Mr. P. Explores... The "Lost" Tyler Estate "Cattle Road!" (Cleveland, OH)

In this episode of Mr. P. Explores, I take a hike down in the Rocky River Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks to check out a hidden secret of the park's past at Tyler's Barn near the Westpark neighborhood of Cleveland. Washington S. Tyler, born in 1835, was a native of Ohio City. He founded the Cleveland Wire Works and became so successful he was soon among the city's wealthiest businessmen and philanthropists. In 1892 he began building his summer home, called "Woodside Farms," centered on a hill overlooking the valley at 3300 Rocky River Drive. The estate was a working farm, considered a "gentleman's hobby" at the time, with poultry houses, bull pens, livestock, pastures, greenhouses, vineyards, orchards, lily ponds, and formal flower and vegetable gardens. Leading down from the estate on Rocky River Drive above the valley, all the way to Tyler's Barn itself is an old "cattle road," which was a very ornate way for Tyler and his family to come up and down between their home and farm. Amazingly, a good portion of that "road" is still there, with well preserved stone walls still visible as you ascend from the Metroparks Valley Parkway. Being the adventurous type I am, I took a walk up as far as one could now go on the "road," and documented the remains for you all to check out here. Enjoy the ascent!
Intro Music: Dan Auerbach - "Heartbroken, In Disrepair"
Exit/Collage: Spin Doctors - "Tomorrow Can Pay the Rent"
Outro Music: Ben Folds Five - "Theme From Dr. Pyser"
Mr. P's other sites to check out:
Mr. P's Mythopedia:
/ mrpsmythopedia
Mr. P's World History Emporium: / mrpsworldhistoryemporium
The Northeast Ohio Urban Exploration Group:
/ neourbexgroup

[@oldschool6558]

Hey Mr. P, thanks for the video! I had been wanting to go and explore this area too (health won't allow for it), in order to find that road leading up to the Tyler Estate from the barn. Wish you could have gone further, but it looked a bit treacherous! There's another path leading up to Rocky River Drive from the "valley", not too far from this one. It was know as the "Cow Path". It would have been part of the Tyler Estate too. We used to take that path down into the valley when we were growing-up. And an FYI... Tyler barn was painted a light green back in the day and was always known as "the green barn" (and still is to some of us!).

[@timothy232365]

Wow always wanted to know the history behind that barn now i know Thanks! someone shared this video on Growing up on the West Side of Cleveland. FaceBook

[@matthewbreschini6061]

You missed the best part of that area..there's a cave made in the rock wall right on the next tier up. Used to party in there when we were kids

[@BridgetteHalloran-bz1bg]

Yes! Explored that area many times and am curious what the purpose of that cave was?

[@BridgetteHalloran-bz1bg]

Who built it and when? Also was it ever used as part of the Underground Railroad to help hide those making their way out to Lake Erie and then to Canada? This structure has always fascinated me

[@BridgetteHalloran-bz1bg]

Been there many times and as mentioned above, the stone structure that resembles a cave has always been a mystery! One can actually walk inside as it is fortified with a roof and walls! What was this? What was it used for? If anybody has information on the cave up behind Tyler Barn built in the hillside please share