Lyndhurst (Images of America) (Images of America Series)
Title: Recognized historian in Lyndhurst publishes book on city's pastAuthor: Jeff PiorkowskiPublisher: Sun NewsDate: 9/11/2010Thom Treer is Lyndhurst's recognized historian and he has a new book coming out on that very history.The Spencer Road resident has teamed with Arcadia Publishing to write a book in its Images of America series, which details the histories of cities across the country.For Treer, who formed in 1988 the now defunct Lyndhurst Historical Society with wife Lisa Beth, compiling the book was a true labor of love.In fact, just about everything concerning Lyndhurst meets with Treer's approval."The best place to grow up and raise a child is Lyndhurst, Ohio," said the 63-year-old father of two grown children.Latest book features187 historical photosA self-confessed "history geek" who prides himself on recalling significant dates in the city's history, Treer wrote "The Pictorial History of Lyndhurst" in 1992. That book, which contains more text than does his latest book, sold out a first printing of 500 books. There are just a few remaining of the second printing of 500 that are available at Lyndhurst City Hall for $20 per book.The latest book is heavier on the photos, as 187 appear accompanied by about 10,000 words in captions telling the stories behind the pictures.Compiling those pictures through the years and talking to longtime residents were fun for Treer, who has his own interesting story about his roots in the city."I've been in this house for 60 years," he said. "My parents (Steven and Theresa) moved us here from Buckeye Road on March 4, 1951. They had the house built."A musician all of his life, Treer said his first band, the Misters in 1959, was Lyndhurst's first rock 'n' roll band. He remembers practicing with the band, with his parents' approval, in the home's basementTreer bought the house from his parents, who are now deceased, in 1984."Spencer Road was the first paved side street in Lyndhurst in 1928," he said, casually letting out another of the innumerable facts contained in his head about the city."I wasn't interested in history when I was in high school (Brush High, Class of '63)," he said. "It's when I got back to Lyndhurst -- my wife and I lived in Ashtabula County for a while -- that I really got interested."'We were calledEuclidville'The personable Treer set about reacquainting with some old friends and making new ones as he learned more about the history of the city, which made the jump from village to city in 1950."We were called Euclidville," he said of the early village days, but the post office thought it was confusing because there were too many 'Euclids' in names around the area."Euclid and South Euclid were also in existence at the time. All were included in the former Euclid Township.Treer said it was 10-year-old Billy Emshoff who, in 1920, won $5 in a contest to rename the village."He saw the name in a geography book, or something. He saw Lyndhurst, New Jersey, and he submitted it."A local woman's group selected Emshoff's submittal as the winner.Some of Treer'sfavorite photosTreer's book is crammed with photos, but there are some that particularly stand out as his favorites.View full sizeFirst, there is the 1898 photo that adorns the cover. It shows the old Mayfield Road tollgate, manned by Gordon Abbey. The Mayfield Plank Road extended from what is now the Hillcrest Hospital site to the bottom of Mayfield Road in Cleveland.The photo depicts what is now Mayfield and Brainard roads in a very rural setting. At the time the photo was taken, Brainard Road only went south of Mayfield Road.Treer got the photo, and others of the tollgate, from the late Irene Reynolds, formerly of Gates Mills, who was Abbey's great-granddaughter.Jim Spangler and the late Bruce Young were a source of numerous aerial photographs of a time, in the 1930s, when most of Lyndhurst was still undeveloped."One of my favorites is this aerial one of Brush High School," said Treer, a photographer who, until five years ago, was co-owner of Foto Center in Mayfield Heights. "It was taken on May 23, 1933. Brush was completed in 1926."Everybody goes ga-ga over this photo because it's remarkable for what isn't there. There are only four houses built behind (the school). It's all developed now."Another photo shows a muddy Cedar Road, looking east from Brainard Road. Again, there is nothing but a country-like scene surrounding the road, the mud of which is rutted by wagon wheels."Conestoga wagons would have traveled on this road," Treer said. "Conestoga wagons were the freighters of their day."Treer said now that the project has been completed, he will turn over the original photographs to the local departments to which they pertain, such as the fire or police departments. The remainder will be donated to the Western Reserve Historical Society."One way or another, I'm going to leave this house at some time, and I want the right people to have (the photos)," he said. "It was important for me to do this (book) because who else would do it? I actually lived through this, so I think it's important that somebody who was actually here did this."Treer's book is available in local stores and on bookstore websites. He will sell and sign copies of the book, which costs $21.99, Saturday and Sunday at the Lyndhurst Home Days.