ELHistSoc - Second & Third Streets

This is the first of a series.

This article is the beginning of a series that presents a pictorial re-creation of 2nd and 3rd streets.

There are two reasons for this project:

to recapture the history of two streets that no longer exist but were once the center of the downtown business and commercial district of East Liverpool.
to show the effects of the announcement of a plan to build a lake-to-river highway (State Route 11) that was supposed to bring prosperity, growth, jobs etc. to East Liverpool.

Additionally, this project extends the previous neighborhood visit to the West End since the early construction of Route 11 altered that neighborhood too.

The original Route 11 plan had three stages:

Stage I: would start in California Hollow and take the freeway to the Chester Bridge approach
Stage II: would begin at the Chester Bridge and extend northeast 1.1 miles to a point on Pennsylvania Avenue west of State St.
Stage III: would continue from the point on Pennsylvania Ave. west of State St. to the completion near the state line.

The stated purpose for this road project was to eliminate congestion on the streets of East Liverpool. There was thinking that this lake-to-river highway would be a benefit for the local economy and area.

". . . In November of 1955 the State Highway Department revealed a plan to city officials to construct a freeway along Third Street connecting state Routes 7 and 39 and United States Route 30 (Lincoln Highway) in East Liverpool's west end to Pennsylvania Route 39 in the east end (figure 12). The nine million dollar project was slated to be completed in phases. However, because of a variety of problems including bureaucratic delays on the state level and the inability of the city to raise its share of the project funds, these were considerably delayed. The first phase, from the city limits to the area of Third and Monroe Streets including a cloverleaf interchange in the west end was completed in 1962. After years of delay, the section between College Street and Mulberry Street in the east end was completed in 1982. The section across the lower end of the central city connecting the two parts mentioned above is not complete to this day, (1984) thirty years after the initial plans were formulated. The area, described as a "wasteland," contains empty lots and rotting and partially demolished buildings and is an eyesore for the community. The State of Ohio owns the condemned property and plans to clear it very soon and proceed with the construction of the section of highway. The city must provide its share in advance before the state will let a contract for completion." (1)

(1) SOURCE: The City of Hills and Kilns. Life and Work in East Liverpool, Ohio William C. Gates Jr. East Liverpool Historical Society (1984) p. 380

Plans for this project include:

Maps ranging from the late 1800s to the early and mid 1900s.
Photos depicting the 1930's, 1950's, the rest from the 1960's and 1980's.
A chart demonstrating the growth and decline will be indicated, at least the ultimate decline by means of comparing numbers of households and businesses at various times in 1958, late 60s, late 70.
The photographic material for this project comes from several sources. Local families' pictures, East Liverpool Historical Society, Museum of Ceramics, the personal collection of Inger Lloyd.

Because this project is so comprehensive, it will be completed in stages.

Phase 1, the Changing of the West End

East Liverpool Historical Society

The End of the Beginning of Elo, The End of Second & Third Streets