Browse Interviews

Victor Fazio of the Shaker Lakes Nature Center recalls his experiences at the Shaker Lakes beginning in the 1970s. Fazio, a bird-watching enthusiast, provides a wealth of information about the bird population at Shaker Lakes over roughly three decades, connecting ecological chages to changes in bird behavior and population. Also discussed is the history of "birding" at Shaker Lakes, which dates back "to at least 1905," emerging from the Conservation Movement of the early 20th century. Fazio…

Nora Skillern, a member of the Shaker Lakes Women's Committee (Friends of Shaker Lakes), discusses her personal experiences and philanthropic roles at the Shaker Lakes Nature Center. Skillern details fundraising campaigns for the Center, and credits her interest in outdoor recreation to her background as a child growing up in England, where she visited metropolitan parks and learned to garden. Skillern also discusses working for the English colonial government in Africa during the era of…

Norma Rodgers of Shaker Lakes Nature Center discusses her work at the Center. Major topics include the early history of the Nature Center, public and educational programming, organizational management and strategic planning, budgetary issues, and cooperation with other governmental bodies and civic and educational organizations. Rodgers was also a member of the Shaker Heights City Council and the Joint Committee on Doan Brook, which are both discussed in some detail.

Martha Eakin of the Shaker Lakes Nature Center describes her involvement over the years with Shaker Lakes and the Center. Martha's mother, Jean Eakin, was a major figure in the battle against highway development through the Shaker Lakes in the 1960s, and Martha has continued to be involved since. Biographical information about Jean and Martha is included in this interview, as is the rationale and timeline of events leading to the organization of political action against highway development, and…

Kathleen Barber of the Shaker Lakes Nature Center describes her involvement with the Center beginning with the battle to protect Shaker Lakes from highway development in the 1960s. Barber describes this activist campaign in great detail, discussing the proposed route of the highway, the role of County Commissioner Albert Porter, the strategies employed to stop the highway, and the parts played by numerous individuals and activists - particularly women, whose role, according to Barber, was very…

Martha Eakin of the Shaker Lakes Nature Center discusses her mother, Jean Eakin. Jean was a major figure in the battle against highway development through the Shaker Lakes in the 1960s. The grassroots campaign, often referred to as "the freeway fight," was started by Jean Eakin and quickly grew to involve numerous citizens, politicians, and community groups. The role played by Cuyahoga County Commissioner Albert Porter, a major proponent of highway development, is also discussed at length. After…

Nancy King Smith, Executive Director of the Shaker Lakes Nature Center, discusses her personal and official involvement with the Center. Interview contains considerable information about fundraising campaigns, capital improvements, organizational structure, recreational and educational programming, and public outreach.

Activist Phil Hart of Cleveland Heights, Ohio discusses his involvement in the fight against proposed highway construction during the 1960s. The construction, which would have crossed through Shaker Heights and Cleveland Heights, was considered a threat to those communities, as well as to the environmental balance of the local ecosystem - particularly at the Shaker Lakes nature reserve. Hart places this local struggle within the context of a "national rebellion.. against urban freeways" and…

Barbara Morgan of the Shaker Lakes Nature Center discusses the history of the Shaker Lakes; the history of Center; and the history of the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights, Ohio. Morgan's involvement with the Shaker Lakes Nature Center was inspired by her desire to educate students and other citizens about environmental issues. Interview contains biographical details about Ms. Morgan and details about programming at Shaker Lakes Nature Center, as well as insights on educational pedagogy, public…

Edward J. Fritz of the Shaker Lakes Nature Center discusses his involvement with the Center beginning in the late 1970s. Fritz was involved with a number of maintenance and improvement projects at the Center, which he discusses in detail. Also discussed are educational programs and fundraising campaigns, volunteerism, deer population control, lake dredging, staffing issues, and cooperation with adjacent city governments. A lawsuit filed by the East Cleveland Farmers Market against the Nature…

Laura Gooch of the Shaker Lakes Nature Center discusses the Center's educational, environmental and public outreach programming; strategic planning; and staffing issues. Also discussed in some detail is the battle against highway construction in the Shaker Heights-Cleveland Heights area, as well as cooperation between the Center and the surrounding municipalities of Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, and Shaker Heights. Additionally, this interview contains details on the history of the Shaker Lakes…

Jack Ulman of the Shaker Lakes Canoe Club discusses the origins and history of the Club, which dates back to the early years of 20th century but which ceased to exist by the end of the 1970s. Ullman recalls his early experiences at Shaker Lakes, reminisces about boating on the Lakes, describes the wildlife and botanical variety of the nature preserve, puts the Lake in the context of Cleveland's outdoor recreational assets, and recounts the grassroots battle to stop encroaching highway…

Kay Fuller, a founding member of the Shaker Lakes Nature Center, discusses the "Shaker Freeway Fight," in which a coalition of local activists successfully stopped the construction of a new highway through Shaker Lakes during the 1960s. This experience laid the groundwork for the creation of the Nature Center. Fuller discusses many changes over the years at the Nature Center, including alteration of the landscape, educational programming, and an abandoned plan to build an $8.5 million…

Richard Horton, longtime Director of the Shaker Lakes Nature Center, talks about the history of the Center and describes in detail many of the educational programs, public events and fund-raising campaigns, staff development programs, and conservation campaigns carried out by the Center during his tenure. Additionally, Horton offers his own insights on environmental education and parks management. Interview contains biographical information.

Judge Burt Griffin discusses in great detail the battle to stop highway construction through the Shaker Heights-Cleveland Heights area, which was seen as a threat to those communities and to the ecological and environmental balance of the Shaker Lakes nature preserve. Griffin discusses the battle, which was driven by grassroots activists (and largely by women), in the context of Shaker Heights' unique history. Details on activist strategies; relevant financial, legal and environmental…

Hope and Stanley Adelstein, lifelong residents of Cleveland Heights, discuss their experiences as supporters of the Shaker Lakes Nature Center. The couple describe their role in the grassroots battle to stop highway construction through the Shaker Lakes during the 1960s, which laid the groundwork for the creation of the Center. The Adelsteins were also involved with the founding of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, which is discussed in some detail. Stanley Adelstein, an active member of the…

Billie Smith of Shaker Lakes Nature Center describes her involvement with the Center, providing details on the history of the Center, recreation and public events, staff development, and educational programming. Smith also discusses the "Red Raider" campground (near Chagrin Falls, Ohio), which was started by her husband Ralston Fox Smith in 1933 as part of a teaching program at Shaker Heights' Malvern School. Actor Paul Newman, a Shaker Heights native, is also mentioned for having attended the…