Happy Independence Day

Happy 4th of July, former and current Euclidites!

The Euclid police department doesn't want you to blow anything important off in the name of freedom this year, nor did they want to deal with your patriotic nonsense in 1938!

The jail has gotten larger in these last 80 years, but otherwise the more things change...

Be safe this 4th of July!

Euclid Township Hall and Euclid City Hall

On the afternoon of April 12, 1929, Euclid's city hall on North Street was ablaze and would soon burn to the ground. Fire Chief Ernest Earick blamed the fire on faulty wiring, specifically a short circuit that sparked tarred hemp used by the water department to pack pipe joints. Chief Earick was on the first floor of the two story building, built in 1894, and had the misfortune of falling through the burning floor into the basement. He was rescued, revived and remained on scene.

Talk about hardcore.

Having no city hall, everybody (even the police) moved over to the "old hotel" (The Euclid Inn) on Chardon road, near Euclid ave. The depression made rebuilding a slow process, and the temporary city hall ended up being a 9 year solution.

Plans were completed in 1934 and construction of the new "old" Euclid city hall began in 1937. There was a bit of back-and-forth about the location, though.

Here's a photo of the newly constructed hall in 1938. It was completed by WPA workers and cost $100,000.

City Hall still stands today, but was outgrown in the mid 1980's. The basement of this building was actually the police department until 1950.

It currently sits right next to the current (municipal center) city hall, completed in 1989.

Bonus: Showing off a 4 year old city hall in the 1942 Euclid city directory.

1937: Mayoral Election involving Charles Ely includes Shots Fired

You think elections are pure insanity nowadays, have a peek into yesteryear, when an employee of the local newspaper at that time (The Euclid Observer) claimed to have been shot at while distributing special editions of the paper.

Euclid Square Mall: House of Horrors

Halloween will be here in a little over two months. A thread on Facebook jogged a memory of a newspaper clipping loose that I wanted to post in either this blog or my Euclid Boo blog around Halloween.

It's a short piece advertising thrills at the Euclid Square Mall HOUSE OF HORRORS! Open Every night during the last week of October, 1978. A balloon-headed phantom leers at the camera frozen in time. Fun for the whole family, but the little ones should probably bring a parent along.

A couple dollars got you a few fun, cheap screams. I am certain to this day there is a memory of something that seemed truly terrible to a young kid still floating around in the darkness of a grown man's mind.

EPIC Freaking Photos of Euclid Square Mall Circa 1976-1977

When I started the Dead Euclid blog in 2005, it was because I was so fascinated/disgusted with the status of Euclid Square Mall. The blog has spun off into a couple different directions, finally landing here. I'd like to think this is a history/future of Euclid, Ohio, more than anything else.

I opened with those thoughts because I found something that has me as excited as an 8 year old going to Geauga Lake!

Pictures, glorious pictures of BEFORE the mall was built, and after... filled with people and promise.

Enjoy, and thanks to the Cleveland Memory Project and the generous donors and volunteers who are constantly adding to this invaluable resource!

The Cleveland Press Collection

The Cleveland Press Collection; Creator Timothy Culek

The Cleveland Press Collection; Creator Timothy Culek

Euclid Square Merchants Assn. Wayne Poe - secretary, John Lupo - v.p., Jean Perusak - v.p., Michael DeGirolamo - president, Bob Morris, treasurer; The Cleveland Press Collection

Hickory Farms and Florsheim Shoes in the background; The Cleveland Press Collection

Hickory Farms; The Cleveland Press Collection; Creator Frank Reed

Higbee's and fountain; The Cleveland Press Collection; Creator Bill Nehez

Wayne Poe (left) manager. Euclid Sq. Mall, Warren Goodwin, security chief; The Cleveland Press Collection; Creator Bill Nehez

Hey Wayne Poe! A few years ago Mr. Poe contacted me because I had published a want ad for a secretary from 1976. We meet again!

And if I remember right, Warren Goodwin was a Euclid Police captain.

Seeing these so crystal clear, it makes it somehow even more lonely to walk through the mall now. Even when the place has kids running around and churches in session, nothing seems like it belongs, nothing feels as natural as these photos do.