, roof and floor.

"It is understood that plans are now underway to sell the present yacht club but as yet nothing definite has been done, Heisner said."

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I've written a lot about the original Yacht Club building that was located down at Hot Waters. I hated to see it demolished, as it was a link to Lorain's nautical past. 

Ironically, the newer Yacht Club building on Alabama Ave. mentioned in the above article was torn down before the original one.

Hot Waters Improvements – July 1963

Yesterday's post featured the Beaver Park Boat Club's headquarters building, which was brand new in 1954.

Today's post includes a photo of the former Lorain Yacht Club's clubhouse, the subject of many posts on this blog last year before it was torn down. I wrote about the history of the LYC clubhouse here and here, its impending doom here and its demolition here.

Anyway, the article below, which appeared on the front page of the Lorain Journal on July 12, 1963 is mainly about improvements to the municipal pier that were being planned at that time.

What's interesting is the photo's caption. It notes, "In the background are the small boat ramps and the Fraternal Order of Police building which will be remodeled into a concession stand and rest room area if approved by council and the state."

Thus even in 1963, the building's potential for tourist purposes was recognized.  

Nevertheless, the building is gone now. I wonder what happened to the anticipated proposals for the empty lot?

Original Lorain Yacht Club Clubhouse Demolished

It was sad to see that the Lorain Yacht Club’s original clubhouse and headquarters dating from the late 1920s was quickly demolished last week down at the municipal boat ramp. And yet another piece of Lorain’s rapidly disappearing nautical history is gone.

The Morning Journal featured the story on its front page with a screaming headline on Friday, but I’m not sure why. The article didn’t get into the history of the building beyond its last use as a bait shop.

I hadn’t seen the paper, and just happened to drive down there on Friday afternoon. The building had already been knocked down on Wednesday, but there was still some cleanup going on.

I approached one of the workers, a young man that was sweeping up some debris with a broom. He was a nice guy and paused briefly to chat with me.

He had been surprised “that a bait shop had an upstairs” until I told him about the history of the building and that many a fancy event had been held there by the Lorain Yacht Club in the 30s and 40s.

He expressed regret that the building had to come down.

Asked if there had been any salvaging done before the demolition, he admitted, “There wasn’t much to save.”

The Morning Journal article noted that it cost taxpayers $18,050 dollars to demolish the building. You could have done a lot of renovations with that kind of dough.

Water Works Park

Late April 2017 View

The building that served as the Lorain Yacht Club’s clubhouse continues to be of interest to me.

Recently I discovered that it dates back to at least 1929. An article in the Lorain Journal on August 19, 1929 about the Lorain Yacht Club’s second annual regatta makes reference to it. It notes, “More than 200 visitors came by water to Lorain for the regatta, and many of them remained for the buffet luncheon and awarding of prizes at the club house, foot of Oberlin-av, at the close of the races.”

Although today we generally describe the building’s location as being at Hot Waters, in its early days it had another address: simply Lorain Water Works Park. That’s how it appeared in several issues from the early 1930s of Motor Boating – The Yachtsmen’s Magazine.

Water Works Park was featured in the book, Lorain: The Real Photo Postcards of Willis Leiter. The book included the photo of the lakefront park below.

The caption noted, “The huge brick chimney on the left was the location of the steam boilers that powered the water pumps for the city water supply. The park was located behind the Lorain waterworks on First Street at the north end of Oberlin Avenue.”

Here’s another vintage postcard view (below).

An internet search reveals that many municipal water works seemed to have parks adjacent to them. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of available information about Lorain’s park. It’s hard to know when the park was apparently lost to the expansion and upgrading of the Water Department facilities.

It looks like change had already occurred in these 1930s views (courtesy of Al Doane).

Today, the Water Works Park area is unrecognizable (below). The towering chimney seen in the vintage views is long gone, along with the older Water Department buildings.

But at one time, the property provided a nice lakefront park for residents, and a good home and address for the Lorain Yacht Club.

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Here’s a view of Oberlin Avenue and First Street from yesterday afternoon. As you can see, the tall building in the background is in several of the vintage photographs.

Demo Update

I hope that COLOR TV sign is saved!

Well, it looks like the old motels on the western approach to the city will finally have their date with the bulldozers. 

According to an article in the Morning Journal on March 20, “Lorain City Council voted 10-0 to award a contract to knock down Erieview Motel, 2800 W. Erie Ave., and Shoreway Motel, 3945 W. Erie Ave.”

Shoreway Motel up close

Erieview Motel

The Parkview Motel and Lake Motel will be dealt with in the near future by Council.

Some of the motels were supposed to have been demolished by October 2015.

On the other hand, one structure seems to have been awarded a stay of execution this week: the closed bait shop that once served as the clubhouse for the Lorain Yacht Club. The Morning Journal reported (here) on March 26 that the city is seeking proposals for a seasonal service or concession stand at the dock, known as Hot Waters. This includes the Hot Waters Bait Shop. The article noted, “Any proposal using the building must include a capital improvement plan with proof of finances, according to the city.

“Council agreed it should be razed, but wanted the city to seek possible concession providers this year because the site is well used by Lorain anglers.”

It will be interesting to see if a proposal is submitted. I hope so.

Early History of the Bait Shop

A 1930s view of the Lorain Yacht Club headquarters (at right)
with the Lorain Waterworks behind it
(Courtesy Al Doane Collection – Lorain Public Library)

As Al Doane pointed out to me yesterday, the small bait and tackle building down at Hot Waters that is going to be demolished has a pretty good historical pedigree.

The Lorain Journal of June 21, 1955 explained its origin in a story about water sports in Lorain County. It mentions how the Lorain Powerboat club was reorganized as the Lorain Yacht Club in 1927 and notes, “With funds from the old power boat club treasury plus money raised through the sale of subscription bonds, a clubhouse was built at Waterworks Park.

“John Dusendon, a popular Lorain small boat builder, and Dewey Moore supervised the construction of this building.”

1930s aerial view
(Courtesy Al Doane Collection – Lorain Public Library)

The article goes on to explain how the passing of L. I. Corthell, commodore of the Lorain Yacht Club in 1931, led to expansion of the building. He had left one-eighth of his estate to the Lorain Yacht Club and, as the article notes, “With these funds the clubhouse was expanded, the Bar and restrooms added and a permanent foundation placed under the building.

“This expansion took place in 1940 during Don Whyte’s term of office.”

In 1951 the Lorain Yacht Club purchased land on Alabama Avenue for a new clubhouse. As for its old one, “The club surrendered its old quarters to the Fraternal Order of Police in January 1953.”

So here you have a building that is Lorain’s oldest connection to its water sports heritage: the original Lorain Yacht Club headquarters. Plus, it has historical significance to the Lorain Fraternal Order of Police.

It not only needs to be saved and restored, it should have a historical plaque out in front of it.

Bye Bye Bait Shop

The view on Tuesday night

I read in the Chronicle-Telegram last night (here) that Lorain is planning to tear down the city-owned Hot Waters Bait & Tackle building.

It’s been decided that given the poor condition that the building is in, there is no reason to continue to lease the property to a tenant, or invest in rehabilitating the building.

Once again, Lorain can’t wait to tear something old down.

Courtesy Lorain County Auditor

And that’s a shame. Here you have an old, interesting little building that would be right at home in a New England harbor environment. If it was fixed up and returned to its former glory, it could be something that tourists would utilize.

I don’t know how many people still fish down at Hot Waters, but I’ll bet plenty enjoy the view of the Lighthouse. This building would be perfect to sell pop, coffee, hot dogs, or newspapers – or even hand out tourist information. Or sell souvenirs. In addition to its purpose of selling bait and tackle.

If this building gets torn down, it’s possible that nothing will take its place. And Lorain loses more of its real, nautical heritage.

Authentic heritage that can’t be replaced by pagan fish pageants.

When are the city and civic leaders of Lorain going to start thinking of the city as a tourist destination and make sure every move is geared in that direction – instead of just cutting costs?

Please, Lorain – leave something old standing for a change. Make this building a project. Find volunteers – grants – corporate sponsors – and fix it up.

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Got an interesting email from local historian and author Al Doane this morning about this building. Apparently it has a lot more maritime history than I thought.

Al noted, "I remember when that building housed the Lorain Yacht Club until the new club was built on Alabama Avenue, just north of East Erie Avenue, and just north of the East entrance from East Erie Ave. to the Bascule Bridge.

"I remember the old Yacht Club using this old building in the 1930's, 1940's and 1950's. It had a lot going for the building when a regatta was held there, for all the various close yacht clubs would enter the races."

All the more reason to try and save this building!