Rocky River Historical Society

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Rocky River Historical Society The Rocky River Historical Society is dedicated to preserving the history of this Cleveland suburb and we invite you to join us.

🇺🇸 What a Day, Rocky River! 🇺🇸America 250: A Rocky River Celebration was everything we hoped for and so much more. It wa...
09/14/2026

🇺🇸 What a Day, Rocky River! 🇺🇸

America 250: A Rocky River Celebration was everything we hoped for and so much more. It was wonderful to see our community come together to celebrate America’s 250th birthday and the history, people, and traditions that make Rocky River such a special place to call home.

From the music and old-fashioned picnic to the history, kids' activities, food, games, and so much community spirit, there was something for everyone. Most of all, we loved seeing so many Rocky River families, friends, organizations, businesses, and community groups enjoying the day together.

A very special thank you to the City of Rocky River, which went above and beyond to help make this event so special. From planning and preparation to everything that happened behind the scenes and throughout the day, their partnership, support, and enthusiasm helped bring this celebration to life.

And a huge thank you to the Rocky River High School Marching Band! Your music brought such energy and spirit to the celebration and added the perfect touch of hometown pride to our America 250 festivities. We are so grateful to the students, directors, and everyone who made their participation possible!

And of course, a huge thank you to all of our volunteers, community partners, local organizations, businesses, schools, and everyone who helped make the celebration possible. And thank you to everyone who came out and celebrated with us - you truly made the day!

We are so proud of what our community created together and grateful to everyone who played a part.

🇺🇸 Thank you, Rocky River, for helping us celebrate America’s 250th birthday in such a wonderful way! Here’s to our community—and to the next 250 years! ❤️🤍💙

🇺🇸 IT’S ALMOST HERE! 🇺🇸America 250: A Rocky River Celebration is THIS SUNDAY! 🎉Join us Sunday, September 13, from 1–4 PM...
09/09/2026

🇺🇸 IT’S ALMOST HERE! 🇺🇸

America 250: A Rocky River Celebration is THIS SUNDAY! 🎉

Join us Sunday, September 13, from 1–4 PM at City Hall Park for an old-fashioned picnic and patriotic afternoon filled with live music, food, family activities, history, games, and community fun!

Bring your family, invite your friends, and come celebrate America’s 250th birthday—and what makes Rocky River such a special place to call home! ❤️🤍💙

Free & open to everyone! 🇺🇸

250-Ohio

A Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper page from 1930 that shows the evolution of Public Square in downtown Cleveland
08/01/2026

A Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper page from 1930 that shows the evolution of Public Square in downtown Cleveland

Big Boy No. 4014 is the world’s largest and one of the U.S.’s last operating steam locomotives. From the Union Pacific w...
07/14/2026

Big Boy No. 4014 is the world’s largest and one of the U.S.’s last operating steam locomotives. From the Union Pacific website:

“Twenty-five Big Boys were commissioned exclusively for Union Pacific Railroad, the first of which was delivered in 1941. These massive locomotives were built to haul heavy equipment in support of the war effort, normally operating between Ogden, Utah, and Cheyenne, Wyoming. The Big Boys are 133 feet long and weigh 1.2 million pounds. Due to their great length, the frames of the Big Boys are ‘hinged,’ or articulated, to allow them to negotiate curves. They have a 4-8-8-4 wheel arrangement, which means they have four wheels on the leading set of ‘pilot’ wheels to guide the engine; eight drivers on the first engine; another set of eight drivers on the second engine; and four wheels trailing that support the rear of the locomotive.”

The locomotive was retired in 1961, reacquired in 2013, and after a long restoration process, returned to service in 2019.

The man behind the helm is Ed Dickens. He is the primary engineer of Big Boy No. 4014 and senior manager of Union Pacific’s Heritage Operations. He and his team were the ones behind the train’s six year long restoration process.

In celebration of America’s 250th birthday, Big Boy No. 4014 is touring the United States and visiting Ohio for the first time. It came to Rocky River on Monday, July 14th. Massive crowds gathered to see the world’s largest operating steam locomotive as it made its way through Rocky River, witnessing a piece of American history doing exactly what it was built to do more than 80 years ago.

More information about Big Boy No. 4014 can be found here:
https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/big-boy-4014
https://www.up.com/about-us/history/steam/schedule
https://www.cleveland.com/news/2026/07/one-last-look-thousands-line-tracks-for-big-boys-return-to-northeast-ohio.html
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/who-drives-the-biggest-train
https://www.wkbn.com/news/local-news/struthers-news/nearly-brought-to-tears-big-boy-engineer-praises-struthers-stop/

06/17/2026

🎨✍️ America 250 Essay & Art Contest ✍️🎨

What does Rocky River mean to you?

As part of America 250: A Rocky River Celebration, the Rocky River Historical Society is inviting residents of all ages to participate in our "Why I Love Rocky River: What Does Rocky River Mean to Me?" Essay & Art Contest.

This is your chance to showcase your creativity, share your hometown pride, and tell us what makes Rocky River such a special place to live, work, learn, and play.

Winning entries will be recognized as part of our community-wide America 250 celebration, culminating in an old-fashioned picnic and patriotic celebration on September 13, 2026.

📍 Open to Rocky River residents and students
🎨 Art and essay submissions welcome
📄 Contest rules and waiver forms available on our website. https://www.rockyriverhistoricalsociety.org/services

Help us celebrate Rocky River's unique place in America's story and make America 250 a memorable event for our entire community!

For contest details, entry forms, and regulations, visit our website or contact the Rocky River Historical Society.

The deadline to enter is August 31st.

🚋 Join us for a fascinating look at the Lake Shore Electric Railway with historian Manny Marotta on Thursday, May 14th, ...
05/11/2026

🚋 Join us for a fascinating look at the Lake Shore Electric Railway with historian Manny Marotta on Thursday, May 14th, at 7 pm at the Rocky River Public Library

Learn about the interurban railway that once connected communities along Lake Erie as Manny discusses An Annotated & Illustrated Atlas of the Lake Shore Electric Railway Company, featuring rare maps and historic photographs.

Perfect for history buffs, rail fans, and anyone interested in Northeast Ohio history.

Presented by the Rocky River Historical Society and the Rocky River Public Library.

🇺🇸 New in the Rocky River Historical Society Shop! 🇺🇸Celebrate America’s 250th and show your hometown pride with our new...
03/15/2026

🇺🇸 New in the Rocky River Historical Society Shop! 🇺🇸

Celebrate America’s 250th and show your hometown pride with our new America 250 Rocky River commemorative items!

✨ America 250 Buttons
🎄 America 250 Ornaments

Designed exclusively by Lexicon.Etc. Designs Ltd. for the Rocky River Historical Society, these special keepsakes celebrate America’s 250th birthday and the rich history of Rocky River.

Stop by our website or come to one of our events and pick one up while supplies last!

https://www.rockyriverhistoricalsociety.org/shop

🇺🇸

✨ New in the Rocky River Historical Shop! ✨How many of these Rocky River favorites do you remember?Our new RR Landmark S...
03/15/2026

✨ New in the Rocky River Historical Shop! ✨

How many of these Rocky River favorites do you remember?

Our new RR Landmark Sticker celebrates the places that helped shape our community—featuring beloved spots like Old River, Clock Tower, Beachcliff Theater, Old Town Hall, Greenhouses, and many more tucked inside the iconic RR shape.

Designed exclusively by lexicon.etc designs ltd for the Rocky River Historical Society, this 3” × 3” sticker is a fun little piece of hometown nostalgia.

Perfect for:
✔️ Laptops
✔️ Water bottles
✔️ Notebooks
✔️ Anywhere you want to show your Rocky River pride

Stop by our website or come to one of our upcoming events and grab one for yourself —or pick one up as a gift for a fellow River resident.

💬 Tell us in the comments: Which place on the sticker brings back the best memories for you?

https://www.rockyriverhistoricalsociety.org/shop

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Rocky River, OH

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