Forest Hill: The Rockefeller Estate

Images of America: Ohio

by Sharon E. Gregor

John D. Rockefeller's Cleveland roots stretched across the oil-drenched banks and murky flats of Kingsbury Run in Cleveland and ended in the wooded sanctuary at Forest Hill. Six miles east of Public Square, Forest Hill was the Rockefeller family's country estate and summer home for four decades. It had formal gardens, greenhouses, a lake and lily pond, a golf course, a horse track, and acres of farmland. In the early 1900s, tourists and local residents rode the streetcar out Millionaires' Row to East Cleveland, where they peered through the imposing iron gates scrolled with an R to peek at the gatekeeper's lodge, the manicured lawns, and the road that led to the mansion atop the hill. Unfortunately, in 1917, Forest Hill burned to the ground. Because so many records, mementos, and photographs perished, the estate remains as shrouded in secrecy today as it did during its lifetime. Forest Hill: The Rockefeller Estate unveils the story of the estate, how it evolved and changed over the years, and how its legacy continues.

128 pages, Paperback

First published October 11, 2006

Reviews

[John Gallagher · Rating 4 out of 5]

good local history of the rockefeller summer home and his estate

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a friend of a friend who lives in the area that was once part of the Rockefeller Estate. There've been tours in the past, I need to find another one. Fingers crossed it happens this year.

This book is heavy on pictures and short on narrative. I'm still pretty confused about when and how the Estate was divided up and when the main house was razed. It's a good starting point with some fascinating extra features showcased that were built into the original homes that sit on the estate grounds.

Moving on....

[Elaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, I need to go see the park now. And visit the Western Reserve Historical Society.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating look at the home, and eventual re-development of the land that was once John D. Rockefeller's residence, in Cleveland, Ohio.