Lakewood Lore

Carrie can remember when orchards flourished here

Longtime Lakewoodite Carrie McDowell Krewson, who turns 95 on Monday and possesses an enviable memory bank, wonders how many of us recall the old Andrews home near the heart of town.

"Not many, I suppose," she reflected.

But the landmark home, she went on, which once stood on the north side of Detroit Avenue between the Masonic Temple and the Christian Science Church, was for many years a showpiece and command post for one of the largest fruit farms in Ohio.

The orchards, covering 80 acres, extended north from Detroit to Lake Erie. They were bounded on the east by Andrews Avenue and on the west by Lakeland.

They produced pears, plums, cherries, apples, grapes and giant strawberries, thus buttressing Lakewood's early reputation as a leading fruit-growing community.

The home was built in 1853 and torn down in 1948 to make way for a shopping strip - Lakewood Plaza - which today comprises a Discount Drug Mart, Big Boy Restaurant, Radio Shack, Blockbuster Video, DOTS women's clothing store, Four Seasons tanning parlor, Quizno's sub sandwich takeout and a Smythe, Cramer Realty office.

According to mid-nonagenarian Carrie, the home was acclaimed for its beautiful vine-covered verandah, its long row of white birches, and it famous weeping larch (a member of the pine family).

The former farm acreage behind the present string of business is now Kauffman Park with its baseball diamond, twin tennis courts and city-operated Little Links miniature golf course.

The Andrews property also included a smaller home, which remains to this day tucked closely behind the Christian Science Church and occupied by the church custodian and his family.

"I was a Lakewood High schoolmate and close friend of Harriet Andrews Calavan, who grew up in the small house," Carrie said. "We were like sisters."

Harriet was the daughter of Frank Andrews, a prominent orchardist noted for his experimental work in the cross-pollination and grafting of fruits and flowers.

Harriet's grandmother, Virginia French Andrews, lived in the estate's large home for a long time. She was called Jennie and was a most popular hostess in the Lakewood community, Carrie explained.

"Jennie's oldest son Jay and his wife Louise were the last to live in the big house," Carrie recollected.

Actually, the history of the Andrews property goes far back into the 19th century. It originally was bought by Collins French, whose father, Price French, a native of Vermont, settled in Lakewood in 1828, when this area was known as Rockport.

Collins acquired the farm in 1856. He later took into partnership Edwin Ruthven Andrews, who then married Collins' adopted daughter, the aforementioned Jennie.

Carrie Krewson was born not far from Cleveland's West Side Market.

"In 1916, when a nearby early electric car factory -- Rauch & Lang -- began to expand, we were crowded out of the neighborhood and moved to Lakewood's Clarence Avenue," Carrie said. "I was 12 years old at the time and have lived at the same address here ever since."

Carrie's father, Robert McDowell, was a Great Lakes captain who died in 1914. Residing with Carrie in the Clarence home for many years were her mother, grandmother, two brothers and a sister.

Carrie started high school in a building on Warren Road where the post office is now located. During her sophomore year in 1919, she was transferred to the current Lakewood High School, then newly built on Franklin at Bunts.

Because Franklin was not cut through at the time, she had to plod through fields from her Clarence home to get to Lakewood High.

Carrie graduated in 1921 and enrolled in Western Reserve University where she met Arthur Krewson. They each earned a bachelor of science degree in pharmacy and were married in 1934.

In 1927, Carrie started working at the first drugstore in Fairview Park (Fairview Village then) and served as its manager for seven years. It was owned by Herman Pierstorf at 22432 Lorain Road.

Late in her career, Carrie became director of the pharmacy at the former Woman's General Hospital on Chester Avenue in Cleveland, a post she held for 15 years.

Husband Arthur was a druggist with his own store for more than 20 years before his death in 1970.

"I don't practice anymore, but I continue to keep my license and am still very interested in this field of endeavor," Carrie pointed out.

Carrie and Arthur had three children. They are Lakewoodites Dr. Carrie Schopf and Ella Jana Fowerbaugh, and Charlotte (Honey) Partlow of Elyria. Carrie also has nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

When queried about goals, she said her biggest one now was "to parcel back the collections of generations.

"My home has been an ideal storage place for members of my family. It has accumulated an awful lot of keepsake memorabilia as well as worthless junk over the years."

When asked to what credits her long life, Carrie blurted guiltily, "I haven't the slightest idea!"

This article by Dan Chabek appeared in the Lakewood Sun Post April 22, 1999. Reprinted with permission.

Editor's note: The smaller home (pictured) behind the Christian Science Church was demolished July 11, 2005. Maxxum Outlets purchased the former Christian Science Church for its headquarters location. The demolition was part of the conversion of the church to business use.

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