Nottingham Historical Society
18326 St. Clair Rd. Cleveland, Ohio 44110
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Our
Railroads
"Opening
of the Cleveland Painesville and Ashtabula Rail Road."
"On Saturday last, in company with the
Directors and Officers of the three roads which centre at Cleveland, passed
from Cleveland to Painesville, and back, on the first car that ever ran on the
South shore of Lake Erie. This is an era in the History of Cleveland and the
country, East and West, and we record it as such."
from the
TRUE DEMOCRAT. Monday Morning, November 17. 1851
While
it was another year before this road was open all the way to the state line,
the CPA RR was open for business, hauling passengers and freight between
Cleveland and Painesville in November of 1851. The same newspaper article
references our area twice:
"We passed over
two bridges; one at Euclid Creek, and the other at Willoughby, on the Chagrin
River. The first is a solid stone arch..." and "...The Water Stations
are unsurpassed in convenience, and the Depots at Euclid and Willoughby will be
well arranged."
Soon a small village developed around the
Depot. In 1858, Euclid Depot is the name labeling this area on Hopkin’s Map of
Cuyahoga County. It is even included as one of a few inserts of villages and
hamlets, along with the other "suburbs" of Cleveland: Doan's Corners,
Collamer Village, and Euclid.
In
1861, Abraham Lincoln rode the CPA RR through the village on his way to his
inauguration. It is very likely that he made a brief speech to the crowd that
cheered him at the depot. Somewhere before 1865, the depot was renamed
Nottingham, to honor Henry Nottingham. Henry Nottingham was the Superintendent
of the CPA RR. In 1861, it was Henry Nottingham who escorted the soon to be
president down Euclid Avenue in a carriage pulled by four white horses. The
William Case, a wood burning steam engine, escorted Lincoln as he rode from
Cleveland to Erie.
In
1865, Superintendent Nottingham was again in charge of making arrangements as
the Funeral Train left Erie in route to Cleveland. The William Case served the
President one last time. The time card shows the times and further documents
Henry Nottingham's important role in this tragic event. There are several
stories told about Lincoln's Funeral procession. One of our members can track
one of the cars that was part of this train. Unfortunately, time and mother
nature have destroyed it!
On
May 10th, 1869, a nation "listened" (via telegraph) as the Golden
Spike was driven at Promentory Point, connecting east coast to west coast.
Henry Nottingham took part in that ceremony, saying a few words and driving in
one of the last iron spikes just prior to the Golden Spike Ceremony. With the
Transcontinental Railroad complete, the railroads' impact on Cleveland and our
little village was incredibly significant. Amasa Stone became Cleveland's first
millionaire. John D. Rockefellor became the wealthiest man in the world and
Cleveland's Millionaire Row had more than a few Railroad Men living on Euclid
Avenue!
The CPA RR was also called the Cleveland Erie
Railroad. It merged with the Cleveland Toledo Railroad and became the Lake
Shore Railroad and in the late 1860's merged with the Southern Michigan RR to
become the Lake Shore and Southern Michigan RR. Nottingham Station continued to
serve the community into the 20th Century. With the Collinwood Shops so close,
the Village of Nottingham soon became home to many Railroaders! The Nickel
Plate Railroad, Nottingham's southern border, was not complete until 1882.
These railroads provided the backbone for an industrial complex that provided
goods & services and jobs for the greater Cleveland area.
Another rail soon rolled through the Village!
In 1895, the Cleveland Painesville and Eastern Railway provided daily
connections between the "suburbs" and the city. This was the age of
the Interurban. Its frequent "Stops" made it possible to work and
shop anywhere along the rail. Today's East 185th Street Shopping District was a
direct result of where the rail was laid. Check out the 1903 map with its Stops
clearly marked! The railroad has played a key part in our history.
We
are searching for photos and stories from Nottingham's railroaders. Contact us if you
have something to share!
