New columnist aims to bring local history to life

Will Krause

My name is William R. (Will) Krause. I am the assistant planning director for the city of Westlake. I have worked for Westlake for 28 years, lived in Bay Village for 17 and now Westlake for five years. I served on the Bay Village Planning Commission for five years. I was the chair of the Bay Village Historical Society’s Preservation Committee and a member of the Reuben Osborn Learning Center Steering Committee. I am currently a board member and historian for the Westlake Historical Society and chair of the Membership Committee and Lilly Weston Committee. I am a trustee of the Western Reserve Architectural Historians.

As you can tell from the above, I am passionate about local history and historic preservation. My basement and garage are full of parts of great old houses that have sadly come down in Bay Village and Westlake over the years. I am an advocate for those that remain.

I have been writing for the Westlake | Bay Village Observer nearly since its inception, penning 40-plus stories over the years. The editors have given me the opportunity to have a regular column.

The purpose of my column is to bring local history alive and tell the stories of the artifacts that are still among us. Sometimes that takes some “digging,” hence the reason for the title of my column. Also, since I am a Baby Boomer, “digging” means “into.”

I am a native Clevelander and an accidental inhabitant of “Dover” (Bay Village and Westlake). The Westshore area drew me first as a teenager to Tremont, Ohio City and Lakewood and later to West Park, Bay Village and Westlake so I can put a regional spin on the local history. Over the years my affection for “Dover” has grown and I hope my column will increase yours for this place we call home.

My new column will launch in the next issue with an article about the Clague family and the Clague House.

William Krause

William R. Krause, AICP I am the Assistant Planning Director for the City of Westlake. I have worked for Westlake for 28 years. I served on the Bay Village Planning Commission for 5 years. I was a member of the Reuben Osborn Learning Center Steering Committee. I am a Board Member and Historian for the Westlake Historical Society and a Trustee of the Western Reserve Architectural Historians. I have been married to Debra for 36 years and am the father of three grown children, grandfather of two and owner of two Shih Tzu's.

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Volume 9, Issue 20, Posted 10:02 AM, 10.17.2017