History of the Wolf Family Smoke House

While walking toward Rose Hill Museum to visit, one notices a small stone building surrounded by an herb garden standing to the right of the south porch. This building had been the smoke house for the John Wolf family at 492 Bradley Rd.

The Wolf family arrived in Dover Township in 1819. Wolf Road is named for the family. Descendant Alfred Horace Wolf served as mayor of the Village of Bay from 1910 to 1915.

Even before Alfred Horace became mayor, the smoke house was being used as a jail. Prisoners waiting to be transferred to the county jail found themselves locked up for the night in the smoke house. Later, when the Zemi family lived on the property, it was used as a haunted house at Halloween.

In 1973, the City of Bay Village was deciding on a piece of property for a new community center (today's Bay Lodge).   When the old Wolf/Zemi property was chosen, the stone smoke house was in the way. The historical society said they would like to have it.

The city's service department took it apart piece by piece and numbered each piece. They then transported it to Cahoon Park and reassembled it where it sits today. It has been put to good use ever since, and a piece of Bay Village history was saved.