Orange Grove Park was a picnic ground in the 1930s whose location is not known. It is possible that it was located in Orange Township. Additional information coming soon.
An advertisement for Sanders and Sons Farm in the Call & Post on September 1, 1951, directed readers to follow Route 422 to Franklin Road in Chagrin Falls. From there, they would proceed to Woodland Avenue in Chagrin Falls Park, a semirural Black enclave to the south of the village. Turning left onto Geneva Street, […]
Wallace Beach (or Wallace’s Beach) was a swimming hole and spot of outdoor recreation along the Aurora Branch of the Chagrin River. The Call & Post made occasional references to Black gatherings at Wallace Beach in the 1930s. The leisure spot featured “many natural beauties to which have been added picnic benches, dance pavilion, refreshment […]
Craig Beach was a beach, park, and amusement park area located along Lake Milton to the west of Youngstown. Gaining massive popularity in the 1920s, the location could accommodate thousands of visitors at one time, and was a very popular vacation and resort location for the people of Youngstown, Akron, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. While the […]
When we think of historically Black beaches, Atlantic coastal resorts usually come to mind, including American Beach near Jacksonville, Highland Beach outside Baltimore and Washington, and Atlantic Beach near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. But in the early 20th century, African Americans in the Great Lakes region also sought out their own lakeshore beaches, including on […]
Crystal Beach was a lakeside amusement park that operated in Vermilion, Ohio, from 1907 to 1962. The earliest mention of Black visitors was that of the Union Sunday School picnic in 1908. In 1932, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that the Cuyahoga County Lodge of Colored Elks held its annual picnic at Crystal Beach, suggested […]