Mars Wagar built his stone house, pictured here, in 1837 on the southeast corner of Detroit and Warren Roads. It was razed in 1882 to make room for his son Francis' framed structure. When Mars Wagar created what became known as the Rockport Cemetery on his own private property, little did he know he would leave behind a burden for future generations. In 1888, Mars' son Francis built a grand Victorian home on the same site as his childhood home -- the southeast corner of Detroit and Warren Roads. By 1891, a few short years after Francis built his dream home, the small local cemetery his father had built just east of the homestead welcomed its last guest. The "mournful patch of land in the center of Lakewood" became neglected and forgotten, receiving little attention until the 1920s when an effort was made to preserve it. The question arose: Should the land remain as a lasting historical site, or should it give way to the currents of economic development? | Source: Cleveland State Library Special CollectionsDownload Original File
