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The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

WESTLAKE - The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

WESTLAKE, originally part of Dover Twp. (org. 1810), incorporated as Dover Village in 1911, was named Westlake in 1940, and incorporated as a city in 1957. It is 12 mi. west of Cleveland on the western edge of Cuyahoga County and is bounded by Lorain County on the west, BAY VILLAGE on the north, ROCKY RIVER on the east, and NORTH OLMSTED on the south. It occupies 16.5 sq. mi. The first white settlers in the area arrived in 1810 from Connecticut; immigrant GERMANS settled here in the middle of the century. Pioneer INDUSTRY included mills, shops, potash asheries, and an iron furnace. Dover Twp. was America's second-largest grape-producing region in the late 19th century (see AGRICULTURE). After the Civil War, the township's lakeshore attracted affluent Clevelanders for summer residences. In 1901 residents in the northern part of the township voted to form Bay Village. During the first half of the 20th century, Dover Village remained essentially rural; farms, truck gardens, and flower gardens flourished. The name Westlake was chosen to avoid confusion with Dover in Tuscarawas County. The city has adopted the mayor-council form of government. Population grew from 3,200 in 1940 to 5,500 in 1950 and 15,989 in 1970. The completion of I-90 promoted growth by making Westlake more accessible. By 1980 the population reached 19,483. It continued to climb to 27,018 in 1990 and to 31,719 in 2000. The city has its own school system and offers recreational facilities such as Clague Park, the former property of the Clague family, pioneers from the Isle of Man. The Clague House is a museum of the Westlake Historical Society.


See also SUBURBS.

Last Modified: 29 Jun 2003 04:39:55 PM

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