Geauga lake area
Encyclopedia
First known as Picnic Lake, the Geauga lake area was home to early settler
s such as the Staffords, Mark Patterson
, Capt. Simon Henry with his wife Rhoda Parsons and their children, Charles Swires, the Brewsters, and Bohan Blair. There is currently a city park
and ballfields on East Blvd. in Aurora, named after this lake
. Geauga Lake is situated in lot twenty-eight, tract three, and is the head water of Tinker's Creek which empties into Cuyahoga river
. The waters of this lake are very pure and of great depth.
Sullivan Giles, who chose the lake area for his log cabin
in 1817, later built a large frame home on the spot behind Geauga Lake depot on the north side of the lake. When the railroad came to town in 1856, it made a stop at "pond station". Giles took advantage of his scenic lake location and, in the last half of the 19th century, established picnic
grounds, a dance hall
, and other entertainment near his home for the all day pleasure of residents and those taking the train to the country for a getaway. On a bluff on the southeast side of the lake in 1888, the 75-room Kent House Hotel (later known as Hotel Grace) was built and operated by Alexander G. Kent. He presided over one of the finest ballroom dancing facilities in the area, located on the third floor of the hotel. The hotel was later destroyed by fire in the early 20th century.
The Cleveland Ice company located their buildings here, which were annually packed with many thousand tons of ice, which was mostly shipped to Cleveland for market during the warmer months.
Three major league baseball
games were played at the park on Sundays (plus a Thursday exhibition game) in July and August 1888, by the Cleveland team in the major league American Association before Sunday games were moved to Beyerle's Park closer to Cleveland in September 1888.
At the time, a full-sized steamboat
circled the lake, towing a large scow
, topped with a dance floor. The boat, first owned by William Banford and Rowe Fuller, was later purchased by the Kents. In 1907, the boat was shipped by rail to Brady Lake
near Kent.
Geauga Lake park itself was established in 1887. Two years later the park introduced its first amusement-type ride and generated as much smoke as it did steam. Next, Kent added a roller rink
, photo gallery
, billiard hall and bowling alley. The bowling alley still stands and is currently home to the Aurora V.F.W. The roller rink still stands and is also known as "the old ballroom".
Settler
A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there, often to colonize the area. Settlers are generally people who take up residence on land and cultivate it, as opposed to nomads...
s such as the Staffords, Mark Patterson
Mark Patterson
Mark Patterson is an English former footballer who made nearly 500 appearances in the Football League playing as a midfielder for Blackburn Rovers, Preston North End, Bury, Bolton Wanderers, Sheffield United, Southend United and Blackpool...
, Capt. Simon Henry with his wife Rhoda Parsons and their children, Charles Swires, the Brewsters, and Bohan Blair. There is currently a city park
City Park
City Park can refer to:Australia*Launceston City ParkCanada* City Park, Saskatoon, a neighbourhoodHungary* City Park Kenya* City Park, NairobiLuxembourg* City Park , a park in central Luxembourg CityUnited Kingdom...
and ballfields on East Blvd. in Aurora, named after this lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
. Geauga Lake is situated in lot twenty-eight, tract three, and is the head water of Tinker's Creek which empties into Cuyahoga river
Cuyahoga River
The Cuyahoga River is located in Northeast Ohio in the United States. Outside of Ohio, the river is most famous for being "the river that caught fire", helping to spur the environmental movement in the late 1960s...
. The waters of this lake are very pure and of great depth.
Sullivan Giles, who chose the lake area for his log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
in 1817, later built a large frame home on the spot behind Geauga Lake depot on the north side of the lake. When the railroad came to town in 1856, it made a stop at "pond station". Giles took advantage of his scenic lake location and, in the last half of the 19th century, established picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
grounds, a dance hall
Dance hall
Dance hall in its general meaning is a hall for dancing. From the earliest years of the twentieth century until the early 1960s, the dance hall was the popular forerunner of the discothèque or nightclub...
, and other entertainment near his home for the all day pleasure of residents and those taking the train to the country for a getaway. On a bluff on the southeast side of the lake in 1888, the 75-room Kent House Hotel (later known as Hotel Grace) was built and operated by Alexander G. Kent. He presided over one of the finest ballroom dancing facilities in the area, located on the third floor of the hotel. The hotel was later destroyed by fire in the early 20th century.
The Cleveland Ice company located their buildings here, which were annually packed with many thousand tons of ice, which was mostly shipped to Cleveland for market during the warmer months.
Three major league baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
games were played at the park on Sundays (plus a Thursday exhibition game) in July and August 1888, by the Cleveland team in the major league American Association before Sunday games were moved to Beyerle's Park closer to Cleveland in September 1888.
At the time, a full-sized steamboat
Steamboat
A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...
circled the lake, towing a large scow
Scow
A scow, in the original sense, is a flat-bottomed boat with a blunt bow, often used to haul bulk freight; cf. barge. The etymology of the word is from the Dutch schouwe, meaning such a boat.-Sailing scows:...
, topped with a dance floor. The boat, first owned by William Banford and Rowe Fuller, was later purchased by the Kents. In 1907, the boat was shipped by rail to Brady Lake
Brady Lake
Brady Lake may refer to:*Brady Creek Reservoir, also known as "Brady Lake", in McCulloch County, Texas, United States*Brady Lake, Ohio, a village in the United States*Brady Lake , its lake...
near Kent.
Geauga Lake park itself was established in 1887. Two years later the park introduced its first amusement-type ride and generated as much smoke as it did steam. Next, Kent added a roller rink
Roller rink
A roller rink is a hard surface used for roller skating or inline skating. This includes roller hockey, speed skating, and recreational skating...
, photo gallery
Gallery
Gallery may refer to:* An art museum * A retail art shop * An exhibition room in a museum...
, billiard hall and bowling alley. The bowling alley still stands and is currently home to the Aurora V.F.W. The roller rink still stands and is also known as "the old ballroom".