Lakeside, Ohio
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Lakeside is a private community in northern Ohio, United States, on the shores of Lake Erie. It was formed in 1873 by members of the Methodist Church and remains a church-affiliated vacation resort. It is one of only a few continuously operating Independent Chautauquas that persist in the 21st century. It is located in Danbury Township, Ottawa County, Ohio, near the town of Marblehead.
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[edit] History
In 1873, Lakeside began as a small tract of cleared land, a campsite where Christian revivals often took place. The deed to part of what is now Lakeside was purchased by the Central Ohio Conference of the Methodist Church. Financial backers and organizers included Rev. Richard P. Duvall, who at one time had done missionary work for relocated Sac and Fox Indians in Oklahoma; B. H. Jacobs, a Danish immigrant who owned a store in nearby Port Clinton and who was a Civil War veteran; and Samuel R. Gill, twenty-seven years of age, who had grown up on the Marblehead peninsula.
Throughout the remainder of the 1800s, Lakeside remained a camp area, and very few cottages were erected. However, in 1874, a dormitory-style building called Pilgrim's Rest was built. May 1875 saw the beginning of work on the Hotel Lakeside.
Today, Lakeside is a "Chautauqua," a word that implies a resort that combines religious observation, summer education, recreation and cultural opportunities.
[edit] Tourism
Lakeside is a gated community from the end of June through Labor Day. To enter Lakeside during the summer Chautauqua season, individuals must pay a gate fee, which helps support maintenance and improvements in town. Activities that are provided as part of the gate fee include sport and water sport activities, as well as Christian-themed activities and worship, in keeping with the area's history. There is a program every night in the spacious Hoover Auditorium, twenty-four shuffleboard courts, nine tennis courts, and all kinds of children's activities. The summer calendar includes some activities for which there is an extra charge, such as miniature golf, movies at the Orchestra Hall theatre, and an historical tour of homes. Lakeside also has a large pier jutting into Lake Erie, which offers fishing and swimming. Lakeside also features a handful of unique stores. Additionally, the dining opportunities in the area are varied, including numerous types of cuisine and a variety of settings. There is a dining room in the Hotel Lakeside as well. The miniature golf course opened in 1963.
Lakeside is also the home of a prestigious annual International shuffleboard competition.
[edit] Architecture
Lakeside contains many well preserved historic buildings. In 2001 Chris Thomas documented all the homes and buildings within the gates of Lakeside, and counted a total of 890, although more have been built since then along the Oak Avenue extension and still others as in-fill projects. The community is largely residential with a small business/shopping area near Central Park. The Lakeside Association owns and operates a number of large assembly buildings:
Hoover Auditorium (Third St. between Walnut and Central) South Auditorium (Sixth St. between Walnut and Central) Orchestra Hall (corner of Second and Walnut) Wesley Lodge (Fifth St. between Walnut and Central) Epworth Lodge (corner of Sixth and Walnut) WoHoMis Lodge (corner of Central and Fifth)
Places of Worship: Bradley Temple (corner of Cedar and Third) Lakeside United Methodist Church (corner of Fifth and Central) Chapel in the Woods (outdoor space along Maple past Seventh)
There is also a small local museum, Heritage Hall, at the corner of Maple Avenue and Third Street.
[edit] Lodging
The Hotel Lakeside was built in 1874 (see History) and is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. After Labor Day through October, it is open to private groups only. The Fountain Inn, on the other hand, is open all year. A more modern hotel, it has conference facilities as well. There are many privately owned cottages available for rental through local real estate offices, in addition to smaller bed and breakfast inns. Cabins and a campground are available for a more rustic atmosphere.
[edit] Safe haven
Lakeside is also known as a place where children can walk the streets safely and free from worry. Lakeside provides security (see Lakeside Association Police Dept.) and fire department, as well as caring, helpful neighbors. Those who have experienced Lakeside as a child seem to remember it fondly, and many families have gone to Lakeside every summer for decades. This place is not only a resort location but a culture that has grown from the 1800s to this present day.
