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The Houses of (Cleveland’s) Franklin Boulevard

30 November 2009 5 Comments

Let me start by saying I’m a little bit biased because my house is on this street. But I think an impartial observer would agree that Franklin Boulevard is probably the most important historic street on Cleveland’s west side.

See for yourself:

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The street runs from W. 25th in Ohio City through the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood and into Cudell. In between there are dozens of beautifully restored Victorian homes. Most range in origin from the mid-1800s to early in the 20th Century.

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The Stone Gables Bed and Breakfast

The Stone Gables Bed and Breakfast

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The most famous of these is probably Franklin Castle (pictured above), which unfortunately is without an owner currently. This house has been called the most haunted house in Ohio.

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Another really distinctive one is the Cuyahoga County Archives building (I’m sure there’s a more proper name).

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Then there’s dozens of little beauties like these:

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The list literally goes on and on.

-AS

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  • Rebecca

    Absolutely gorgeous. Thank you for photographing all of these lovely houses. I can’t wait for my trip to Cleveland next spring; a walk down Franklin Blvd. will be in order!

  • Special K

    So beautiful! Thanks for sharing, Angie!

  • Paul

    Nice pics! However I think the houses in the Old West End in Toledo might be just as grand if not grander than the ones on Franklin Blvd.

  • Seth

    Franklin does have some lovely ones, although I think Bridge gives it a run for its money. And although much shorter, Jay is right up there. Cleveland’s most undoubtedly adorable street, though, is Mabel Court :)

  • Koko

    Hi! I just saw this while researching the County Archives. There _is_ a “more proper” name, it’s the Robert Russell Rhodes house. (Rhodes was a business associate in his family coal/iron/ore business along w/brother-in-law “Dollar Mark” Hanna; his brother was historian James Rhodes, and his wife, Kate Castle, was daughter of Cleveland–and former Ohio City–mayor William B. Castle.)
    I’ve seen the inside…even better than you think. Original windows, woodwork (drop dead pocket doors)and hardware and they even left the drapes and ceiling painting in the one room.