Photos
Shaker Heights Patch is celebrating the 100 years of Shaker Heights history by creating an online scrapbook. Each day for 100 days, we'll feature a photograph that helps tell the story of Shaker Heights.
Today's photo shows the construction of the Shaker Rapid Transit, now part of the RTA's Green and Blue line trains.
The Van Sweringen brothers' vision for their planned community included a train line that could quickly carry residents to their jobs downtown. That line, named the Cleveland Interurban Railroad, began running on April 11, 1920.
When the Van Sweringens' business collapsed in the 1930s, the train line went into receivership. It was sold to the city of Shaker Heights in 1944, and to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transportation Authority in 1975.
Sources: Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, RTA History
You can join our celebration of Shaker Heights history. Share your memories in the comments. Or upload your photos and we'll feature them in this scrapbook. Follow #ShakerCentennial on Twitter.
JanNiekamp
8:56 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
I remember one year when I was in HS back in 86 they ran a couple of the old trolly cars. It was amazing to get to ride one of the old ones.
Jean Dubail
10:04 am on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Thanks for commenting, Jan. I wonder if they still have those old trolley cars around. It would be fun to do that again
Afi-Odelia Scruggs
3:18 pm on Thursday, June 14, 2012
Jan, you've piqued my interest. I'm going to ask about the cars and see what I can find.