The Cleveland Hotel, Conneaut Ohio
The Cleveland was built by Clifford Smith; the proprietors of the hotel were three partners, two were sons of a prominent Conneaut businessman, G. H. Cleveland; the third was a friend and a Passenger Conductor on the Nickel Plate Railroad. C.S. Cleveland and M. C. Cleveland were well-known and popular in Conneaut, as was G.H. Thornton. Mr. Thornton, the Nickel Plate Conductor, established his permanent residence within the Cleveland Hotel, even though his railroad duties required much traveling. Additionally, it appears that a local office for the Nickel Plate Railroad was established within the lobby of the Cleveland Hotel. This close connection between the Cleveland Hotel and the Nickel Plate Railroad continued into the 1940s as the Cleveland Hotel's fine dining room regularly hosted officials from the Nickel Plate Railroad for meals.
This partnership ran the Cleveland Hotel until approximately 1914 when ownership passed to one Arvine W. Pelton. Mr. Pelton owned the Cleveland throughout most of its period of significance (1903-1941) and apparently was responsible for the addition of a large, wood-burning fireplace to the lobby of the Hotel.
The Cleveland offered upscale innovations such as hot and cold running water in every room (most rooms still contain the original sinks), steam heat, electric and gas lighting, call bells, and wiring for that new invention, the telephone, in every room. The Cleveland Hotel was also applauded for containing many windows that caused it to be well-lighted and ventilated. These features were desirable in order to help alleviate the risk of illness then commonly believed to be caused by "bad odors and vapors". There were also eight suites and eight single rooms with in-room bathing facilities. (Many of these plumbing facilities still exist). The remainder of the 44 hotels rooms shared central bathing rooms located on each floor.
During this period of ownership, Mr. Pelton oversaw the visit of Henry Ford, the automobile maker and one of the most historically significant visitors to stay at the Cleveland Hotel. The decision of Henry Ford to stay at the Cleveland Hotel illustrates the hotel's prominence and its reputation as one of the finest hotels along the historic U.S. Route 20 at the time.
During Mr. Pelton's ownership, the city block containing the Cleveland Hotel saw the establishment of several new theaters showcasing moving pictures, vaudeville, and live road shows. Specifically, the La Grande Theatre, the State Theater, and the Ohio Theater were located on State Street within walking distance of the Cleveland Hotel. This enhanced the Cleveland Hotel's importance as a prominent overnight destination along this historic transportation route for those patronizing the many theaters and for those participating in the shows. Those buildings have been demolished.
In 1941, the Cleveland Hotel was sold to Mr. D. R. Bly, the owner of the Ohio Theater, as well as several other businesses and apartment buildings along State Street. This city block became known as the Bly Block. During this period of ownership, the Cleveland Hotel continued to host not only the many prominent traveling businessmen, railroad officials, tourists, and show people, but added to that list, the emerging celebrities of the Big Band era. The Big Bands relied heavily on historic Route 20 and the Nickel Plate Railroad to transport their shows between Chicago, Illinois, and Buffalo, New York. Shirley Oxley recalls helping her mother, who was working as a chamber-maid at the Cleveland. One day, while dusting the landing spindles of the grand staircase, she accidentally dusted the head of famous Big Band leader, Vaughn Monroe. Mr. Monroe and his band were staying the night while en route to Cleveland, Ohio for another show.
Ms. Oxley also recalls that another significant figure of that era, James M. Cole, owner of the traveling Cole Brothers Circus, always stayed at the Cleveland Hotel when his circus was in the area. The fact that these significant figures of the era chose to stay at the Cleveland Hotel clearly illustrates the historic significance of the hotel along U.S. Route 20 and the Nickel Plate Railway, the major transportation routes of the time.
In 1953 the federal highway system was being constructed. The new U.S. Route 90 was built to the south of Conneaut, diverting much of the automobile traffic away from the city. Also, passenger train service began to decline significantly at this time, and interurban trolley lines were discontinued. These factors combined to cause a significant decline in the numbers of business people and tourists using the Cleveland Hotel. In 1953 the hotel was sold to Mr. E.F. Lampkin, who also bought the rest of the Bly Block. He continued to operate the Cleveland Hotel as a hotel and dining room business, but the glory days were over. The Cleveland Hotel continued to be well maintained but some minor exterior changes were made. Specifically, a fifties-style street overhang with neon signage was added to the front of the hotel at this time. The overhang obstructed the fascia that separated the base from the shaft of the hotel. This overhang has since been removed. The fascia is undamaged.
The hotel was sold again in 1963 to Mr. William Murray, the owner of a construction company in nearby Painesville, Ohio. Mr. Murray drew up plans to renovate the exterior of the Cleveland Hotel in 1960s style, to combine the two dining rooms into one large dining room and to convert the third floor rooms into efficiency apartments. It appears that Mr. Murray caused the removal of the carved stone cornice nameplate. The planned renovations to the dining rooms apparently took place, as did some alterations of some third floor rooms.
In the mid-1960s, the Cleveland Hotel was sold again to Dan and Carol Sullivan for use as low-income housing. During this period, the original sample rooms housed a lounge and various local businesses. The secondary entrance was added to the east face of the building during this ownership phase.
In 1987, the Cleveland Hotel was purchased by Bible Broadcasting, Inc., for use by its bible college as a downtown Conneaut campus-dormitory building. Alterations conducted at that time include the addition of a north-south firewall separating the main lobby from the grand staircase area, the addition of a fire wall separating the west half of the building (living areas) from the grand staircase on all three floors, and the consolidation of some rooms on the second floors to form living suites.
Finally, during the fall of 2005 230 State Street, LLC, purchased the hotel. This owner plans to restore the architectural treasures of the building while converting it to condominium living units and commercial retail units.
Conneaut History
The city of Conneaut, Ohio, strategically located two miles from the shore of Lake Erie, about one mile from the Pennsylvania State line, on the old North Ridge Stage Road, was settled in 1802. Conneaut was originally named Port Independence by the surveying party of Moses Cleaveland, which landed on the shores of what is now Conneaut on July 4th, 1796. The Conneaut site was the first landing by the Cleaveland surveying party as it began its assignment of mapping out the newly established Western Reserve for the state of Connecticut.
Early pioneers traveled along the lake's ridges and Indian paths in their movement westward. In approximately 1802, an important road called the Old Stage Route along Ridge Road was laid out, linking Erie, Pennsylvania with Cleveland, Ohio. Today, it is known as U.S. Route 20, the "Granddaddy of America's roads". U.S. Route 20 is one of the great roads leading into America's Middle West and even today, is well traveled, although not by commercial traffic and not nearly to the extent traveled before the building of the federal highway system, specifically U.S. Route 90 which bypasses Conneaut to the south.
After the War of 1812, emigration from New England to the Western Reserve set in at a lively rate. Conneaut possessed a fine, deep port on Lake Erie, as well as rich farmland and a wealth of timber. As a result, a thriving port industry grew, attracting traders, farmers and various merchants in need of transportation for their wares throughout the Western Reserve lands. In 1815 an early stagecoach line was established along the Stage Road (U.S. Route 20), linking Erie, Pennsylvania to Cleveland, Ohio. Like most other lake ports, Conneaut experienced slow but steady growth from this time until the construction of the first railroad, the Lake Shore Railroad, in 1650. The introduction of the railroads to Conneaut provided the ability to transport great amounts of iron ore from surrounding states, as well as local farm produce, manufactured tin goods and timber to Conneaut's port for shipment around the Great Lakes.
The great boom for Conneaut's economy began in 1883 with the establishment of Conneaut as a major stop on the extremely popular and successful Nickel Plate Railroad. Northern Ohio was already served by four railroads at the time, and the location of the new rail line caused intense rivalries among cities, each trying to win the route for itself. Local newspapers editorialized on the benefits of the rail route going through the towns. The new rail company was described, as "great, double tracked, and possessing substantial financial backing, and, as such, was "nickel plated". When Conneaut won the route, its future was also "nickel-plated." The Nickel Plate selected Conneaut to be the western terminus of its eastern division, and to house a machine shop, major locomotive repair shop and roundhouse. The Nickel Plate operated three sidings in Conneaut to unload lumber, grain, feed, ore and coal for local industries, ultimately employing 600-700 local residents. The Nickel Plate Railway housed the telegraph lines and their train cars carried the U.S. mail. A real estate and population boom immediately ensued in Conneaut. The population of the city more than doubled within six years. Fine churches, schools, residences, business blocks, elegant stores, and theaters were built.
Between 1883 and 1940, the combination of the railroads, a deep Lake Erie port, and the steamship and dock companies of the era created a thriving manufacturing economy for the City of Conneaut. The Pittsburgh & Conneaut Dock Company was responsible for loading, unloading and shipping record amounts of iron ore and coal throughout the upper Great Lakes region. As a result, mechanical innovations in loading coal and ore between rail car and steamship were needed to replace the slow loading of goods by shovel. Conneaut became the birthplace of the first coal car-dumping machine; a cable haulage system for shunting coal cars along the docks, and the Hulette automatic ore unloading machines.
Conneaut also supported other thriving manufacturing businesses such as a brick industry, a shovel manufacturing company and a leather company. Each of these businesses located near the railroad lines and made use of their services. The brick plants, using the abundant Ohio shale, reached a production capacity of 50,000 common and 22,000 repressed bricks per day. A famous brick patent was developed by Conneaut resident, Frank B. Dunn near the turn of the century.
By 1903, Conneaut was home to four "major" hotels, the Cleveland Hotel being the only one built of brick. The Cleveland was located centrally to the Conneaut's downtown district, the port district, the Nickel Plate Railroad and directly fronted upon U.S. Route 20. Due to this excellent location and its reputation as a first-class hotel, the Cleveland was to become a significant and historic building in Conneaut, Ohio.
Building Description
The Cleveland Hotel is a three-story brick structure, with a large, open-air light well centered in the rear of the building. The foundation is masonry and brick, the exterior walls are constructed of brick, laid in a common bond pattern. It appears possible that the pressed brick was produced locally by one of three local brick companies operating in Conneaut in 1903. The front face of the Hotel has a base of cut stone and a cornice of pressed metal and stone. Specifically, the cornice exhibits a low-relief, Greek-style laurel swag motif, a layer of dentil molding, and a carved stone nameplate bearing the words 'The Cleveland'. The hotel is in the Commercial Style of architecture.
The Cleveland Hotel is situated at the eastern end of State Street in the city of Conneaut, county of Ashtabula, Ohio. State Street is one of two main streets and two minor streets forming the commercial rectangle of Conneaut, Ohio. The Cleveland Hotel is flanked on the east by the historic Conneaut Telephone Company building (1921), restored recently and continuing in its historic use. Flanking the Cleveland Hotel to the west is the city's original Masonic Temple building, built in 1935 and also continuing in its historic function. Located to the north along State Street are two other historical buildings, the original Conneaut Carnegie Library (1908), and Conneaut's original Federal Post Office building (1932). Interspersed among these buildings are several one-story buildings and some housing, most of recent vintage.
The front (south) face of the Hotel, on State Street, is marked by four brick and stone pillars. These pillars separate the various entrances for the main lobby and two "sample rooms" (storefronts) that are located symmetrically along the front of the Hotel. The two storefronts originally contained large, plate glass display windows; these window openings now contain replacement glass or are boarded up. The main lobby entrance originally contained two heavy, plate glass swing doors (now replaced with a single door), and a "Ladies" entrance (a single door adjacent to the main doors). The Lady's entrance was removed c. 1940 and never replaced.
The lobby entrance door is enhanced by colorful mosaic tile embedded in the top stone step leading to the inset entrance door. The exterior ceiling of the entrance consists of pressed metal ceiling tiles. The middle Sample Room entrance door is also inset rather nondescript, marked only by one of the previously mentioned brick and stone pillars, and by a shallow stone step. The second Sample room entrance, the westernmost doorway, is also inset, nondescript, and marked only by a brick and stone pillar, a shallow stone step, and the pressed metal exterior ceiling tiles. There originally was a set of exterior stone steps at the base of the front lobby window, providing access to the basement rooms. This set of steps was covered over when the two exterior side stairways were added to the building c. 1915. Pieced glass sidewalk grates also originally allowed light into the front basement rooms; some of these have been found stored in the basement.
Separating the first floor from the second and third floors is a wide, pressed metal fascia/sign board. The second and third-floor levels of the facade exhibit symmetrical bands of rectangular, double-hung windows, ten per band. Each window is defined by simple stone lintels and sills. The windows are separated by shallow, vertical brick piers. The cornice exists around all roof edges except the rear edge. The roof is flat, mildly sloped to the rear, and topped with a rubber membrane.
The eastern face of the hotel is composed of identical construction materials. Instead of bay storefront windows, the east side ground floor contains one plate glass window which completes the front lobby bay and a band of ten rectangular, one-over-one, double-hung windows with stone sills and lintels. The second and third-floor bands contain fourteen each of the same style of windows. An exterior chimney was added to the hotel c. 1910-1920. This chimney is composed of almost identical brick, with only slight variations in the color and finish of the brick. An exterior door was also added to the center of this face, apparently by removing one of the original windows and replacing it with a door. This entrance consists of a single door covered by a flat roof; the roof is supported by two simple, square pillars. The date of the door's addition is unknown, but appears to have been added between 1955 and 1968. On both the eastern and western faces of the Hotel there exist exterior, stone stairways leading to the basement rooms. These stairways are located at the front corners of the Hotel and were added c. 1915 when the front stone stairway was covered over. There are eight original window wells located along this face, which allow light and air into the basement rooms. All except three have been covered over. These will be opened up during the renovation.
The west face of the hotel is of identical brick and stone construction, but with ten segmental-arched top, brick-framed windows along the ground floor. Some of the ground-floor windows have been bricked or boarded up. There are two bands of ten symmetrically spaced, double-hung windows, one band each for the second and third floors. These windows are also brick, segmental-arched top windows. As noted, this face of the building contains an exterior stone staircase, located at the southern tip of the west face, leading to the basement rooms. Five window wells are located along this face to allow light into the basement rooms. All except three have been covered over. These will all be opened up during the renovation. A metal fire escape ladder was added at some point in the hotel's history. An exterior door is also centered on this face; it is unclear when this door was constructed.
The north face of the building (the rear) is also constructed of brick and stone; it exhibits the second and third-floor light well and ground-floor interior corridor separating the kitchen from the main dining room. The western half of the rear of the building contains an original brick, one-story extension that housed the original kitchen. Its two chimney stacks and vent holes are visible. This one-story extension originally contained arched top windows, two on each of its three faces. Two of these are now bricked in but the outlines remain visible. One face of the one-story kitchen extension (the east face) also contains an arch-top exterior door. The second and third stories of the western half of the rear contain hotel rooms. There are two symmetrically spaced, arched top windows for each floor on this face. Centered on each floor is also an arched top door, currently leading to the rear fire escape.
The eastern half of the rear facade contains a much smaller, brick shed-like building that does not appear to be original. This shed extends across and encloses the open-air corridor of the building, abutting the original kitchen extension. The second and third floors of this eastern half of the rear are identical to the western rear half, containing two symmetrically spaced, segmental-arched top windows, one centered, arched top door per floor, and fire escape equipment. The basement of this face contains three window wells, these have been covered over.
The exterior step of the main entrance to the Cleveland Hotel is still marked by lovely small mosaic tiles stating the name of the hotel. The interior of the hotel lobby is lined with quarter-sawn oak paneling (currently painted); the lobby floor is tiled with small mosaic tiling containing a star pattern (currently in good repair). The mosaic tile continues throughout the two front sample rooms. The ceiling is composed of intricately embossed metal panels. The numerous windows are framed in oak (currently painted), and the magnificent, split grand stairway, built of oak (currently painted), winds up to the third floor. The lobby featured a large Ionic column with bench seating, which had been removed and has been found stored in the hotel. Also stored is the beautiful oak paneling for the column and that column's curved seat.
A large, brick, wood-burning fireplace, topped by a simple wood mantle, is located on the east wall of the lobby, it is not original but was added between 1910 and the 1920s. The construction of the fireplace caused the loss of one or two of the four windows on the lobby's east wall. The brickwork on the face of the fireplace is notable, exhibiting a geometric pattern of squares and triangles. The fireplace served as a favorite attraction for the many hotel and dining room patrons waiting their turn to dine.
At the north end of the lobby was the clerk's desk. It was composed of an L-shaped desk with narrow oak pillars extending to the ceiling. These pieces have been removed and may also be in the storage rooms in the hotel. Behind the clerk's desk was the hotel office. This room still exists but has been altered by the removal of window frames, the addition of drywall wall surfaces, and the addition of vinyl floor tiles. This room still contains the original large floor safe used to store the valuables of hotel guests.
A corridor behind the office led to a small dining room and then to the larger, main dining room capable of seating 60 diners. These dining rooms contained hardwood flooring and oak panel wainscoting. They were situated in the northeast section of the hotel and were also well-ventilated by the numerous windows. They bordered along the central open-air corridor, allowing the dining rooms to be free of the fumes, heat, and bustle of the kitchen. The kitchen was located across this corridor. These patron dining rooms were substantially altered, c. 1970, by the addition of drywall interior walls; creating a warren of hallways and small rooms.
The then-modern kitchen, across the corridor, was also well-ventilated by numerous vents and windows. The kitchen has been substantially damaged by water, the result of roof leaks. This damage is repairable. Located next to the kitchen were separate rooms for pastry making, dry food storage, supply storage and employee dining. All of the storage rooms have been substantially altered through the addition of interior walls creating many new corridors, rooms, and modern restrooms. These changes appear to have taken place between approximately 1970 and the present. The kitchen itself is largely unchanged, save for the bricking in of two large, arch-top windows and the water damage.
The remaining front half of the first floor contained a ladies' entrance vestibule, with a writing desk and access to the lobby staircase, as well as the two "sample rooms" (storefronts). As noted, each sample room had its own street entrance and plate glass window bay, allowing the traveling salesmen who stayed at the hotel to display and sell their wares during their stay. The westernmost sample room has been most recently used as a tavern. It retains what appears to be its original exterior entrance door. It also retains its window bay framing (currently boarded up), its interior door to the Hotel hallway, and, possibly, its mosaic tile floor. The middle sample room has retained its original bay window framing and exterior door framing. However, it has suffered many alterations, with the addition of drywall interior walls and interior windows (it was used as a radio station site) c. 1990.
There were originally a total of 60 hotel rooms on the second and third floors of the Cleveland. Two stairways provide access to the upper floors. The grand stair in the hotel lobby is the main access route, however, there is also a secondary, side stair accessed through the west elevation door. Short sections of firewall, separating the hotel rooms from the open staircase were added c. 1987. Overall, though, the original upper floor corridor and room plan remains largely intact.
Each room contains one to three windows, all cased in oak woodwork. The floors throughout are also of oak and are in good repair. There are transoms above each original hotel room door. Brass or glass hardware still adorns each door. Many of the third-floor rooms have sustained damage to the plaster ceilings, caused by water leaks from roof damage.
All rooms originally had sinks with hot and cold running water almost all rooms still retain the original sinks. Eight single rooms originally had in-room bathrooms. An additional eight suite-style rooms also had in-room bathrooms. The remaining 44 hotel rooms were served by common hall bathrooms. Much of this original plumbing remains, although several of the rooms on each floor have been combined over the years (between approximately 1960 to the present) to form new suites or to add bathrooms. Each room originally had its own call bell and wiring for the newly invented telephone. In addition to the numerous windows allowing for natural light and ventilation, the entire "modern" Hotel was lighted by gas and electric lights and was heated by (safe) steam heat apparatus.
The basement of the Hotel was also well planned, containing large open rooms used for billiards, a gentlemen's tonsorial (barber shop), a banquet room, and laundry, storage, and boiler/electrical rooms. These rooms were accessed by the two outdoor stairwells, and by an interior stairway located in the hallway that separates the Sample rooms from the kitchen rooms. The basement rooms were lighted by large, deep window wells. Several original interior basement doors remain intact, as does the mosaic tile floor of what may have been one of the tonsorial rooms. The basement also contains nicely detailed arched brickwork around the doors.
Front (South) and East faces of Hotel (1940)
Front face with original storefronts and detailing. (1920)
Elegant lobby, with central staircase, tin ceiling, circular bench seat, hotel desk at rear. (1910)
Elegant large, patron dining room. (1910)
Current South face of Cleveland Hotel (2005)
Detail of hotel entrance door and hotel bay window (2005)
Detail of hotel entrance door and middle sample room entrance door; also detail of cornice, brick piers, and window structure (2005)
Detail of Western most sample room door and bay window structure; also showing middle sample room bay window (2005)
West face of hotel, arched windows, brick; neighboring Masonic Temple building (2005)
Arched windows, exterior stair to basement rooms, detail of corner column (2005)
Detailed view of stair to basement on West wall of hotel (2005)
Detail of basement window wells and brick work on West face of building (2005)
Arched windows, brick work on West face, also rear kitchen extension (2005)
West face and North face (rear) of building; detail of arched brick windows, kitchen extension, c-split of hotel (2005)
