Levi Tucker Scofield was a famous architect, known far and wide for his many incredible architectural designs of the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. When he wasn’t out golfing with his good friend John D. Rockefeller (you may have heard of him) he was designing what would become some of the most well-known structures in Ohio. Some notable designs of Scofield include the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Public Square, the Schofield building – (now known as the Kimpton Schofield) at Euclid Ave. and East 9^th Street, the Athens Lunatic Asylum and the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield. He was also the first Cleveland architect taken into membership in the American Institute of Architects.

Levi’s grandfather Benjamin played an important part in Cleveland’s history as well. Benjamin was a carpenter, and when he came to Cleveland from New York in 1816, he had built some of the early-era buildings in the area now recognized as Cleveland’s downtown. Levi’s father William followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a carpenter and builder who would then come to contribute to the early building up of downtown Cleveland. Levi was born in 1842 on Walnut Street, near today’s intersection of East 9^th and Superior Ave. Of course he would eventually continue in the footsteps of his father and grandfather and become an architect. However, before his journey as an architect had begun, he left Cleveland in 1861 at the age of 19 to fight for the North. He joined the 103^rd Regiment as a private, but by the war’s end had risen to the rank of Captain. He returned to Cleveland in 1865, and began his architectural career. Among his other famous designs mentioned earlier, he would also design mansions for Euclid Avenue millionaires, as well as school buildings including the Central High School building on Wilson Avenue (now known as East 55^th Street) built in 1877.

Scofield built and settled into a home for himself in the late 1800s. He had chosen a beautiful area on the southeast side of Cleveland (now known as Mapleside Road) as a location, and designed and built the Victorian-style mansion. Construction of the home had been completed by 1898. At this point in time, this area was still the “countryside” of Cleveland. The home is 6,000 square feet, three stories, and sits on six acres on a bluff, overlooking the Fairmount Reservoir. He chose this location not only to get away from all of the noise of downtown, but because he also wanted a great view of what at the time was a picturesque body of water. Scofield lived here until his death in 1917. After his death, Scofield’s family occupied the home until 1925. The home would go on to live its life serving many purposes including use as a chapel, a convent, and finally a nursing home (first Mapleside Nursing, and then Baldwin Manor) until being abandoned in 1990. During the 1960s, a second building was erected on the property as an addition to the nursing home. Both buildings have sat vacant, falling into disrepair since 1990.

The home has been open to the elements for over two decades, and has slowly crumbled bit by bit over the years. Ceilings slowly collapse as paint peels from walls and falls to the floors throughout its halls. Vines find their way into windows, weaving in and out of the structures decaying rooms and corridors.

In 2011, Rosalin Lyons purchased the property for $1,400 at a foreclosure auction. Initially, she had though she was purchasing only the building constructed during the 1960s, but the sale included both structures. This brought many problems for Lyons, and nothing was ever done with either property. A deal was made between the Land Bank, stating that if she donated the property, the court would waive $55,000 in back property taxes. Now with the property in their hands, three companies have committed time and labor towards “mothballing” the property. They have cleaned out and stabilized the house, prepping it for future renovations. At 121 years old, the home is being saved to live many more.

The Cleveland Restoration Society has teamed up with Cleveland Neighborhood Progress and the Cuyahoga County Land Bank, alongside a team of volunteers to bring the mansion back to life. Among talks of possible demolition, the groups felt that it was necessary to make at least one good final effort in bringing it back for sake of historic preservation, keeping its story alive as much as possible. With the strong wood used in construction during the 1800s, floors remain intact. The slate roof remains in great condition, and even the Berea sandstone remains structurally sound. This could be the start of a great new life for this beautiful mansion.

OHIO’S FORGOTTEN HISTORY

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