Here are some pictures I took on my trip to Youngstown with Ink. 

 

I was really impressed with Warren's downtown.  Almost all of the historical buildings were intact although many of them were unoccupied.  Most of the buildings which were not historical made an attempt to fit in with the rest of the buildings.  And then there was the courthouse.  Probably one of the most impressive ones in the state.

 

Hope you enjoy!  :mrgreen:

 

Warren's ugliest.

 

Ok now it gets better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wish this old clocks would still work.  It was about 10 a.m. at this point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wow a bridal store downtown.  You don't see that very often.

 

Could someone tell me the name of this feature?

 

 

 

Here are the some of the administrative buildings from across the street from the courthouse.  I think Warren did a decent job at making these buildings look historical and fit in with the other historical buildings.

 

Here are some other historical buildings including Ink's favorite.

 

Another Carnegie

 

This tidbit of history was really cool.

 

 

 

Here are some streetscaping pictures:

 

 

Pictures from the green square:

 

Nice set!

 

Could someone tell me the name of this feature.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onion_dome

Greatest Comfort Inn ever.

Nice set of buildings. That courthouse is pretty amazing!

 

Does anyone know anything about that Howard's store? There were three or four stores by that name around Fort Wayne into the late 1980s, and I thought they were locally based. The main store was downtown and was in a block of the oldest downtown commercial buildings razed to build a parking garage around 1990.

 

They used exactly that same lettering on the storefronts. They sold greeting cards, high-end cosmetics and perfumes and cameras and photographic and art supplies. The downtown store had a post office branch in the basement, and had a picture-framing gallery.

Warren is always a favorite.

I've never made it past Niles :(

Always great to see the city where I was born...

Thanks for the great pics! I love the courthouse. Did you get to check out the Perkins Mansion (City Hall), Kinsman House and the Ampitheater when you were in town?

Welcome Cortlandgirl. I assume '79 is your birth year?

Nice set of photos. Great to see everything in good condition and no large demolition gaps between historic buildings. Some of Warren's once-grand buildings look under-utilized, but still maintained. I might add that the "Onion Dome" feature asked about was a characteristic detail found in the Queen Anne style of architecture which was popular in the U.S. between 1880 and 1910. Both houses and commericial structures in the Queen Anne style sprouted towers, turrets, oriels, and bartizans (a small structure such as a turret which projects from the building) with onion dome, or witch's hat (conical) roofs. Survivors of this popular but short-lived Victorian style can still be found from coast to coast. Often the characteristic domed or pointed roofs have been removed and flat-topped as a cost-saving measure in the past. Nice to see this one is still there.

 

Does anyone know anything about that Howard's store? There were three or four stores by that name around Fort Wayne into the late 1980s, and I thought they were locally based. The main store was downtown and was in a block of the oldest downtown commercial buildings razed to build a parking garage around 1990.

 

They used exactly that same lettering on the storefronts. They sold greeting cards, high-end cosmetics and perfumes and cameras and photographic and art supplies. The downtown store had a post office branch in the basement, and had a picture-framing gallery.

 

Howards is a mens store I think.  Although it may be a bridal store now.  I don't think it's the same chain.

I made a public admonition to KJP that was out of line. I've removed it and hereby publicly apologize.  :oops:

Welcome Cortlandgirl. I assume '79 is your birth year?

 

Yes it is

I don't know if you guys allow linking to other sites...........I couldn't find rules on here since i'm new still. Anyway, if it's allowed here is a link to a phototour i did of Warren this spring............... http://www.city-data.com/forum/ohio/313904-warren-photo-tour-warning-if-you.html

^Very nicely done CG79 - I'm a historical marker junkie, can't pass one without reading it or at least looking it up online later.  Although I've been to Warren before, I think it was mostly the area around Trumbull Memorial Hospital/St Joes and the retail sprawl on the southeast side.  I'm going to have to plan a return trip sometime...

Thank you! Most of those pics were taken around courthouse square, down Mahoning Ave. and N. Park. The Packard Plants are located in Howland Twp/Bazetta Twp and on Dana and Griswold St. in Warren, i belive that is the northwest side.

Thank you! Most of those pics were taken around courthouse square, down Mahoning Ave. and N. Park. The Packard Plants are located in Howland Twp/Bazetta Twp and on Dana and Griswold St. in Warren, i belive that is the northwest side.

CG79, Thanks for the link to the Warren photo collection on City-Data. Seems like there is a lot of history in the town and some interesting architectural survivors from its past. Nice to see many of Warren's historic homes have been preserved for future generations to enjoy as well. When I visit Warren, I'll make sure I have my camera handy.

Nice shots, cortlandgirl79. It's interesting to see such different aspects of Warren. One of my close friends from my teen years was born in Warren and lived there until high school, but I've never been there. He passed away recently, and I've thought about making a memorial road trip.

Thanks guys! I would really like to get out there and take some more pics sometime this fall w/all the beautiful colors. If i get around to it you guys will be the 1st to see it.

LOL @ the picture of Saint Mary's. We had to walk to mass there like once a month on Fridays in middle school. The middle school is vacant now and it's a good thing, that place was creepy even in the 70s. My mom still lives in Warren, so we stayed at the Comfort Inn one Christmas, not bad, not the best conditions, but not bad. Would love to go back and explore some more. I actually got to go up in the top of the Courthouse once on like a 30-foot extension ladder. Looks like directv occupies that space now.

Glad to see you made it over here, Cort.

Thanks JR! Hope life in the Yo has been treatin you well.

Welcome Cortlandgirl. I assume '79 is your birth year?

 

Yes it is

 

Are you single?

Haha! Actually, yes.................not so much by choice, but i live in Warren............not that it's a bad thing, but i've found that most single guys around here are either drunks or divorced (multiple times) or have kids and baby momma drama, sometimes all three!!

 

Maybe you guys need a Ohio cities relationship thread on here! ha!

Great pics!

Haha! Actually, yes.................not so much by choice, but i live in Warren............not that it's a bad thing, but i've found that most single guys around here are either drunks or divorced (multiple times) or have kids and baby momma drama, sometimes all three!!

 

Maybe you guys need a Ohio cities relationship thread on here! ha!

It is not a great place to find a mate--many folks marry young and then divorce.

I'm currently trying to obtain a position with Trumbull Co. Looks like Warren is the place to be.

 

What kind of position are you trying to obtain?

 

What makes you think Warren is right for you? Just wondered.

I'm currently trying to obtain a position with Trumbull Co. Looks like Warren is the place to be.

 

What kind of position are you trying to obtain?

 

What makes you think Warren is right for you? Just wondered.

 

An entry level planning position w/Trumbull Co.

 

Warren seems like the right fit because it is the biggest city in the county :)

 

That it is. Well, if you get it the job and need help on where to live, let me know. Good luck!

No one will likely read this.. I was just looking at this thread and wanted to say that the first photo on this thread...the white bank building, is actually an historic building underneath... covered in a facade. Also, in the other old Second National Building, there is still an old style cage-like elevator with a person who operates it for you! "What floor please?" Very fun!

 

I am originally from Warren.... Great architecture...Great potential for people to move there, get a cheap house and go at it. Most of the neighborhoods are safe..and even in the not so nice ones..they are still relatively safe. There is a chronic noise problem Warren is trying to battle in their neighborhoods (illegally modified exhausts on cars/motorcycles..and boom cars)--but they're laying out some really progressive quality of life ordinances.

 

Also, another uniqe thing for you back yard wildlife enthusiats. (bird/butterfly/fish/native plants gardens) city ordinance allows for a back yards for wildlife style landscape as prescribed by ODNR. I pushed to get that going  when I lived there....and it is a progressive ordinance. 

 

Lastly, Most of the original Main Street is gone and other significant buildings like all the schools have been torn down in the last few years. (long story as to why)...An ice skating rink is on the square in Winter, and Santa frequents the Log Cabin....and also the one bad thing is that in many parts, it seems to have become the recruiting grounds for the Jerry Springer Show, so Cortland Girl's posts were correct!  Ha!

 

Just thought I would post this in case anyone else happens to stumble upon this thread. It is like throwing out a message in  bottle! 

Reviewing this thread just awakened another memory. In 2000 I spent a few days in the area while waiting for transmission repair on my pickup. I remember a radio station from Warren that played pretty much non-stop polka music.

I'm from Warren too.  There are a lot of people on UO from that general area... most no longer live there, but some do.  The place has a lot of potential and a lot of urbanity still there.  It always felt a decade or so behind everywhere else, as if surrounded by some time dampening force field.  They're still in full sprawl ahead mode pretty much. 

 

But Warren and Youngstown have both been working on their downtowns recently.  I lived just up Mahoning Ave a few years ago, and I used to love walking along the river into that new park they built, with the Roman amphitheater.  It's about the best designed park I've ever seen.  Good job Warren.  From down there, you can see the storefronts across the river and it's a great scene.  The other view is a grand staircase leading up to the courthouse, a large church and a plantation-style mansion. 

 

The park has done a lot for downtown, especially since they started having concerts in it.  I think they're pretty frequent now.  It's worth looking up something there you'd want to listen to and heading out just to see the place.  Mostly cover bands but I think they have some live polka too.  It's only an hour from Cleveland.

327,

 

I'm from Warren too.  There are a lot of people on UO from that general area... most no longer live there, but some do.  The place has a lot of potential and a lot of urbanity still there.  It always felt a decade or so behind everywhere else, as if surrounded by some time dampening force field.  They're still in full sprawl ahead mode pretty much. 

 

But Warren and Youngstown have both been working on their downtowns recently.  I lived just up Mahoning Ave a few years ago, and I used to love walking along the river into that new park they built, with the Roman amphitheater.  It's about the best designed park I've ever seen.  Good job Warren.  From down there, you can see the storefronts across the river and it's a great scene.  The other view is a grand staircase leading up to the courthouse, a large church and a plantation-style mansion. 

 

The park has done a lot for downtown, especially since they started having concerts in it.  I think they're pretty frequent now.  It's worth looking up something there you'd want to listen to and heading out just to see the place.  Mostly cover bands but I think they have some live polka too.  It's only an hour from Cleveland.

 

 

Small world!

 

We lived on Mahoning from 1955 through 1978 on the corner across from the pool. I remember hearing the fountains at night and it would lull us to sleep with warm balmy breezes coming through in the summer time.

 

You could not do that today, however, as the noise is atrocious on that corner. It always had a lot of traffic, but NOT the kind of noise it gets today from illegally modified exhausts and boom cars constantly roving by. This is a big issue city council is addressing now in their quality of life issue focus.

 

I like the Amphitheater too, loved the idea, think it is a great addition......But there is one major flaw with it from a geological perspective--that could prove costly. And that is, it is built right smack dab in a flood plane. It already has seen numerous wash outs destroying a lot of the work, that the city never has enough resources to go out and fix, anyway. I predicted this would happen. I used to play softball in that park and witnessed numerous times the entore park being under 2 to 3 feet of water...

 

When I volunteered for a long time on a river restoration group, The Mahoning River Consortium, which was working in collaboration with people from YSU, WCI Steel, and Ohio-EPA..and many other groups, all of us, and even the guy who wrote the original plan for the amphitheater suggested tweaking the design to be moved away from that spot a bit, without compromising any qualities it had.....but it never happened because the ecologically challenged and stubborn Trumbull 100 did not want to hear it and would rather have called any who spoke on that as naysayers, instead of becoming enlightened on something they knew nothing about. It violated all kinds of ACOE regs, and did not have a positive bio-impact on the river, which was what the city was trying to demonstrate it could do at the time. Additionally, another mistake was to remove all the trees from the very soil sensitive banks of the Mahoning. Already, there is erosion...and trash flying all over from events. Again this city often bites off more than it can chew, and lacks the resources to clean up messes.

 

I loved the idea of the amphitheater..and while it does look good from a view perspective, there are many logical reasons it should not have been paced quite in the spot where it was.

 

 

On other notes.. You hit it perfectly. Warren seems to be the last bastion of historic urban spots in N.E. Ohio that has not quite grasped the concept of keeping it historic and urban and functional. It is surrounded with sprawl in a place that you would have never thought you would get sprawl. What was done to Route 46, the complete conversion of residential to large big box commercial sprawl retail with absolutely NO regard for linking it with foot paths or making it walkable, is a prime example. The road was widened, and still it has not soled the traffic problem.---because they keep adding more crappy developments. Many are also empty, because they have totally over built retail in that area.

 

I have attended numerous council meetings for years and most of the time the council hasn't a clue. They make Cleveland look like some wise ancient culture of Platos and Socrates-likes in comparison.

 

I always tried to promote making downtown functional for a walkiing neighborhood...and the city in general, while at the same time, preserve its environmental integrity.

 

The river for example is quite unique in Warren. Unlike so many other rivers which flowed through industrial corridors, the Mahoning still has a surprising amount of valuable riparian zone, which has so many important functions--that ultimately save people money.

 

It is beautiful to see, right in the middle of the city, these huge cottonwood trees still standing, and lush green banks. Great canoe, hiking, and photography area. I wanted to promote using already cleared out areas along the river to implement any development, while maintaining that lush urban forest. The powers that be, however, were still in the 70's on that one, because they would have just as well removed all of it and paved in all the banks with cement and planted tulips and mulch from Home Depot. There are also some huge sycamore trees there, a signature tree defining Ohio's natural heritage in history. They're amazing, one is a state champ, I believe. At one time th river was so densely forested, that trees reached out to meet each other in the middle of the river. (their limbs) forming a tunnel, like trees along roads do.

 

It is frustrating to see this potential for Warren to be a sort of... what I describe as a 'far eastern satellite suburb' type city just under an hour S.E. of the center of Cleveland. (a 'moon' city to the south east, so to speak) and for it to be a bedroom community..and see what plagues its historical neighborhoods.

 

There ARE good things happening though, but it could really use a boost in old house lovers reclaiming the side street neighborhoods off Mahoning. There are some great old houses there...and  any empty right now are under the threat of demolition. No one wants to tear down the history, but such a town faces a double edged sword if it is left forever. 

 

There also used to be 5 trains a day that went right to Cleveland.. I think it was 5. I don't remember the polka station, though posted by the other poster. I'll bet if you lived on Mahoning, we may have known the same people.

 

Do you remember all the shows Kenley Players used to bring to Warren? Some pretty big name acts! The old Brown Derby was still open at the time.

My Warren memories are from the 90s and later.  I never got to see it as a thriving city.  I agree it's increasingly becoming a suburb of Cleveland, and I think a rail connection would help it out a lot.  At this point, proximity to Cleveland is the best thing Warren has going for it commercially.

My Warren memories are from the 90s and later.  I never got to see it as a thriving city.  I agree it's increasingly becoming a suburb of Cleveland, and I think a rail connection would help it out a lot.  At this point, proximity to Cleveland is the best thing Warren has going for it commercially.

 

Yes, I agree totally. I hope we don't lose the nice buffer zones we have between the two places, though, that actually is appealing. No more parking lots in Middlefield. Homes in places I wonder who the heck is buying them and who moving from inner Cleveland, if so, could afford them. It baffles me.

 

By the way Moses Warren, for whom warren was named, was part of Moses Cleaveland's surveying team from Conn. People directly in Cleveland used to have to go to Warren to do their tax work..pay them, etc.

 

When I was in Sydney for a while, it was not uncommon for people who lived as far outside the center of the city..as Warren is to downtown Cleveland, to still consider themselves as Sydney folk.

Warren was also the capital of the Western Reserve...........