Report: Old US 21 Ohio
Marc Fannin
US 21 as far south from the northern terminus as time would allow
(Ohio Road Trip VI).
-- Cleveland: Photos of Public Square (old north end) are on our
Cleveland page, but not the one facing south onto old US 21 (and 422
and Ohio 8/14/hidden 43/hidden 87) that we got today. The East 71st
Street section seems not to have changed since it was US 21 but no
leftover signage (in fact, no old US 21 signage at all on the trip,
only a new US 21 assembly at Pleasant Valley Road in Independence, not
photographed since no definitively Ohio features would be in the
photograph with it).
-- Ohio Turnpike: Some photos of the new interchange connection to
I-77 (more on the way back) Info on this connection is at
http://www.roadfan.com/ohtpk.html#i77
and
http://groups.google.com/groups?th=2c64a5e697db1ce
-- Summit County (west of Akron): Old 21 is mostly two lane and
lightly travelled, except at Montrose (Jct. Ohio 18), where there is a
major shopping area and no trace of old 21 contemporary features
exist.
-- Clinton: Ohio and Erie Canal crosses (the canal has been abandoned
for years, but a sign on the road labels it).
-- Canal Fulton: Named for the aforementioned canal. Short brick
section on old 21. Had to detour around the Ohio 93/old 21 overlap
due to construction.
-- Massillon: Ohio 236 follows old 21 to current Ohio 21 where it
ends; however, when 236 turns right at an intersection just before
ending at 21, there is an end sign but no indication of 21 off to the
right.
-- Strasburg: Our average speed today through it: 10 mph, thanks to
two signals at the south end. Also there is a old dead-end part-brick
section of old US 21/250 on the southeast side of I-77.
-- Dover: Had to bypass another downtown stretch due to a street
carnival.
-- Southern Tuscarawas County (south of Dover/New Philly): Hill
country. Reminded me of northern Kentucky along I-65. Old 21, I-77,
and an old railroad grade run in a valley together to north of
Newcomerstown (US 36 area).
-- Stone Creek: Northbound Ohio 751 follows old 21 due south briefly.
-- South of Newcomerstown/northern Guernsey County: Old 21 is *in* the
hills here. Most of northernmost Ohio 258 follows old 21.
Route back: I-77 at Ohio 541 (east of Kimbolton) to US 30/62 WB to
Ohio 21 NB to I-77/Ohio 21 NB to I-80/Turnpike EB to Ohio 8 NB to
I-271 NB
A couple of weirldy-placed distance signs and an arch bridge on I-77
south of New Philadelphia, and an Alt. I-77 along US 30/62 and Ohio
21, but nothing much else to note.
Some ends photos were taken along the way.
Sandor will now fill in what I've forgotten.
________________________________________________________________________
Marc Fannin|musx...@kent.edu or @hotmail.com| http://www.roadfan.com/
Sandor G
news:cc3aa42a.02052...@posting.google.com...
> Today (24) Sandor Gulyas and I met to travel and document on film old
> US 21 as far south from the northern terminus as time would allow
> (Ohio Road Trip VI).
>
> -- Cleveland: Photos of Public Square (old north end) are on our
> Cleveland page, but not the one facing south onto old US 21 (and 422
> and Ohio 8/14/hidden 43/hidden 87) that we got today. The East 71st
> Street section seems not to have changed since it was US 21 but no
> leftover signage (in fact, no old US 21 signage at all on the trip,
> only a new US 21 assembly at Pleasant Valley Road in Independence, not
> photographed since no definitively Ohio features would be in the
> photograph with it).
It was strange going through the old industrial and south slums of
Cleveland. If we were on the ball, would got a picture of the Kingsbury
viaduct. We should of got more pictures of the architecture along the way
as well.
Also when traveling south on E 71st you have to go to Canal Rd and cut over
to Granger Rd (Oh 17) then go back to OH 21. We also found a old part of 21
from pre *cloverleaf (pre Willow Expwy, pre I-77) days* that dead ended into
a couple of industrial sites just before Oh 17.
> -- Ohio Turnpike: Some photos of the new interchange connection to
> I-77 (more on the way back) Info on this connection is at
> http://www.roadfan.com/ohtpk.html#i77
> and http://groups.google.com/groups?th=2c64a5e697db1ce
By this time we got caught in a downpour as well which put a crimp in our
picture taking ability.
At the intersection with OH 82 you had traffic lights with 3 lenses facing
traffic at the back with one lense facing the opposite direction in the
front.
Also south of the turnpike interchange is an old SGS on SB Old 21 mentioning
the next connection with I-77 is 3 miles down the road
> -- Summit County (west of Akron): Old 21 is mostly two lane and
> lightly travelled, except at Montrose (Jct. Ohio 18), where there is a
> major shopping area and no trace of old 21 contemporary features
> exist.
In hindsite we missed what could have been several older sections of US 21
in Summit Co, but alas it be hard to say without some small scale or topo
maps from pre WWII.
> -- Clinton: Ohio and Erie Canal crosses (the canal has been abandoned
> for years, but a sign on the road labels it).
There were plenty of signs directing travellers to Erie & Ohio canal path
between Clinton and Massilion. The current shape of the E&O Canal through
there looks like a overbuilt ditch (nothing like the current canals still in
use).
> -- Canal Fulton: Named for the aforementioned canal. Short brick
> section on old 21. Had to detour around the Ohio 93/old 21 overlap
> due to construction.
>
> -- Massillon: Ohio 236 follows old 21 to current Ohio 21 where it
> ends; however, when 236 turns right at an intersection just before
> ending at 21, there is an end sign but no indication of 21 off to the
> right.
Hopefully we finally got a good picture of the Massillion mural facing WB
Lincoln Hwy. as well
Navarre had a 4 direction signal and another 1 direction signal about 500 ft
in front of it, all for one intersection (21 and US 62?)
> -- Strasburg: Our average speed today through it: 10 mph, thanks to
> two signals at the south end. Also there is a old dead-end part-brick
> section of old US 21/250 on the southeast side of I-77.
It even has the original RR crossing on it (sans signals).
> -- Dover: Had to bypass another downtown stretch due to a street
> carnival.
>
> -- Southern Tuscarawas County (south of Dover/New Philly): Hill
> country. Reminded me of northern Kentucky along I-65. Old 21, I-77,
> and an old railroad grade run in a valley together to north of
> Newcomerstown (US 36 area).
>
> -- Stone Creek: Northbound Ohio 751 follows old 21 due south briefly.
>
> -- South of Newcomerstown/northern Guernsey County: Old 21 is *in* the
> hills here. Most of northernmost Ohio 258 follows old 21.
When traveling Oh 258, it comes to a four-way intersection with Tuscawrus Co
Rd 3. They *bump* as CR 3 goes south and west and Oh 258 goes east and
north. There is also milage signs mentioning going south on CR 3 (Old US
21) will take you to Cambridge (at 17 miles).
In Guernsey Co, Old US 21 Rd is CR 35.
> Route back: I-77 at Ohio 541 (east of Kimbolton) to US 30/62 WB to
> Ohio 21 NB to I-77/Ohio 21 NB to I-80/Turnpike EB to Ohio 8 NB to
> I-271 NB
>
> A couple of weirldy-placed distance signs and an arch bridge on I-77
> south of New Philadelphia, and an Alt. I-77 along US 30/62 and Ohio
> 21, but nothing much else to note.
And (again) hopefully beter pictures of a Buckeye Tourway Sign and Official
name of I-77 Sign.
Got a couple pictures of the construction along the long bridge over the
Cuyahoga River along the Turnpike (though I'd like a profile shot before the
other original span goes the way of the dodo bird)
Nothing of note along I-71 (construction from Oh 39 to Oh 83, sans section
north of Ashland that is completed)
> Some ends photos were taken along the way.
>
> Sandor will now fill in what I've forgotten.
>
> ________________________________________________________________________
> Marc Fannin|musx...@kent.edu or @hotmail.com| http://www.roadfan.com/
--
Sandor G
Graduate - Ohio State, March 02
www.roadfan.com