LakewoodAlive, Lakewood Historical Society to Host Birdtown Walk and Picnic on June 12

Lakewood, OH – LakewoodAlive is partnering with the Lakewood Historical Society to host the inaugural Historic Birdtown Walk & Picnic on Sunday, June 12 at Madison Park.

The celebration kicks off with a community picnic from noon to 2 p.m. at the pavilion near Madison Park’s George Usher Field. Food and drinks will be provided, courtesy of The Gorilla Lakewood.

The festivities continue with guided walking tours of the Historic Birdtown neighborhood commencing at 1 p.m. The tours will depart from the corner of Madison and Halstead Avenues every half-hour until 2:30 p.m., affording participants an enriched perspective of this proud, working-class neighborhood in eastern Lakewood.

Following a neighborhood tour, participants will have a chance to walk through the Templar Motors Factory display within the Lake Erie Building at the south-end of Madison Park.

“We’re thrilled to be able to partner with the Lakewood Historical Society and offer Lakewood residents this exciting opportunity to explore one of our city’s beloved neighborhoods,” said Allison Urbanek, LakewoodAlive’s Housing Outreach Director. “It’s yet another example of how we here at LakewoodAlive are committed to our ongoing mission to foster and sustain vibrant neighborhoods in Lakewood.”

Steeped in history, the origins of the Birdtown neighborhood date to the late 19th century. In 1892, the National Carbon Company (now GrafTech) sought to ease its employees’ commutes to work to reduce staff tardiness. The factory acquired 115 acres extending west along Madison Avenue and established the Pleasant Hill Allotment, which was divided into 424 lots and later become known as Birdtown. The name is believed to have been derived from the various streets within the neighborhood named after indigenous bird species.

Sponsored by Citizens Bank, the City of Lakewood, Dollar Bank, First Federal Lakewood and The Gorilla Lakewood, the Historic Birdtown Walk & Picnic is being orchestrated by LakewoodAlive’s Housing Outreach Community Engagement Program. Through community outreach and engagement initiatives aimed at residents in low-to-moderate income neighborhoods, this program seeks to cultivate a heightened sense of pride and ownership.