Lakewood, OH

Lakewood is a city located in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 73,098. It is part of the Cleveland- Akron- Canton Combined Statistical Area.

Lakewood was founded in 1806 by Colonel Moses Cleaveland and was originally named Lake View. The city was renamed after Lakewood Township, which it had been merged into in 1812. The township name honors General Henry Lake (1794-1863), who served as Governor of Ohio from 1839 to 1841 and as a general in the War of 1812.

The first settler in what would become Lakewood was Ebenezer Griffin, who arrived there in 1796. Griffin built a cabin on what is now East 105th Street and called his settlement Griffin's Station after his home county in Wales. In 1800, Griffin sold his land to Enoch Browning and Jonathan Edwards for $1 per acre. Browning built the first house on this property; it still stands at 11701 Lakeside Boulevard near East 105th Street today.

In 1802, James Fenton purchased 160 acres from Ebenezer Griffin for $2 per acre and began farming here. Fenton built a sawmill on the banks of Rocky River near where Lakeside Boulevard crosses it today; this mill operated until 1902. Fenton also erected a gristmill on Mill Creek near East 116th Street; this mill continued operating until 1957.

In 1805, John Mason bought 160 acres from James Fenton and began farming here as well; he erected a distillery on Rocky River near where Lakeside Boulevard crosses it today (this distillery still operates). Mason also built an inn on Lakeside Boulevard just north of where East 105th Street intersects it today (the inn still operates).

The first post office opened at Griffin's Station on October 2nd, 1806; its name was changed to Lake View two months later because there were already several towns with that name in Ohio Territory! The first resident postmaster was Ebenezer Griffen Jr., son of Ebenezer Griffen Sr., who served in that capacity until December 31st, 1830 when he resigned due to ill health..

In March 1830, Lake View became an incorporated village with John Mason serving as its first mayor.. In 1840, Cleveland annexed Lake View Township so that it became part of Cleveland proper; however, the village retained its own municipal government until January 1st 1912 when Cleveland consolidated all municipal governments within Cuyahoga County under one authority - the City Council..

On May 6th 1897 , fire destroyed much of downtown Lakewood including most businesses along Main Avenue between Madison Avenue and Rocks Road . A large insurance settlement helped rebuild downtown including new construction such as City Hall which opened on November 1st 1898 . The original building housing City Hall still stands at 11101 Madison Ave . downtown but has been renovated several times since then . Downtown also got new sidewalks , streetlights , landscaping etc .....etc .....