Where's Dover the Bicentennial Bear?

Dover Bear visits the fake cows on the Gorski property on Dover Center Road.

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Hey kids (of all ages), "Dover" the wandering Bicentennial Bear from the Westlake Historical Society has found another interesting and historical place! Every month, Dover travels to a different location in Westlake and reports back to us on what he finds.

This month, Dover Bear left the Clague House Museum and traveled to Dover Center Road and also to Center Ridge Road. He wanted to learn more about barns and the significant role they played here in Westlake.

Dover Bear also learned a lot about the farming that took place here many many years ago. He learned that at one time Westlake was the second largest exporter of grapes in the United States.

Dover made his first stop at the Gorski family residence on Dover Center Road, where he was able to see cows. These cows, although not real, were a great replica of the many cows that once were considered prized commodities in the farming community of Dover/Westlake.

Dover Bear then visited the home of the Wang family on Center Ridge Road. While there, Dover had the opportunity to see the barn on the property. Mr. Wang shared with Dover his knowledge of the history of the barn. The barn is thought to be over 150 years old. Dover realized as he traveled the city of Westlake that there are still barns to see.

The barn symbolizes the way life in Dover/Westlake once was. Take a closer look and you might just see a barn or two tucked in back of a current property or nestled behind a home here in Westlake.

Dover's friends at the Westlake Historical Society have undertaken steps to identify, catalog and photograph all the barns that are still standing. If you know of a barn or are the owner of one of these gems of Westlake's past, please contact the Westlake Historical Society.  

Dover would like to thank the Gorski and Wang families for the wonderful opportunity to see some of Westlake's history.

Please join the Westlake Historical Society and the Westlake Westshore Arts Council on June 21 at Porter Library at 7:00 p.m. to hear Ohio barn artist Scott Hagan share stories about his unusual career of barn painting.