Upper Prospect Multiple Resource Area

Cleveland's Upper Prospect Multiple Resource Area (MRA) is significant to the city because of its architecture and the notable (wealthy) business people and politicians that lived in the neighborhood. It's location, near and parallel to Euclid, secured for Cleveland a community teeming with wealthy residents during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Given the demographics of Upper Prospect, numerous buildings, ranging from residential and social clubs to businesses and churches, enjoyed distinct architecture, designed by renowned firms, that afforded them landmark status. 

City planners built Prospect Street parallel to Euclid, another street abound in historic buildings, in 1831, and then extended it in 1858. In 1860 the East Cleveland Railway Company opened the state's first streetcar line along Prospect Avenue, connecting the location westward to the central business district. The streetcar line inspired residents to move to the area during and following the Civil War and adding to the abundance of wealthy residents seen on Euclid, notably "millionaire's row." However, with notable figures such as John Rockefeller and Jeptha Wade (founder of Western Union) residing on Euclid Avenue, Prospect Avenue gained the reputation as the city's second most prestigious street. 

Several historic houses remain on Prospect. Although the oldest remaining structure in the Upper Prospect MRA, the Tuscan-style George Merwin House (NR 1973), first faced Euclid in 1838 before an 1858 relocation effort placed the home on its current Prospect spot. The prestige attached to the Upper Prospect area and streetcar line also enticed developers to construct high-end apartments there, too. As well, with the influx of residents came typical community-serving structures such as churches and social clubs; many of the churches are landmarks and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Given the wealth in the Euclid and Upper Prospect area, it is no surprise that the historic neighborhood supports several commercial operations such as office buildings and automotive sales. Upper Prospect also served numerous politicians and influential people. For instance, Ohio's Civil War governor, John Brough, lived on Prospect from 1863-5. James Bulkley, U.S. Senator from Ohio, was born in the rowhouse on Prospect Avenue in 1880. William Armstrong, the publisher of the Plain Dealer, William Southworth, President of National City Bank, and Phillip Gaensslen, President of the Phoenix Brewing Company all called Prospect Ave their home. 

The multitude of historic buildings endure as markers of a period when streetcars allowed wealthy residents an opportunity to move away from the central business district and create communities catering to their lifestyles. In essence, it was the beginning of a trend that eventually saw people move to the suburbs. And it was the development of suburbs that drew people away from Euclid and Prospect by the mid and late twentieth century. However, the area has retained much of its history and even enjoyed renewed prestige in the twenty-first century as residents return to the city and the service industry has blossomed. 

Cimperman, John and Robert Reiser. "Nomination Form: Upper Prospect MRA." National Register of Historic Places. nps.gov. November 1, 1984. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/c2b43d35-5884-442d-9427-76574d73b2be

O'Brien, Erin. ".hidden cle: the coolest things in plain sight you've likely never seen." Freshwater. freshwatercleveland.com. January 9, 2014. https://www.freshwatercleveland.com/features/hiddencleveland010914.aspx