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 stands and a large athletic field.” Wallace Beach was on land that William P. and Edith I. Wallace had owned since 1917 on Chagrin River Road between Solon Road and the old Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad tracks. William P. Wallace was mayor of Bentleyville from 1926 to 1945.
Additional information coming soon.
Resources
- “Benedicts Prepare for Seventh Annual Picnic.” Call & Post. July 15, 1937.
- Gallagher, Cedric W., warranty deed to Edith I. Wallace, November 6, 1917, Chagrin Falls Twp., Cuyahoga County, Recorder’s Book 2014, p. 489, AFN191711060125.
- “William P. Wallace Dies; Long Mayor of Bentleyville.” Cleveland Plain Dealer. November 3, 1947.