For 2016, Cleveland Heights Rocks and Waters walks Quilliams Creek, a major tributary of Nine Mile Creek within the city. On sidewalks and forest paths, we follow Quilliams on its course to join Nine Mile. Walk through the local geology, ecology and history of this important bluestone landscape. Nine Mile Creek is a new member of the Cuyahoga River Area of Concern for watershed restoration. We’ll also discuss stream restoration issues.

1. Cleveland Heights
Rocks and Waters 2016
Saturday, May 21, 10:00 am
Sponsors
Roy Larick
Korbi Roberts
William Barrow
Jim Miller
Led by
Quilliams Creek
Cleveland Heights Historical Society
Cleveland Heights Landmark Commission
Noble Neighbors
walking tour
Meet:
Oxford School
939 Quilliams Rd
Cleveland Heights, OH 44121
USGS LiDAR; Google Earth
© 2016 Bluestone Heights

2. Nela Park
QuilliamsRd
Mile
Cleveland Heights
South Euclid
East Cleveland
Cleveland
Oxford
Sch
USGS LiDAR; Google Earth
North
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
For 2016,Cleveland Heights Rocks
and Waters visits Quilliams Creek, a
major tributary of Nine Mile Creek.
Nine Mile Creek
Quilliams house

3. Cuyahoga River
Area of Concern
Nine Mile Creek
Dugway Brook
Nine Mile Creek and the
Dugway Brooks (LE2) are
part of the Cuyahoga
River Area of Concern for
watershed health.
Some estoration
resources are available.
Cleveland Heights
residents can be part of
the planning process.
Where do we begin?
Nine Mile Creek

4. Cuyahoga River
Area of Concern
Area covered by
the next slide.
Cleveland Heights straddles four Lake Erie watersheds.
Dugway and Nine Mile (LE2) cover the largest area.
Doan Brook (LE3) drains the southern areas.
Euclid Creek (LE1) touches the east border.
Nine Mile Creek

5. Nine Mile Creek
Oakwood Green, 2014
Langerdale Basin, 2012
5.5 acres, west of
Oakwood Commons
Wetland restoration projects
10.4 acres, west of Green Rd

6. Cleveland Heights
South Euclid
East Cleveland
University Heights
Euclid
Cleveland
Shaker Heights
Quilliams Creek is the longest open
watercourse within Cleveland
Heights borders.
There are restoration options.
Let’s explore Quilliams!
Cleveland
North

7. Cleveland Heights
South Euclid
East Cleveland
Cleveland
Nela Park
Oxford
Sch
On sidewalks and forest paths, the
walk follows Quilliams Creek on its
course to join Nine Mile Creek in
Cleveland Heights (1.6 mi round trip).
USGS LiDAR; Google Earth © 2016 Bluestone Heights
Southeast
Quilliams Creek

8. Euclid bluestone terrace
Berea sandstone terrace
Cleveland Heights
Southeast
South Euclid
East Cleveland
Cleveland
Nela Park
Oxford
Sch
We will walk through local
geology, ecology and history of
this important bluestone
landscape. We’ll also discuss
watershed restoration issues.
USGS LiDAR; Google Earth
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
Quilliams Creek

9. The Quilliams Creek watershed is
heavily residential.
Its deep trunk ravine is typical of
the small streams that cut
through the Portage Escarpment.
The ravine has a dense forest.
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
Quilliams Creek
Nela Park
Belvoir Blvd
QuilliamsRd

10. As the ravine is deep and
steep, we will follow
sidewalks and trails along
its south rim.
USGS LiDAR; Google Earth
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
Quilliams Creek
Nela Park
Belvoir Blvd
QuilliamsRd
Quilliams
house

11. The following historical maps
help show how the landscape
has changed during two
centuries. Some maps, like this
one of 1930, are overlaid on a
digital terrain image.
USGS LiDAR; Google Earth
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
Quilliams Creek
Nela Park
Belvoir Blvd
QuilliamsRd
Quilliams
house

12. 1852
QuilliamsRd
In 1796, most of East Cleveland and Cleveland Heights lay in Euclid Township.
About 1804, Euclid Village was established on the west bank of Nine Mile Creek.
In 1847, the East Cleveland seceded from Euclid. The village changed its name to
Collamer. The 1852 map kept the old name and incorrectly placed Nine Mile Creek.
Blackmoor: Atlas of Cuyhoga County, 1852
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
Nine Mile Creek

13. 1852
QuilliamsRd
In 1807, the ‘Church in Euclid’ was established on the west flank of Nine Mile.
It was the first church in Greater Cleveland. The meetinghouse was built in 1815.
In 1848, Samuel Luster erected a tannery directly on the creek. The main building
was built of Berea Sandstone, likely quarried on Noble Rd near current Monticello.
Blackmoor: Atlas of Cuyhoga County, 1852
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
Samuel Luster tannery. Above, c. 1930. Below, at present
Euclid Church. Above, c. 1890.
Below, at present
A History of East Cleveland, 1979
Spiritual Pioneers, 2001
Nine Mile Creek

14. The 1858 map has more accurate parcel
lines, especially west of Quilliams Rd,
where they follow ravine topography.
The Rush, Heston and Quilliams families
owned most of the Quilliams Creek ravine.
1858Euclid Township
East Cleveland Township
Nine Mile Creek
QuilliamsRd
The 1858 map was the first to have
structure footprints. Hugh
Quilliams’s house was one of just a
few in the Nine Mile Creek area.

15. 1874
QuilliamsRd
By 1874, Carl Behlen had opened a winery on the
north side of Noble Rd, just at the crest of the hill.
William Quilliams’s house, built in 1867, has a
footprint on this map.
D.J. Lake: Atlas of Cuyhoga County, 1874
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
Euclid Township
East Cleveland Township
Nine Mile Creek

16. 1865
From: Michael and Elizabeth Dart
To: Carl Andreas and Marie Louisa Behlen
1903
From: heirs of C.A. and M.L. Behlem
To: State Banking and Trust Company
1911
To: National Electric Light Association
Behlen to NELA: 40 acres on Noble Rd
C.A. Behlen and J.P Preyer were German immigrants with
close connections. Contemporary with Behlen’s winery,
Preyer operated one some 2 mi to the south, on Dugway
east branch. Preyer’s wine house fronted on Superior Rd.
Nine Mile Creek

17. 1881
QuilliamsRd
Carl (Chas.) Behlen and Samuel
Luster owned neighboring
acreages on the escarpment.
Both had vineyards.
D.J. Lake: Atlas of Cuyhoga County, 1881 © 2016 Bluestone Heights
Nine Mile Creek

18. 1898
QuilliamsRd
By 1898, the Luster tannery had closed.
The stone building still stands on Euclid at Belvoir.
Behlen’s winery was still in operation.
A.H. Mueller: Atlas of Cuyhoga County, 1898
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
In 1897, the
Euclid Church (1st
Presby. of E. Cle.)
built a large
stone church.
C. Busta-Peck
Wikimedia Commons
Nine Mile Creek

19. 1912
In 1911, Nela Park’s 1st phase
grew on Carl Behlen’s 40 acres.
G.M. Hopkins: Plat Book of Cuyhoga County, 1912
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
NELA Park. Above, 1912. Below, at present
General Electric
Nela Park is the dominant landscape feature at
the confluence of Quilliams and Nine Mile Creeks.
Nela Park
Building 307 (1911)
QuilliamsRd

20. 1912
In 1912, Nela Park stood tall
in a generally unbuilt
environment. Ammon Rd was
eventually disarticulated into
Hillsboro and Belvoir.
G.M. Hopkins: Plat Book of Cuyhoga County, 1912
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
“… two houses … on the land when it was
purchased. May, 1919.” (Townsend 1957:163)
Carl Behlen’s Wine House?
Townsend (1957) A History of NELA Park
Nela Park

21. 1930
QuilliamsRd
By 1930, Nela Park had more
than doubled in size.
G.M. Hopkins: Plat Book of Cuyhoga County, 1930
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
General Electric
Nela Park
Nela Park

22. Right: Nela Park, c. 1925. Oblique aerial
view, looking southward.
This is the only official depiction to have
set the campus in its Nine Mile Creek
context. The dam and pond were fanciful.
Frame: Similar view on a shaded LiDAR
elevation model.
Nela Park
Luster
tannery
Nela Park
Euclid
ChurchEuclid Ave

23. QuilliamsRd
Elizabeth Rush
Ruple
45.45 a
Rachel Rush
Heston
45.45 a
Mary Rush
Heston
45.45 aMatthias
Rush
105.18 a
Stephen
Rush
72.78 a
Rush ‘plantation’ 1819-1846 1858
In 1819, Peter Rush and
wife Mary Cowell
contracted to buy Euclid
Twp. lots 52 and 53. The
314 acres were finally
bought in 1833 for $1570.
Upon Peter's death in 1846,
the lots were divided
among five offspring.

24. 1881
QuilliamsRd
Wm
Quilliams
house
In 1845, Hugh Quilliams (1806-
1888) bought 50 acres on the east
side of the road from the Francis
Granger family.
In 1797, the Euclid Twp survey
laid down a N-S line that
happened to skirt a deep ravine
to its west (our Quilliams Creek).
Early settlers, including the
Quilliams family, took advantage.
Quilliams Rd was born.
D.J. Lake: Atlas of Cuyhoga County, 1881
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
In 1867, Hugh built a
house for son William
(1838-1917) on 20
acres west of the road.
It still stands.
Hugh Quilliams house
D. Lawrence
The Quilliam family was of Manx origin. Here,
in Cleveland, the name acquired its final ‘s’.
Hugh probably built
his house at this time.
Quilliams Rd

25. 1898
In 1889, Annie and John
Fisher bought Hugh
Quilliams’ 50-acre lot. In
1898, the farm had a two-
story frame house, a large
barn, an ice pond and ice
house, a windmill, and a
round brick structure.
A.H. Mueller: Atlas of Cuyhoga County, 1898
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
Wm
Quilliams
house
Quilliams Rd

26. 1898
A.H. Mueller: Atlas of Cuyhoga County, 1898
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
Estates lined Noble Rd in the late 1800s.
From 1894 to 1900, the Plain Dealer
noted, in April or May, that the Adams
and Holden families of Cleveland, were
driving to Cherry Hill on Noble St, to
spend the summer.
(History of the Randolph Rd Subdivisions)
Wm
Quilliams
house
Quilliams Rd
The front of the Cherry Hill
house in 2011, on the eve of
demolition. It was, essentially, a
full two-story version of the
William Quilliams house.

27. 1920
QuilliamsRd
By 1920 the Fishers
had sold all but 10
acres for housing
development.
G.M. Hopkins: Plat Book of Cuyhoga County, 1920 © 2016 Bluestone Heights
Wm
Quilliams
house
Quilliams Rd

28. 1930
QuilliamsRd
Quilliams
house
In 1920, the CHV BoE bought
3.3 acres within the broken line.
G.M. Hopkins: Plat Book of Cuyhoga County, 1930
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
Oxford School was built in 1926.
The Wm. Quilliams 20-acre parcel
remained free of development
until the 1950s.
Quilliams Rd

29. Quilliams
house
Here, the 1930 map
overlies a digital
terrain image.
USGS LiDAR; Google Earth
G.M. Hopkins: Plat Book of Cuyhoga County, 1930
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
Quilliams Rd 1930

30. 1930
The 1930 map shows
Woodview Rd extending
north of Randolph.
Residential development
never materialized here.
G.M. Hopkins: Plat Book of Cuyhoga County, 1930
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
Woodview Rd
Nela Park

31. 1930
Heading north from
Randolph Rd, our walk
follows the bluff line onto
undeveloped GE land.
We will be respectful.
USGS LiDAR; Google Earth
G.M. Hopkins: Plat Book of Cuyhoga County, 1930
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
Woodview Rd
Nela Park

32. Cleveland Heights
Rocks and Waters 2016
Saturday, May 21, 10:00 am
Quilliams Creek
walking tour
Join us at
Quilliams Creek
216-291-4878
Reservations required
(beginning May 1)
USGS LiDAR; Google Earth
© 2016 Bluestone Heights
Sponsors
Cleveland Heights Historical Society
Cleveland Heights Landmark Commission
Noble Neighbors
Roy Larick
Korbi Roberts
William Barrow
Jim Miller
Led by
Meet:
Oxford School
939 Quilliams Rd
Cleveland Heights, OH 44121