Cleveland Annexed Part Of Lakewood?

[stephen davis]

I'd say that we can call that street anything we want. Nobody in Lakewood should have to live on a numbered street. That is just not part of our culture.

There should be no 117th signs on the west side of Highland. At the very least, the suspended signage should be two-sided and have both names.

I have included a link to the photo archive from the Cleveland Memory Project at the Cleveland State University Library. If you do a search for "Highland", you will see pages of photo references that show Highland and W. 117th used together. That's probably so that Clevelanders don't get confused. Too bad our history is not kept at the Lakewood State University Library.


http://www.clevelandmemory.org/lakewood/history.shtml


Steve

[Gary Rice]

As a past drummer with two Pipes and Drums units, as well as being a life member of the Clan Buchanan Society, may I add my humble support to those wanting to retain the "Highland" heritage!

(Of course, I have so many different ethnic bloodlines that I probably could come up with a bunch of responses here!)

Nonetheless, up the Highlanders, I must say!

And to thee all:

Mi durachd ye uile a' gle Naira Nollaig agus a' Toilichte Nuadh Bliadhna.

In Gaelic: (Hopefully not too butchered) I wish you all Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Yours Aye,

Gary

[Dan Slife]

Charyn, Dee,

Perhaps you're missing the point. The 'Wood gone Hood. The Suburb gone Holler.

The Patriarch gone Matriarch gone flagile Testosterarch. Word is Wood. The Wood is good, yet.

Perhaps it's the logos, the wand of word that rubs you wrongly. The water-logged Wood, resisting gravity only by it's buoyancy. It's the water-logged Wood floating on the yet still waters of passive bureacracy. It's the 'Wood because it must stand erect, though still lays happily in the waters of delusion.... bottle in mouth... hand on remote...

When the lake is dry the Wood will dry and perhaps stand up in the 21st century, for it's own sake and yours. Perhaps it will be to late.

[Charyn Compeau]

Perhaps it's the logos, the wand of word that rubs you wrongly. The water-logged Wood, resisting gravity only by it's buoyancy. It's the water-logged Wood floating on the yet still waters of passive bureaucracy. It's the 'Wood because it must stand erect, though still lays happily in the waters of delusion.... bottle in mouth... hand on remote...

Umm.. no

Its the 'wanna-be' look and feel of a nickname for Lakewood. The much ballyhooed lack of self esteem begins with our name (ahh.. there is much power in what something is called) - instead of standing proud as Lakewood we are now trying to be "The 'Wood".

Why wouldn't we have low self-esteem when people seem to think that our name is not 'hip' enough to stand alone. Why should we be proud to be LAKEWOOD when people seem to think we need a different 'handle' to go by ...just like those other communities that we pretend we dont want to be like but really... that greener grass thing ya know

Maybe Ill just go put on a little extra bling and hit up my homies to go hang out before chillin at the hippe house...

Then again maybe I'll put on my outfit to go sing in the church choir with my friends and stop for a cup of coffee and some fellowship after wards at a local restaurant.


_____________________
Sadly, the holidays are over so I am back to my quiet lurking corner while I go back to the brick and mortar world to make my small but hopeful significant contributions to society.

Maybe in the not to distant future I will have been able to put some data together regarding the financial picture of Lakewood that demystifies and debunks much of the rumor that exists about what we have, how we got and, and what we can do with it (and who can do with it).

I know!! Maybe Ill write a book: "City Finances for Dummies"

((yes yes tongue in cheek there , KKK?))


Until then - May God bless you each in this new year!

Ta-ta for now -
Charyn

[Shawn Juris]

Regarding signs; who paid for them and who put them up? Let's not make this a Cleveland/Lakewood thing if it doesn't have to be. Frankly, I could care less what it's called and I think you would find a large majority agree. But at least there is something else that can be held up as a way to champion the fight against "regionalism". Forget that it's been called W 117th for how many decades now? When was the last time it was called Highland anyway?

[Jim O'Bryan]

Charyn/Shawn

While one brings tears to my eyes, well the other brings tears to my eyes.

Charyn

I agree, that The Wood, is nothing more than slang for Lakewood. That we should be proud of out city, and that we should pronounce it as such. I feel gratified that at the beginning of the new year people came forward to keep Lakewood better, and different from the rest. We should stand behind everything we are, we must not get lazy when it comes to Lakewood past, present and future. Even with offers looming for stickers and Ts, I will hold off any any marketing effort. It brings tears to my eyes.

Shawn

Good point, I wonder who did pay? if I remember the street signs were the color of Lakewood's. See it is the little things that many do not notice that breaks cities apart. Cleveland's signs are Blue, Lakewood Green.

Just because a couple hommies got lazy, is no reason to forget the history of this city, or names because it suits some. The street was named Highland for a reason. That reason was good enough that it still is featured in stone on three buildings, and in business names on three more. When you look into history books you can see that Studebaker had a splendid dealership on Highland Ave. not W117. When you look back at the explosion that tore the street in half, the writers had no problem with Highland Ave/W117th. When I look through my history books of Lakewood which I have more than a handful of, it was always Highland Ave.

Speaking of Highlands - To me this would be like renaming Scotland or Wales England, just because a bunch of Yanks moved in and couldn't get it straight. There are no numbered streets in Lakewood. There are no blue street names signs. These are the little thing that defines LAKEWOOD. Why give it away? If the city puts them up, I'll give them the signs.

As we fight for the name Lakewood, we must fight for the name Highland Ave., Bunts, Warren Road, some even call Riverside Drive, 237!

.

[Charyn Compeau]

OK - Ill sneak just one more in....

I think that Jim has a point. At first I thought "Good grief - who cares??" but given a day or two to think about it, placing signs on the Lakewood side that differentiate us from Cleveland would be a good thing in my vocal yet humble opinion.
'
Can you seriously say that it would cause enough confusion to be a detriment to business development? I sure hope that the general population hasn't become that mentally apathetic! Perhaps the challenge will help stimulate latent brain cells!

Let people know that they have crosseed out of Clevelnad and into someplace wonderful. Let the past be recognized. Does history only count if it is made of wood?

Ok - really... must work now... must log out.... must close browser... focus focus.....

(heh heh - cyber hookie is dangerous sport!)

[kate parker]

mark your calendars...gasp...i agree with jim on this. like charyn, i too thought, oh jeez, at first. but after jim's effort on explaining more in depth, i concur. west 11wha? oh, you mean highland!

[Shawn Juris]

Would a road by any other name smell so sweet? So we're good? Are we in agreement that Cleveland isn't annexing Lakewood and this isn't a regionalism issue? If it really goes a step further to folks referring to a street by it's state route number rather than it's local name, I think we may be tilting at windmills.

[Charyn Compeau]

umm.. I occasionally refer to Clifton as Rt 2...

am I in trouble?


Hanging head in shame,
Charyn
(ever the addict)

[Jay Foran]

Number one economic lesson for Northeast Ohio communities over the past 50 years......don't undervalue the lake....whether that be water quality, wildlife protection, proximity, real estate.

What's the first word we eliminate when we adopt a nickname....LAKE!

Back to Branding 101....

[stephen davis]

[Jim O'Bryan]

Stephen

I found these photos that underline what you are talking about, and also raise even more troubling issues?

What if Cleveland declared war and we were never told?



All street signs in Lakewood are white and green. I believe that would be Lakewood's official color, "Sinagra Green." Which goes back to the administration of Tony Sinagra, who had charted a strong direction for Lakewood.



All street signs in Cleveland are white and blue. Please note the Christmas Decoration.




Here is a street sign, clearly in Lakewood, with the colors of Cleveland. It is the little things. Give them and inch... They will take much more as I will prove.




Now I had always been told the border of Highland Ave. was the middle of the street. There are legends of accidents on "Highland Ave./W117" where the dispatcher clearly asks which side of the street?" This sign is clearly on Lakewood's side, yet it bears the colors, and the less imaginative way to name streets that are part of Cleveland's heritage.

Also note the street decorations are the same. For almost 7 blocks! How did Cleveland's Christmas decorations make it so far into Lakewood? Give them and inch.... Also Lakewood being much more open minded has as a tradition used "holiday decorations." What's the deal?




Now the most troubling photos. Note again how far back the Welcome To Lakewood signs are? Did we give this land away? Did we sell it? did Cleveland Annex it? Is Lakewood getting smaller?




I am not complaining about a couple feet. We are looking at a minimum of 50' by almost a mile! That's enough for an Applebees and a couple clothing stores. It is also the frontage of some of the most valuable commercial property in Lakewood.

Maybe it's time to restart the militia. I was part of a group that had plans to annex everything West of W53 from the lake to Madison and claim it for Lakewood 72% of the businesses and residents in the footprint were glad to here, they were about to become of the best suburb in America.


.[/img]

[stephen davis]

Jim,

It looks like we've lost about 4 hectares of land to Cleveland, and without any resistance by our residents or government!

We need to secure our borders. Will this be handled with strong warnings from our mayor, our chief of police, or do we have to mobilize our militia?

I suggest running sorties into Cleveland's Edgewater area to install green street signs and LO stickers. It may bring them to the table for a diplomatic solution. If that doesn't work, we'll take Don's Lighthouse as an advance base for strategic control of the Shoreway, Clifton, and Lake Avenue.

I await your commands.

Steve

[Jim O'Bryan]

I await your commands.

Steve

Steve

Ideas that have been floated at Observer meetings.

• 1) Declare War - Cleveland has not the money to stage a defense.
  2) Annex - This was filed 06/13/04 Annex all land west of West 53rd
  including, The Water Plant, Edgewater Park, Cleveland Theater, Mt. Carmel's Church, south to Madison. Other gains 2 McDonald's, 1 Popeye's Chicken, 1 Burger King, 2 more old age homes, vacant land for Shawn's mall, and Vila Zapata's. As i mentioned earlier, most resident seemed ready to help us move the borders.
  3) Ask for Financial Reparation - This would break Cleveland, and we could take it over. Who ever wins Lakewood's election for mayor would get Lakewood, Loser would rule Cleveland.
  4) Demand a written apology. Have Frank Jackson climb the pole dressed as a brownie or indian and change the signs.
  5) ?

"We will not go quietly into the night." That guy playing the president in that Alien movie.