Lakewood Refuse and Recycling Center, and my special Martin guitar, made from rescued pulpwood. Photo by Gary Rice- Thank you Dad for holding up the guitar!

As we prepare for fall and winter fun, it occurs to me that this particular time of late summer has been the most beautiful I can recall. With the rains of August, our foliage has turned again to the classic verdant hues that so often characterize springtime in the Ohio Country.

For many years, Lakewood was indeed a place of natural beauty. For example, one hundred and fifty odd years ago, the naturalist Dr. Jared Porter Kirtland resided at the corner of what is now Bunts and Detroit. His magnificent estate comprised not only the Lakewood High School grounds, but extended northward to Lake Erie. He discovered the Kirtland Warbler, a now-endangered species, and reportedly developed a number of fruit lines. Dan Chabek, in his book Lakewood Lore, available at the Lakewood Historical Society, covers Dr. Kirtland's life and experiences in great detail.

The twentieth century, however, developed into a time of great change. Rapid industrialization, population growth, and two World Wars all contributed to intense demands for raw materials and land use that, at times, put expediency before environmental concerns.

With the development of the internal combustion engine, a nationwide search began for oil and natural gas supplies. Oil and gas wells sprung up all over, including here in Lakewood. At the same time, suburban build-out was getting underway. The large estates in Lakewood were broken into smaller and smaller sub-divisions and parcelled off. Hundreds of homes appeared where none had been before.

Along with the housing build-out, hundreds of businesses sprang up along Detroit and Madison Avenues. Some of these were around for years. Others came and went, like the classic ships in the night.

Unfortunately, some of these left trouble behind. A review of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports about Lakewood has revealed some sites along Detroit and Madison Avenues, along with Berea Road, that continue to be of concern. A number of these have been identified as hazardous waste sites. You might say that some of these could even be considered mini-brownfields, potentially having residual and toxic contaminants in the soil.

To be fair, these types of concerns are not unique to Lakewood. Probably most if not all century cities with past industrial connections deal with these problems every day. Even in our older Lakewood homes, great care must be taken when remodeling. For example, old fireplaces, insulation of pipes and ductwork, and even the plaster in the walls might contain asbestos and should not be disturbed without consulting an expert.

Care also needs to be taken when digging in Lakewood. Underground surprises ranging from old dumps to capped gas wells can give the homeowner quite a problem. Once in a while, industrial and environmental issues can collide to create unexpected fireworks, as the following story illustrates.

Some may be unaware that one of the greatest mysteries in modern Lakewood-Cleveland history occurred when W. 117th Street (called Highland Ave. on the Lakewood side, as the street is shared by the two cities) blew up at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, September 10, 1953.

Can a street actually blow up? This one did. Big time. Right down the middle, and extending from Berea to Lake Roads! With such a force that even the streetcar rails bent like pretzels. The street opened like a horrible clamshell, leaving a gap that an elephant could probably have walked through in places.

Surprisingly, there was but one death reported, though 64 people were injured and rush hour cars were apparently flung about like so many matchsticks. Again according to Lakewood Lore author Dan Chabek, one manhole cover flew 150 feet, crashing through the roof of Dr. Wendt's pet hospital. According to Chabek's riveting account, amazingly, no pets were injured.

Reportedly, the explosion took the course of the sanitary sewer. The cause was reported as probably being some type of voluble gas, but whose exactly, and what kind? That was never proven, although industrial wastes or gasoline leaking into the sewer or some combination thereof was suspected.

Chabek reported that Cleveland, Lakewood, and five area firms contributed to the restitution costs, although no one ever admitted fault. Another contributory possibility considered but discounted as having an important role were the abandoned gas and oil wells in the immediate area.

As we move forward in Lakewood, it would seem to be important that we put our best foot forward. At the same time, we need to be knowledgeable about an industrial past that can be difficult to read about, and even harder to clean up, at times. With care, knowledge, and foresight, however, we can better deal with some of the dirty little secrets of that past, while marking the present pulse of this city.