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Historic buildings line the coast of Lake Erie, especially in Cleveland. Although it is the second smallest of the five Great Lakes in terms of surface area, Lake Erie has been important for transportation, trade, and industry.

Many factories were built along Lake Erie and the rivers that feed the lake during the industrial revolution. This led to rapid growth of some important industrial cities, like Cleveland. Unfortunately, it also led to the pollution of the river and lake from the dumping of the industrial waste directly into the flowing rivers. 

Much work has been done to clean the rivers and lake. The Cuyahoga River in Cleveland endured at least 13 fires on the river. Yes, the river has caught fire at least 13 times. But today, the river is now clean enough to use for recreation, parks, restaurants, and residential development.

Those old buildings and factories are also an important part of the history of Cleveland and the Lake Erie coastline. They are a historic remembrance of the past. The architecture and materials used to craft the structures are part of the fabric of the region. Much like the rivers and lake, they must be saved to. But also like the rivers and lakes, saving them is not easy, and must be done carefully.

Historic Waterfront Living cares about the rivers, lake, and those historic buildings. Let’s see how we can save them.