The book The Best Kept Secrets of Parma by Robert Horley contains a wealth of interesting information about roads in Parma … how streets were named, who developed them, etc. While we don’t have enough room to cover every street here, here is some interesting information about some main Parma roads and their history.
- BROADVIEW ROAD was originally called Town Line Road and then Independence Road. It is called Broadview because, at one point, from the top of the hill you could see Broad Street in Cleveland - Broad view, hence, Broadview. That Broadview hill was once known as Herbst Hill. This road was once a toll road and later, in 1947, it became State Rt. 176.
- BROOKPARK ROAD was set up for two reasons … one, to open the way for settlers through a wolf-infested wilderness, and two, to open communications between Brooklyn and Berea. The road has been expanded three times since it was opened in 1843 - once in 1896, once in 1912, and again in 1922.
- PEARL ROAD was named after Pearl St. (now W. 25 St.) in Cleveland.
- PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD runs through a number of valleys from Broadview Rd. to York Rd. and gives many picturesque settings. Pleasant Valley, indeed.
- RIDGE ROAD is Parma’s main street. What is now Denison Avenue was once called Ridge Road. When it changed to Denison, the nearby street of Iona St. became today's Ridge Rd. sometime after 1874.
- RIDGEWOOD DRIVE was laid out by H.A. Stahl, the same man who set up the Ridgewood Country Club and Golf Course, which opened in July, 1925. Ridgewood Drive was dedicated in July, 1926.
- ROCKSIDE ROAD received its name from the quarries in Parma and Independence. The stone from the quarries was used to build the Henninger House, as well as well as the Lake Erie break wall, the Ohio Erie canal locks, and was shipped to ports around the Great Lakes.
- SNOW ROAD was named after the Clifford Ann Snow family, whose family farm was where State and Snow now intersect. But at the time that Clifford used that route to lead his cows down the path, there was no Snow Rd. As Clifford became known for leading his cows towards what is now W. 54 St., that path became today's Snow Rd.
- STATE ROAD started off as a private plank road and later became a state responsible road in 1831. In the early 1900's, part of State Rd. was called W. 35 St., but that name didn't stick. State Rd. became State Rt. 94 in 1957, and the Soap Box Derby races were held on State Road Hill in 1960.
- YORK ROAD was named by early settlers from New York State, and dedicated on June 28, 1926.
Parma Mayors
- Frank D. Johnson: 1928-1933
- Anthony A Fleger: 1934-1935
- Roland E Reichert: 1936-1942
- Sylvester Augustine: 1942-1945
- Roland E. Reichert: 1946-1949
- Lawrence Stary: 1950-1951
- Stephen A. Zona: 1952-1957
- Joseph W. Kader: 1958-1959
- Sylvester Augustine: 1960-1961
- John A. Bobko: 1961
- James W. Day: 1962-1967
- John Petruska: 1967-1987
- Michael A. Ries: 1988-1994
- Gerald Boldt: 1994-2003
- Dean DePiero: 2004-2012
- Timothy J. DeGeeter: 2012-
Parma Places of Interest
University Hospitals Parma Medical Center
In 2013, Parma Community General Hospital became University Hospitals Parma Medical Center. In 2012, Parma Community General Hospital was ranked the best hospital in Ohio for coronary interventions and among the top hospitals in the state for overall cardiac services. It was also the first hospital in the area to develop a Code STEMI program that alerts hospital staff when a heart attack patient is en route. The hospital is the first in greater Cleveland area to establish a fully integrated 3DHD laparoscopic operating suit. Surgeons at PCGH have access to the latest version of the da Vinci Si robot that enhances the capabilities of surgeons performing complex procedures.
“Parma Community General Hospital understands that being at the forefront of the technology curve is of value not only to the surgeons and the hospital but also our patients,” said Terrence G. Deis, president and CEO of the hospital. “We are pleased to be the leader in this area, and it emphasizes our commitment to providing high quality care in a more personalized, community environment."
Ukrainian Village and Polish Village
Ukrainian Village is located in the heart of the City of Parma. The Village was founded in September 2009. It claims the strip of homes and businesses on State Rd. between Tuxedo Ave. and Flatwood Dr.
Its mission is "to preserve, empower, and advance Ukrainian Village as a thriving neighborhood by celebrating the culture and heritage of Ukrainian Americans and to collaborate with the City of Parma in creating business and economic development within its boundaries."
In October, 2008, Parma City Council passed Resolution 290-08 declaring State Road between Tuxedo Avenue and Grantwood Drive as “Ukrainian Village”. The official opening of the village took place in September 2009. Founding members of the Ukrainian Village Committee are: Roman Fedkiw- Chairman, Andrea Jakubowycz-Vice Chair and Zoriana Zobniw-Secretary.
Polish Village occupies the corridor on Ridge Road from Pearl Road to Thornton Ave.
Polish Village is a commercial corridor in Parma that runs along Ridge Rd from Pearl Rd to Thornton Ave. It hosts the Polish Constitution Day parade and is home to Krakow Foods (a Polish deli) and The Little Polish Diner. However, despite its name, you will find a wonderful variety of ethnic shops that include a Chinese restaurant, Indian restaurant, Lebanese restaurant Eastern European carry-out, and Italian bakery. There are also a multitude of other offerings which include grocery stores, comic book stores, pizza parlors, hair salons, a barbershop, a tanning salon, flower shops, pet care and grooming services, PC repair shops, and much more. Sometimes this area is also called "Old World Parma."
Cuyahoga Community College
The Western Campus in Parma is one of three campuses. Approximately 3,000 students showed up when it opened its doors in fall of 1966, and the campus currently serves more than 10,000 students each term.
The beautiful campus is situated on 200 acres of park-like setting that includes a Veterans' Memorial Garden, a network of streams, ponds and fountains, soccer and baseball fields, and an outdoor track. Tri-C West is dedicated to providing students with an education that will prepare them to work with the most recent technologies and equipment.
The Visual Communications Center was opened in January, 2001. It has three computer labs and has the capacity to teach analog and digital photography and video production. Students can get experience in web page design, maintenance and administration, photography, graphic arts, and design.
The Tri-C West Campus isn't only for students; more than 100,000 non-students visit each year for events such as concerts and theatrical productions.
Parma Senior Center
The Senior Center is located in the middle of Parma, behind City Hall. This is a convenient location for the seniors because they can “run to Parmatown, the bank, doctor or hospital and still be at the center on time for activities.”
The center started out as the Parma 60+ Club in September of 1965; the actual Parma Senior Center was built in 1991. Seniors can participate in wellness programs, health screenings, walking club, exercise classes, various dance classes, crafts, quilting, billiards, chess, checkers, parties, dances, guest speakers, volunteer opportunities, support groups, computer lessons and group travel.
Weekly attendance figures fluctuate between 775-1100. Parma has three home delivered meals programs. Hospital Meals for clients who are on special diets. It is a partnership between the City and Parma Hospital, Home Delivered Meals for seniors on a limited budget, and Community Meals for persons who have moderate income.
The City also has four buses, two vans, and two cars that are used to transport seniors. Seniors are picked up at their homes and taken to the Senior Center for a $1.00 donation or taken to run other errands for a $2.00 donation.
A Brief History of Parma
The land that would become Parma was settled in 1816 by the Benajah Fay family of New York. It became a village in 1924 and adopted a mayor-council form of government in 1926. On January 1, 1931, Parma became a city when a proposition to annex it to the city of Cleveland was defeated.
Parma is southwest of Cleveland; it is bounded by Cleveland and Brooklyn on the north, Brooklyn Heights, and Seven Hills on the east, North Royalton and Broadview Heights on the south, and Brook Park, Middleburg Heights, and Parma Heights on the west. The name was taken from Parma, New York, where it was probably derived from the early 19th century fascination with classical Italy. During the 19th century, Parma remained largely agricultural. In 1912, a portion of the township seceded to form the village of Parma Heights.
Parma's tremendous growth came after World War II as young families began moving from Cleveland into the suburbs. During the Cold War, Parma's Nike Site Park, now James Day Park, housed Nike missiles located in underground silos. Between 1950 and 1960, Parma's population soared from 28,897 to 82,845 (during the 1960s it was the fastest growing city in the U.S.). The population peaked in 1970 at 100,216 before falling to the 2010 population of 81,601. Parma is the largest suburb of Cleveland and the seventh-largest city in Ohio. |
Related Links
Parma Area Chamber of Commerce
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