Willow Beach Park was located along Lake Erie on Route 283 in Willowick and was a picnic and recreational site that Black groups visited between the 1900s and 1930s. It featured ball diamonds and picnic groves, as well as a dancing pavilion large enough to accommodate several hundred people. It is not known whether this was a public park or if it may have been a Black-owned lakefront property. Olympic medalist Jesse Owens was honored at an Elk’s Club–sponsored track and field meet at the park in 1938.
Resources
- “‘Buckeyes’; Letters from Many Ohio Towns Sent by Our Own Writers.” Cleveland Gazette. August 24, 1907.
- “St. Andrew’s church Sets Date for Picnic.” Call & Post. July 14, 1938.
- “Slate Honors for Owens, Kelker at IBPOE Meet.” Call & Post. July 7, 1938.
Good morning. I have some photos from 1916 labeled Willow Beach. I don’t know any of the people in the photos although were likely from a family outing. Would you like to have them for your archives?