Lakewood Lore

Water tower filled the gap

One of the familiar landmarks in downtown Lakewood from 1912 until 1934 was the 80-foot high water tower next to the fire station at Warren and Detroit.

Vernon H. Lieblein, 87-year-old Lakewood Kiwanian and history gadfly, remembers it well and how it came about.

"During hot, dry weather in the summertime, many homes and stores here were without water from noon 'til the next morning," Vern recalled.

"This was because the pumping facilities in Cleveland, our source of water, were insufficient.

"Finally, the people here became so disgusted that Lakewood City Council voted to build a circular tower of riveted steel plates to store the water and cope with the shortages.

Vern's father, Edward R. Lieblein, who was superintendent of the Lakewood water division at the time, first suggested that the tower be put on higher ground at Warren and Madison where it would create more pressure. However, it was cheaper to build it beside the fire station, according to Vern.

The tower had a half-million gallon capacity, though Vern contends it never held nearly that much water at any one time. Its circumference was 149 feet and records show it cost the city $8,513, a substantial sum in 1912.

The Lieblein home, then on Warren, was only two doors from the tower and Vern, a wireless ham operator in his spare time, got permission to set up an aerial on top of the tall structure.

"The water shortages existed for several years," Vern related. "Finally, Cleveland increased its number of pumps and that took care of the problem. In 1934, the tower was dismantled and removed."

But it wasn't the only water tower in Lakewood. John L. Scofield, who retired in 1986 after 17 years as Lakewood water division superintendent, knows where a second tower--a smaller private one belonging to the Clifton Park Association--stood at Clifton and Arlington roads.

It was built for the Clifton Park section of Lakewood before the turn of the century and was torn down many years before the downtown Lakewood tower was erected.

The Clifton tower drew its supply of water directly from Lake Erie and had its own pumping station and filtration plant on Clifton Beach.

These two properties were converted to residences and remain to this day. Crime buster Eliot Ness once lived in one of them. He rented it from famous restauranteur Vernon Stouffer.

This article by Dan Chabek appeared by in the Lakewood Sun Post March 9, 1989. Reprinted with permission.

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