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Run 55: Stockyards - Part 2

  This was the second section run of the Stockyards neighborhood. It includes the area once known as the Isle of Cuba which, ironically, consisted mostly of then-Bohemians (now Czechs). The nickname had more to do with the flooding in the area back in the late 1800s which made this section feel isolated from the rest of the neighborhood.

The boundary for this run included W. 45th (east) to W. 65th (west) and from Clark Ave (north) to Storer Ave (south).

Distance This Section: 12.3 miles

Distance So Far: 336.1 miles

Strava - Run 1 l Strava - Run 2

These buildings are what is left of the Cleveland Union Stockyards campus. It was once the third largest employer in Cleveland and gave the neighborhood its name. Pictured is the Theurer-Norton Provision Company building.

The International Newcomers Academy at Thomas Jefferson (3145 W. 46th) is designed to serve students from all over the world during their first academic years attending school in the United States. Enrollment is close to 600.

This building at 4905 Clark Ave was built in 1906 and was originally home to the Clark Ave Savings Bank. It was built by renown local architect Paul Matzinger and remains probably the most notable commercial architecture in this section of Stockyards.

Mural on Fanta Ave

The International Village Garden was started many years ago by neighborhood activist Art Ledger and his wife Kat (not pictured above, this guy was just gardening). After a term of service in the Marine Corps in the 1960s, Art returned to the neighborhood and started cleaning up vacant lots. These gardens are part of his legacy (along with his taxidermy business, see below). Here's more about his story.

W. 46th & Hyde Street

The International Village Wildlife Museum (3172 W. 48th) is the brainchild of Art Ledger (see above) who is the first African-American taxidermist to own a private taxidermy business in the U.S. He is transforming his shop on West 48th Street into a museum which will feature native Ohio wildlife.

W. 48th Street

During World War II, meat plants found it impossible to purchase new equipment. Founded in 1944, with just $800 in capital, Louis Bettcher opened Bettcher Stamping & Manufacturing at the corner of Clark Ave & W. 63rd. There, he began to invent modern and efficient meat processing equipment. The company grew and moved out of this building in 1971 (it's now better known as the big red barn building on the Ohio Turnpike in Erie County). However, the company would thrive, later expanding into tools for surgery as well. They own 100 different patents to date, do business in 70 countries, and became a 300-person employee-owned company in 2017.

Stockyard Community Elementary School opened in 2004 and has over 300 kids in K-6th. Fun fact: they offer an after-school Lego club.

D.W. Ross (3195 W. 63rd) is a building materials company and is a leader in Food Service Construction having done work for many national chain restaurants. It all started in 1923 when the company's founder made one of the first kitchen processing rooms for Stouffer's (now Nestle). They also have provided numerous doors and windows for historic preservation projects throughout Cleveland.

Barrio Commissary is the corporate office of the popular Cleveland build-your-own-taco chain

The former farm stand of Maggie's Farm which passed the baton to Other Hand Farms (see below)

Garden lot on W. 61st Street

One of the nicer homes I ran past (W. 61st Street near Gilbert Ave)

The Andrew A. Bachleda VFW Post 2050 on W. 61st

Other Hand Farm is a small urban farm on W. 61st run by second generation urban farmers Kimmy Lessman and Jamie Kennedy. They believe in urban agriculture and advocate for food security, a sense of place, and community. They offer a CSA program (both vegetable and flower) and a pay-what-you-can farm stand. Kimmy also works with the Cleveland Seed Bank and Jamie operates a separate business (Jamie Builds Things LLC). They have several plots in Stockyards and another plot in the nearby Cleveland EcoVillage.

Merrill Ave

Darrah Electric is a third generation family business founded in 1960 and is a leader in semiconductor production.

The Cleveland Child Care Center is a 5-start development center for children from six weeks old to teens and was founded in 1973. In 2014, they launched a Farm-To-Table program, which allows children to experience planting, maintaining, harvesting and eating their own vegetables, fruits and herbs.

Brown's Plaza (5802 Storer Ave) is a small but mighty gas station, beverage shop and corner store which folks say has a great selection, good food and super friendly staff. Numerous commenters on Google Reviews say its the best corner store in the city.

W. 56th Street