BAY VILLAGE, Ohio — Sometimes you have to pound the pavement to really appreciate history.
That’s what a group of “history hikers” did in Bay Village recently, walking to 12 houses on five streets from Lake Road to Glen Park to Juneway Drive.
The hike was led by the Bay Village Historical Society.
The trek started with a visit to Herman Jachnick’s home near Chubbs Creek. He grew up there and was happy to tell the hikers about his family’s homestead.
A towering shade tree in Bay Village that represents the history of the city. Many people have come and gone, but many stay for decades, such as Herman Jachnick. The Bay Village Historical Society hosts historical hikes to see some of the historical homes.Linda Gandee
From Bay Village historical information, the house was built between the 1860s and 1870s on the site of a home near the creek, which runs along the west side of the property.
“County records show an early date of construction, but proof of the 1860s is that a circular saw was used to cut the lumber,” the information notes.
“It is a Victorian Italianate design. Note the low-pitched roof, the tall windows, the intriguing woodwork design and the elaborate wraparound porch.”
The house has five bedrooms and one bathroom, but no air conditioning. It had a working water pump in the kitchen.
Wood-burning fireplaces were built for heating in every room. The wavy glass in the windows is original.
“The home originally sat on 88 acres extending to the north, to the railroad tracks to the south, to Clague Road to the east and to Upland Road to the west,” the information notes.
“There were grape arbors and a large garden. The house was believed to be a boarding house.
“The Washington H. Lawrence family purchased the house and land in 1892, probably as a summer home for one of (Lawrence’s) seven daughters.
“At that time, Lawrence developed the property as Dover Bay Country Club (east of Clague Road).
“Then it was sold to relatives of the current owners in 1929.”
In the Bay Village 1939 Directory, Leo and Mary DeWitt are listed as occupying the home. They raised their 11 children here.
The property was transferred to the current owners in 1998. They can boast that the house has been in the family for three generations.
Jachnick told a hike leader that when he proposed to his wife, Susan, he told her that the house comes with him.
There are so many other historical homes in Bay Village, so it is worth a call to the historical society for those who have an interest.
For more information, visit www.bayhistorical.com or call 216-319-4634.
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