Building the Lake Branch

The story of the Lake Branch began as early as 1835 and spanned approximately 185 years. Over that timeline, a dozen different railroad company names blanketed the road between Painesville and Youngstown, Ohio. Each company expanded and changed the route between Lake, Geauga, and Trumbull Counties. The story of this branch has more turns and twists than the Grand River it was associated with.

What began as a pedestrian and freight mover became an essential vehicle to move coal, oil, and iron ore from Fairport Harbor to Youngstown and beyond. Much of its early history has been forgotten until now. The book chronicles all of the railroads that covered the region, beginning with the Clinton Air Line Railroad that built the first right-of-way in 1852. The Painesville & Hudson, Painesville & Youngstown, Pittsburgh & Western, Baltimore & Ohio among others created an empire of transportation that fed the hungry fire-breathing furnace mills of Youngstown and Pittsburgh.

The villages of Painesville, Fairport Harbor, Concord, Chardon, East Claridon, Burton, Middlefield, Bundysburg, West Farmington, DeForest Jct. and Niles have their own histories written in independent chapters. Each town includes current photographs to show the remnants of what still exists. If there was one word to describe this text it would be ‘Detail’.

This unique, 27 chapter, 310 page (8.5 x11) paperback book includes more than 300 color and black & white photographs along with blueprints, maps, ‘then and now’ photos are illustrated. The photo anthology contains exclusive photographs never before published. The reader will find themselves transported back to a time when passengers took Great Lakes excursions from Fairport Harbor to Niagara Falls, and back to their home town for $2.50.

A comprehensive list of 546 Ohio railroads and 930 Lake Erie vessels has been cataloged. This massive database is the largest published directory associated with the Lake Branch, and is an excellent source for researchers, railroaders, and Great Lakes historians. From the shores of Lake Erie to the Mahoning Valley and beyond, this book chronicles every step and ‘Stop’ along the branch. The journey from Painesville to Youngstown was approximately 64.4 miles. However, the story of the Lake Branch should be measured not in miles, but memories. This book also fills a reference gap not addressed in other publications.