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Idora Park opened on May 30, 1899, as Terminal Park, a picnic area at the final trolley stop on the south side of Youngstown, Ohio. The name was changed to Idora Park on November 25, 1899.

Initial features and attractions included a Dentzel carousel with stationary animals, a casino stage, a bandstand, swings, picnic tables, drinking fountains, and toilet facilities. People flocked to the new park, jamming streetcars to capacity. On August 27, 1899, twenty thousand people crowded into the park. The trolley tracks had to be doubled in number, and many more streetcars were added. On Independence Day, 1901, thirty thousand people came to see the fireworks display. Idora Park needed to expand in order to accommodate these huge crowds. And expand it did. By 1915, the park had doubled in size. On April 26, 1984, it all came crashing down. Fire destroyed the two premier rides and half of one midway. Idora Park did not recover, and 1984 was its final year.

Finneytown, a dynamic first-ring suburb of Cincinnati, continues to display the optimism and civic spirit that transformed this community during the post–World War II economic and population boom.

A tiny rural settlement for 140 years, Finneytown’s population from 1946 to 1970 quadrupled as young people filled its new residential subdivisions, schools, businesses, and churches. Finneytown celebrates this “creation story.” Seemingly overnight, farms and open fields gave way to streets carved out for cookie-cutter houses as well as stately, custom-built homes, including Mid-Century Modern designs prized today as architectural timepieces. This wide variety of housing drove Finneytown’s economic diversity, while enthusiastic support of its public and private schools defined the small community’s values. Some Finneytown residents throughout its history, such as television writer Rod Serling and illustrator Charley Harper, are known worldwide. Even a potato chip popular across the globe was named after a Finneytown street—Pringle Drive.

Rick Kennedy is a retired media relations manager for General Electric and author of three books, Jelly Roll, Bix & Hoagy, Little Labels—Big Sound, and GE Aviation: 100 Years of Reimagining Flight. Mark Evans is a retired product development manager for Procter & Gamble, a product development consultant, and an accomplished photographer. Kennedy and Evans, along with their wives, Jane and Chris, respectively, are longtime and active Finneytown residents. 

Explore Cleveland's golden age, her decline and her rebirth with this commemorative photographic history.

Cleveland: 1930-2000 is the second of two volumes commemorating the history of the heart and pride of northeast Ohio. Situated on the shores of Lake Erie, Cleveland emerged as an industrial and commercial giant at the end of the 19th Century, earning herself the title of America's "Sixth City" as her population soared, nearing one million. Like many American manufacturing giants, Cleveland experienced a period of decline in industry and commerce, and as with many other urban areas, civil rights issues threatened to rip apart the fabric of the city. Despite that, the city emerged from those tumultuous times with a renewed commitment for a better future.

What started as an institution to reform young and non-violent criminals became one of the most infamous prisons in American history.

Before 1884, most first-time offenders between the ages of 16 and 30 were housed in the Ohio Penitentiary, where they were likely to be influenced by hardened criminals. That changed when the Ohio Legislature approved the building of a reformatory, a new type of institution that would educate and train these young men. Since its opening in 1896, the reformatory expanded its training programs and became a self-sustaining institution - the largest of its kind in the United States. By 1970, the reformatory had become a maximum-security prison filled with the most dangerous criminals in the U.S., with a death row but no death chamber. It closed on December 31, 1990, but preservation and restoration efforts are ongoing, and it continues to be as infamous today as in its heyday, appearing in numerous television shows and feature films, including The Shawshank Redemption.

The opening of the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden sounds like a goofy family comedy, but it quickly became one of the most popular attractions in Ohio.

Opening day, September 18, 1875, was overcast and chilly, a shaky start for the second zoological garden in the United States. Exhibits were unfinished, and animals remained crated. The polar bear had not arrived, and the collection on display included a feeble tiger, a blind hyena, an elephant rescued from a bankrupt circus, a talking crow, eight small monkeys, and 400 birds. Despite the rough start, the venture by bird-lover Andrew Erkenbrecher and friends blossomed into a top-tier zoo inspiring a passion for nature-a champion of endangered species with its own college-preparatory high school and an unrivaled commitment to education, research, and innovative breeding programs. It has survived Damocles' sword of economic cuts as stubborn Cincinnatians came to its rescue time after time, charmed by the animals and events found here: chimps Mr. and Mrs. Rooney, Susie the Gorilla who took tea and smoked Chesterfields, Rodney the boxing kangaroo, Martha the last passenger pigeon on earth, outdoor operas, and dancing under the stars.

With its undulating hills and sweeping views of the river valleys, located less than eight miles from downtown Cincinnati, Mt. Lookout quickly grew from rural farms to a picturesque suburb that could have inspired Norman Rockwell to paint it. Originally a small village called Delta, Mt. Lookout was annexed by the City of Cincinnati in 1870 and was renamed after the new Cincinnati Observatory was built at the end of Observatory Place. Thanks to John and Charles Kilgour, brothers who invested in real estate and public transportation, Mt. Lookout became an upscale destination by the turn of the 20th century. This book showcases the people, buildings, landmarks, and events that have made Mt. Lookout such an idyllic place for its residents to call home. It is equally important to mention the cozy, bustling Mt. Lookout Square, the heart of the town; many businesses have been open and operating for over 50 years, while Geo. H. Rohde & Sons Funeral Home has already celebrated its centennial anniversary.

Jason Fitzhugh is a teacher, historian, and collector. He has carefully selected over 150 images to create a nostalgic time line from Mt. Lookout’s early beginnings to the thriving, established neighborhood it is today.

Newton Falls was founded in 1806 and named after Newtown, Connecticut, a homage to the Connecticut Land Company, and the waterfalls on the East and West Branches of the Mahoning River. The small community was a transportation town with access to the Mahoning River, eventually the Pennsylvania & Ohio Canal, and a myriad of railroads that crisscrossed throughout Newton Falls. As the industrial revolution took hold of Newton Falls, factories came and provided locals with jobs. Eventually, the Ravenna Ordnance Plant, often referred to as the Ravenna Arsenal, opened in 1942 and provided many jobs for those in Newton Falls during World War II and on. Today, Newton Falls is known for its infamous zip code, 44444; the F5 tornado that hit the city in 1985; and one of the oldest covered bridges to remain in the state of Ohio. 

Journey into the rich history of Cincinnati and see how it got the name The Queen City of the West. A must for fans of Cincinnati and Ohio history!

Walking down the dirt, cobblestone, or paved streets of downtown Cincinnati in the past, there is no telling whom a person would meet.

Someone might rub elbows with future presidents, such as Hayes, Taft, or that visiting lawyer from Illinois--Lincoln; dine with Generals Wayne, Grant, or Sherman; have tea with Harriet Beecher Stowe; or share a mug of Hauck beer with Frank Duveneck, Stephen Foster, or that poet-warrior William Lytle. A person lingering in the opulent hotels may meet visiting artists such as Junius Booth, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Henry Irving, and his manager, Bram Stoker; hear a speech by abolitionist Salmon P. Chase or flirt with the pretty Confederate spy Lottie Moon.

Once the furthest expansion of the western frontier, every street and corner of downtown Cincinnati has been tread by the famous and infamous.Historic Downtown Cincinnatiis the story of America, of businessmen like the brothers-in-law Procter and Gamble, of visionaries like McGuffy, and powerful political bosses like George Cox.

In nearly 200 rarely seen photographs and vintage postcards, discover Cincinnati as you've never seen it before.

Since its inception in 1788, Cincinnati has evolved from a brawling pioneer town to a thriving Midwest metropolis, experiencing rapid growth and unprecedented social and technological change. Highlighted in this volume are the city's spectacular architectural achievements, its centers of culture and learning, its hubs of industry and transportation, its legendary sports tradition, its diverse neighborhoods, and, above all, the spirit of its citizenry. Through these striking images, together with the insightful text, authors Kevin Grace and Tom White take the reader on a unique visual tour of this historic river city. It is a tour well worth taking.

See how Akron, Ohio, rode the economic roller coaster but overcame several adversities and remained a major force in many industries.

Best known as the Rubber Capital of the World, Akron, Ohio, was a major player in varioius industries long before Benjamin F. Goodrich moved there in 1870. From humble canal town to global industry giant, Akron rode the economic roller coaster through the Depression, wars, strikes, and financial booms. As a major manufacturing center of everything from sewer pipe to matches to oatmeal, Akron lured prospective workers from other towns, states, and even countries. This lively mix of diverse cultures helped to create Akron's unique beauty and boundless spirit.

Akron, Ohio, examines this special blend of industry, culture, tight-knit neighborhoods, and high society through historic photographs and images - some of which have not been seen ... until now!

Cleveland's Little Italy's people, history and rebirth today can be found in these pages.

Developed in the late 19th century, Cleveland's Little Italy neighborhood, on the city's east side, was peopled with Italian artisans and craftsmen, many of whom were drawn to jobs carving monuments for the nearby Lake View Cemetery. The compact area relied on the local parish, Holy Rosary; charitable institutions, such as Alta House; and the cohesiveness of the neighborhood to sustain itself. It also produced a number of interesting favorite sons, including Angelo Vitantonio, the inventor of the pasta machine; championship boxer Tony Brush; and Anthony Celebrezze, Cleveland mayor, federal judge, and secretary of health, education, and welfare under Pres. John F. Kennedy and Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson. The area continued to grow until after World War II, when residents graduated from the old neighborhood to Cleveland's eastern suburbs. During the last 20 years, however, Little Italy has experienced a rebirth, and today the area combines Old World charm with a vibrant art scene, new housing, and a host of popular restaurants.

It is impossible to explore the history of Cincinnati without looking at the influence of German-Americans.

German Cincinnati is a pictorial history of the German-American experience in the Greater Cincinnati area: the people, places, and things that influenced that influenced this culturally rich city and made it what it is today. This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in German-American or people Cincinnati history.

German immigrants first came to the region in the late 18th century and then arrived in great waves beginning in the early 19th century. These German American immigrants and their descendants have greatly influenced the social, political, cultural, religious, and economic growth and development of the area, earning Cincinnati a reputation for its German heritage. Today, nearly every other person in Cincinnati can trace some German lineage in their family tree. It is known as one of the corners in the famed German Triangle, along with St. Louis and Milwaukee. German Cincinnatians survived the hard times of the world wars of the last century, even experiencing an ethnic heritage revival that has reaffirmed the area's reputation as one of the major centers of German heritage in the United States today.

Join author Don Heinrich Tolzmann, curator of the German-Americana Collection and director of the German-American Studies Program at the University of Cincinnati, as he looks at the complex and prosperous history of German-Americans in Cincinnati.

Explore Ohio's ""clay city"" as Kathryn Lynch and Michael S. Sims guide you through the history, development, and quaint staples that make up Zanesville.

Zanesville is located in a geographically fortuitous location in the southeastern part of the state, juxtaposed between the Licking and Muskingum Rivers and rich veins of clay, natural gas, and coal. Settled in 1797, Zanesville grew and prospered over the next 200 years as a transportation hub and a pottery-and tile-manufacturing center. Known for decades as either ""Clay City"" or the ""Y-Bridge City,"" Zanesville retains its charm and small-town qualities through its architecture, neighborhoods, parks, schools, downtown buildings, churches, and numerous bridges that crisscross the city. As you explore Zanesville's historic past, you may find yourself reminiscing about earlier days and learn why so many people have called Zanesville home.

Carved from the Connecticut Western Reserve, Madison Township was formally organized in 1811.

Lake Erie, the Grand River, and fertile land attracted New England settlers arriving by foot and oxcart. They cleared wooded land to make way for farms and survived Ohio winters in log homes. The discovery of bog iron created a boomtown near the mouth of Arcola Creek. Astute businessmen built smelting furnaces and ships. But when the iron pits were exhausted, both industries disappeared and so did the boomtown. Fertile land remained to support farms, and later a modern landscape nursery industry arose. In the 1920s, the Lake Erie shore was again discovered--this time by land developers and summer vacationers. Over the past 200 years, Madison's families built businesses, beautiful homes, schools, and churches. They left a historic legacy that remains to be enjoyed today.

Tiffin, Ohio, may be most well-known for a devastating flood but it is defined by so much more than tragedy.

The flood of 1913 is likely the reason people are familiar with Tiffin, Ohio. It took the lives of 19 people in a disaster that literally reshaped the city. However, the city is much more than that.

Tiffin--named after Ohio's first governor, Edward Tiffin--was first settled in 1817. The seat of Seneca County has been home to businesses of wide renown: Tiffin Glass, National Machinery, and Ballreich's Potato Chips, among others. Tiffin's institutions of higher learning, Heidelberg and Tiffin Universities, and its strong public and parochial school systems reflect a deep commitment to education among the city's residents. Historic figures like Charles Dickens and Thomas Edison, as well as local luminaries such as Josiah Hedges and Gen. William Harvey Gibson, have played a part in forging Tiffin's history.

From its founding by Connecticut Yankees to its label as Home Town USA,  this is the history of a picturesque community with a long and storied history.

In 1945, Pathfinder magazine selected the village of Medina as a shining example of small town living and, with the film company RKO Pathe, produced a 15-minute movie about Medina called Home Town USA. The film focused on the Victorian square and on the nearby tree-shaded streets lined with century homes. But the film did not tell the dramatic story behind the picturesque facade. Medina was hewn out of the Ohio wilderness by Connecticut Yankees, many of them Revolutionary War veterans who brought with them a tradition of democracy and strong community spirit. In 1848, a fire devastated the public square. The citizens rallied, and it was quickly rebuilt. In 1870, another fire wiped out most of the business district. Over the next decade, the square once again rose from the ashes, and the result was a village center filled with handsome Eastlake Victorian–style buildings. That public square sits at the heart of the community whose history this book puts on display.

After a period of slow growth during the 19th century, Toledo began the 20th with a rapid expansion in industrialization, urbanization, and immigration.

The titans of industry who had begun to transform Toledo in the late 1800s continued to expand their fortunes while expanding their businesses, and soon were joined by others who took advantage of the city's potential. A new industry would emerge from the bicycle factories and wagon works of the 19th century--the automobile industry. It would dominate Toledo's economy in the 20th century, and by the 1920s, Toledo had one of the highest rates of industrial growth in the country. In addition to Jeeps, scales, glass, spark plugs, and transmissions, Toledo was also known for its civic reforms, strong labor unions, and fine cultural institutions. While Toledo never became "The Future Great City of the World'? that Jesup Scott envision or even the futuristic "Toledo Tomorrow'? that Norman Bel Geddes imagined, at the beginning of the 21st century, Toledo is a successful city with an interesting past and a hopeful future.

A collection of local photographer Richard E. Stoner's work which captured Ashtabula's transformations over time.

Post-World War II Ashtabula was a major Great Lakes port with a thriving downtown. Local photographer Richard E. Stoner began taking photographs of the growing city in 1938, and for the next 58 years, his lens captured Ashtabula's businesses, industries, and citizens. His commercial accounts ranged from the harbor's Pinney Dock and Transport Company, to Main Avenue's locally-owned Carlisle-Allen Company department store, to Ashtabula's major war industries. Dick Stoner's earlier photographs capture the Ashtabula that once was, including the week-long Sesquicentennial Celebration of 1953. His later photos record the beginnings of fundamental change in our way of life. Also included in this volume are some pre-1930s photographs by Vinton N. Herron, whose work Stoner purchased when Herron retired. For Ashtabulans, this is a family album. For others, it is a look at a bygone time in Midwest America.

Images of America: Italians of Stark Countyfocuses on Italian immigration into Stark County beginning in the late 1800s.

In the late 1800s, Stark County's urban hub of Canton and the surrounding communities were in the middle of a thriving expansion driven by industry, transportation, and manufacturing. Along with this growth came the need for labor, with immigration filling many of those needs. Italians came to Stark County to work in the steel mills, in the coal mines, and on the railroad, as well as to start their own small businesses. Once established, Italian families began to replicate the community foundations from their native land, and in turn these foundations reinforced embedded values: family, food, religion, music, and freedom.

This photographic history illustrates these values while bringing to life the character, work ethic, determination, and love of life of the Italian people of Stark County. Local author and Italian American J.A. Musacchia was born and raised in Stark County and is a member of the Sugarcreek Township Historical Societyand the William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum.

Capturing the first 50 years of Cincinnati's radio broadcasting golden era with both words and rare and often unpublished images.

Like radio listeners in many other cities its size, Greater Cincinnatians have kept their ears tuned to their local radio stations for music, news, and entertainment for nearly a century. However, unlike those cities, Cincinnati enjoyed several unique broadcast stories ranging from some of the earliest forays into radio dramatics to the country's first 500,000-watt superpower radio station. The listeners were treated to several up-and-coming celebrities like Doris Day, Rosemary Clooney, Andy Williams, and ""Fats"" Waller; the rise of three major communications corporations; and ultimately, an amazing array of nationally broadcast network shows and talents that, for a brief period, placed the city's broadcasters behind only New York and Chicago in terms of importance.

Go inside Madisonville, a Cincinnati neighborhood that boasts a long and colorful history.

Madisonville was founded in 1809 as Madison, Ohio, in honor of James Madison, who had recently been inaugurated as the fourth president of the United States. The first permanent settlers, the Joseph Ward family, built three log cabins in 1797 along a Native American trail near the area that is now Whetsel Avenue, Erie Avenue and Red Bank Road. The famous archeological excavations of the ""Madisonville Site"" by Dr. Charles Metz and his crew discovered artifacts that are housed in museums across the world. State and federal legislators, as well as secretaries of commerce and defense, grew up in Madisonville. The city is home to public, private, and parochial schools, plus over 25 churches. Incorporation into the city of Cincinnati in 1911 brought about numerous renovations of the business district, and a renaissance is currently underway.

Groveport and Madison Township, Ohio contains nearly two hundred vintage photographs that illustrate how the area grew from a nineteenth-century wilderness outpost to become the vibrant and successful place it is today. Featured here are the canal and railroad days that established the area as a local hub of transportation, the formation of the churches and school system that bind the village and township together, the region's spectacular architecture and some of the more notable people of the community, such as world-renowned horse trainer John S. Rarey of Groveport, who earned international fame as an original "horse whisperer."

Painesville, the county seat of Lake County, Ohio, once had nearly twice the population of nearby Cleveland. First settled by those of European descent in 1800, the city’s fortunes have ebbed and flowed over the years.

Painesville is best known for its vibrant nursery industry, once the largest in the world; its picturesque and historic town square; and its collection of public parks, many of which overlook the scenic Grand River. The city is the home of Lake Erie College and a 284-acre historic district filled with elegant late-19th- and early-20th-century homes. The community was also very active in the abolitionist and suffrage movements, and many Painesville houses, taverns, and churches were stations along the Underground Railroad in the pre–Civil War years. Today, the city is positioned for a bright future, with new businesses and services investing in the community.

A resident of northeast Ohio for more than two decades, Sandy Mitchell Pavick is a full-time writer and active participant in community affairs. She has penned three previous titles about Ohio history for Arcadia Publishing. For Painesville, Pavick has delved into a variety of private and library archives for images, many of which have never been published.

The story of these immigrants to northeastern Ohio and their role in the development of the Mahoning Valley is told through rare and vintage images.

To many people, the sight of a sky aglow with flame, clouds of smoke, and the smell of sulfur in the air would bring thoughts of sermons about brimstone, fire, and punishment for a life of sin. But Slovak immigrants fleeing poverty in Europe saw a picture of hope and prosperity as they came to the Mahoning Valley of northeastern Ohio in response to the promise of jobs and good pay in the steel mills. These mills stretched in an almost unbroken chain from Warren, Ohio, through Youngstown and Campbell and on into Sharon and Farrell, Pennsylvania. From the 1870s, when the first Slovaks came to this area, to the present, there is no part of American life in which these Slovak Americans have not thrived while living the American Dream.

Through a collection of images, Cleveland Slovaks show their neighborhoods and family life and give readers an appreciation of the community's legacy.

Cleveland's Slovaks can best be characterized as survivors. Many survived ethnic persecution and poverty so they could have a chance at something better. Beginning with a small core of immigrants seeking work above ground rather than in the coal mines of neighboring states, Cleveland's Slovak community grew through a giant chain migration. Their neighborhoods flourished close to their jobs and their churches. Many of the ancestors of today's Slovaks came to the United States classified as Hungarians. In their hearts, though, they knew what they were and what language they spoke. They held onto their native language even as they learned English and unwaveringly encouraged their children to strive for the opportunity America offered. According to the 2000 census, 93,500 northeast Ohioans claim Slovak heritage.

Nestled between Toledo and Cleveland near the Sandusky Bay is a quiet lake region, a haven for vacationers and permanent residents alike.

Claiming 107 miles of Lake Erie's coastline, Eastern Ottawa County, Ohio, is home to several coastal communities, including the small city of Port Clinton, the placid land masses of the Bass Islands, and the Marblehead Peninsula, home to a popular lighthouse. The author's window into this area, however, never overlooks the labor required to create and sustain its resort attractions. We meet the train conductors, teachers, mail carriers, ice harvesters, and community leaders who helped put Ottawa County on the map. We are offered many glimpses of boats on local waterways, some delivering fish, others ferrying passengers to the island, and still others in advance of their service during war time. And we are delivered a rare view of the many buildings that sadly failed to survive the area's catastrophic fires. This book is a living testimony to the rich and varied history of Ohio's Lake Erie communities. Resort oasis to some, manufacturing center to others, Ottawa County's texture and detail are brought vividly to life in this absorbing Images of America volume.

150 years of Lake Erie's shores and islands' tourism and recreation history is detailed in this book.

From quaint wineries, world-class amusement parks, indoor and outdoor water parks, to cottage communities, religious retreats and natural wonders, for 150 years, people have come to rest, relax, and recharge in the area. Lake Erie is the constant in this fascinating story, the natural resource that gives the region, from Vermilion to Port Clinton, south to Milan, Bellevue, and Fremont, and north to Sandusky, Cedar Point, the Marblehead Peninsula, and the Lake Erie Islands, its character and charm.

Beginning on Easter Sunday, March 23, 1913, torrential rains across the Midwest dropped a record three months of rainfall in four days.

Floodwaters funneled down Ohio's Miami Valley into the heart of the vibrant industrial city of Dayton. Levees burst, houses were swept away, and downtown was gutted by fires blazing from broken gas mains. At the end of Easter week, nearly 100 Daytonians had perished, and tens of thousands more were left homeless and destitute--a tragedy that made banner headlines in newspapers nationwide. Out of Dayton's ashes and mud rose fierce public resolve never again to suffer such destruction. The Great Dayton Flood of 1913 reproduces some 200 astounding photographs from the collections of the Dayton Metro Library and the Miami Conservancy District and the archives of the National Cash Register Company at Dayton History. They portray the terrifying flood, monumental destruction, heroic rescues, and compassionate leadership that occurred during the disaster and its immediate aftermath, as well as the pioneering flood-control engineering that has kept Dayton safe ever since.

Toledo incorporated in 1837. Its canals, railroads, and natural resources inspired Jesup W. Scott to proclaim Toledo "The Future Great City of the World." Such boosterism overstated the case, but Toledo did soon attract manufacturers of farm wagons, bicycles, and beer. And in 1888, Edward Drummond Libbey relocated his glass company to the city, creating a catalyst for other glass-manufacturing ventures. Toledo: The 19th Century illustrates the city's early struggles and eventual success as "The Glass Capital of the World."

Fairport Harbor tells the story of the village's rich history with captivating vintage photographs that capture all the natural beauty of this lakeside community. Featured inside are the historic landmarks-buildings, churches, and of course lighthouses that are so identifiable with the village's past. Also featured are the people-the fishermen, shipbuilders, and railroad workers who all helped build one of the most picturesque harbor towns on all of Lake Erie's shores.

Take a fascinating journey through the history of Elmore and Genoa, Ohio with more than 200 vintage photographs and anecdotes from the locals who experienced it.

The villages of Elmoreand Genoahave held a friendly rivalry since the 1860s. Though each has made its own name in Ottawa County, Ohio, both share a rich heritage that instills small-town curiosities with a strong sense of community pride.

Elmore is known as being the home of Schedel's Arboretum and Gardens, the headless motorcyclist ghost, the Elmore car, and professional softball pitcher Carl SoxWainwright. Not to be outdone, Genoa, one of the major producers of white lime in the country, showcases world-renown artist Jan Pugh and National Register of Historic Placessites such as the Genoa Town Halland the Old School Privy.

Both area histories have boasted pioneers that tamed the Black Swamp, prosperous businesses, major transportation centers, and stories of overcoming personal tragedies.Elmore and Genoa takes readers back to a time that was simpler to see two villages grow into places where the past can come alive through the actions and memories of its people.