Chippewa Lake Ohio Historical Society

05/31/2026

On this day in 1890, the Cleveland Arcade officially opened! One of the first indoor shopping centers in the U.S., it was modeled after Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and features five balconies and two 10-story towers.

Today, it's home to shops, restaurants and the Hyatt Regency Cleveland at the Arcade. The Arcade was added to the National Register of Historic Places - NPS - Archived in 1975.

05/29/2026

05/28/2026

Taking flight at Chippewa Lake Park! ✈️ Do you or any of your family members remember the 'Seaplanes' ride? Before the park closed its gates in 1978, this classic attraction was a must-ride on the midway, even though it changed over the years, it captured the era’s fascination with aviation. Share your memories of riding the Seaplanes or your favorite stories from a day at the park below!

05/27/2026

Taking a trip down memory lane today! 🎢✨ Who remembers the Tumble Bug at the old Chippewa Lake Amusement Park? It’s amazing to see how the spirit of that classic ride is being kept alive.

A huge shout-out to the for the incredible work they’ve done to open the new Tumble Bug Trailhead! It’s a fantastic way to honor the park’s history while providing a beautiful new space for us all to enjoy.

If you head out to the trailhead (located at 5796 Longacre Lane), make sure to look for a piece of the original Tumble Bug ride on display by the path. You can also visit the future home of the Chippewa Lake Historical Society, which sits right at the entrance to the trail.

Has anyone been out to the new trail yet? Let’s share some of our favorite Chippewa Lake memories below! 👇

05/23/2026

05/22/2026

Still an exciting time in Chippewa Lake with the coming of summer, in 1926, Mac Beach, manager of Chippewa Lake Park, had been busy shaking the park awake from its winter slumber. Paint cans and brushes stood at the ready alongside mops and brooms as final preparations were completed for another exciting season.

Soon, the gates would swing open to welcome the first visitors of the year, traditionally arriving on Memorial Day weekend, once known as “Decoration Day.” The laughter, music, and excitement of another summer at Chippewa Lake Park were just about to begin once again.

05/21/2026

On this day in 1945, actors Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall were married at Malabar Farm State Park in Lucas, Ohio.

The farm was home to Mansfield native and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Louis Bromfield, a lifelong friend of Bogart’s.

Despite the high profile of the couple, the wedding was informal and small. Bacall and Bogart both wore suits and only a handful of close family and friends were in attendance.

Image: Getty Images

05/19/2026

Beginning in 1903, the Interurban railway ran just past the historic Hotel Markle on its way to Chippewa Lake Park. Gideon and Clara Markle operated Hotel Markle until it was sold to Peter Moore in 1917. Today, the Village Inn remains a lasting piece of Chippewa Lake’s history, celebrating more than 100 years of continuous operation. Can you imagine sitting on that porch waiting to catch a ride on the train? The Village Inn

05/17/2026

TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY!

Saturday, May 30
Native Plant Sale
Oenslager Nature Center
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunday, May 31
Native Plant Sale
Oenslager Nature Center
1 to 4 p.m.

This is a great opportunity for you to get fabulous native plants for your landscaping that will help pro-mote biodiversity. Stop by our native plant sale at the Oenslager Nature Center during business hours to pick from a nice selection of reasonably priced, ecologically important native plants for home planting. A variety of species in limited quantities will be available. Come see what we have to offer! All ages are wel-come. No registration is required. We accept cash or check made out to Friends of Medina County Parks for payment.

Plants are $5 and $10 based on size. Trees and shrubs are $15.
***Contact the grower directly with questions at [email protected].

FORBS
American germander
American alumroot
Prairie alumroot
Blue flag iris
Blue salvia
Blue lobelia
Cardinal flower
Calico beardtongue
Culver’s root
False sunflower
Lance-leaved coreopsis
Late figwort
Riddell’s goldenrod
Wrinkleleaf goldenrod
Blue-stemmed goldenrod
Gray goldenrod
Upland white goldenrod
Stiff goldenrod
Sweet goldenrod
Sawtooth sunflower
Clustered mountain mint
Sky blue aster
Queen of the prairie
Royal catchfly
Allegheny monkeyflower
Common blue violet
Butterfly w**d
Swamp milkw**d
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba)
Yellow coneflower
And a few miscellaneous species!

GRASS
Little bluestem
Bottlebrush grass

SHRUBS
Bladdernut
Buttonbush

TREES
Bur oak
White oak
Scarlet oak
Swamp white oak
Red oak
Pin oak
Kentucky coffee tree
Ohio buckeye

05/17/2026

In honor of the new Tumblebug Trailhead, officially opened to the public yesterday by the Medina County Park District, we’re sharing a photo of the beloved Bug ride. Were you lucky enough to take a spin on the Bug and feel those cars whirl around the track?