Finding aid for the Hermann Baehr Papers, Series II

Biography of Hermann Baehr

Hermann Baehr (1866-1942) was in Keokuk, Iowa. His family migrated to Cleveland and settled on the West Side. After attending public school in Cleveland, Baehr studied medicine in Germany and received a degree in 1883. He returned to the United States and studied at the First Scientific Station in New York, where he graduated in 1887. Baehr went to work as a brewmaster in his family's business, the Baehr Brewery. When the Baehr Brewery merged with the Cleveland and Sandusky Brewing Company, Baehr became the secretary- treasurer of the new company. In 1895, Baehr became an officer for Forest City Bank and Savings Company.

In the early 1900's, Baehr became interested in local politics. In 1903, he was elected Cuyahoga County Recorded on the Republican ticket. He was re-elected to the same office in 1907. In 1909, Baehr ran for mayor and defeated the incumbent Tom L. Johnson by nearly 4,000 votes.

As Mayor, Baehr worked on railroad grade crossing elimination and oversaw purchase of the land for City Hall. During his tenure, negotiations for the construction of the East Ninth Street Pier were completed; a new water main to the West Side was built and the chlorination of the city's water supply begun.

Baehr declined to seek re-election in 1911 and resumed his career in banking. He served as president of the Forest City Bank and Savings Company. When it merged with the Cleveland Trust Company in 1920, Baehr became a member of the board of directors, a position he held until 1934. He then served as president of the Langenau Manufacturing Company. He died in Los Angeles, California, on February 4, 1942.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Hermann Baehr

Scope and Content

The Hermann Baehr Papers, Series II, 1910-1911, consist of correspondence, printed items and miscellaneous materials from various city commissions during Baehr's term as Cleveland's mayor.

This collection will be useful to researchers studying the history of politics and municipal governance in Cleveland, Ohio, from 1910-1911, and the mayoral administration of Hermann Baehr. Many of the papers relate to bridge construction, widening of the Cuyahoga River basin and efforts to host the 1916 Olympics. The collection includes correspondence with the aquarium commission, city hall commission, Cleveland Olympic commission, high level bridge commission, river and harbor commission, and the Union depot commission. Additional correspondence includes social invitations. Comprehensive reports by the river and harbor and high level bridge commissions discuss the expansion of the Cleveland harbor, growth potential along the Cuyahoga river bank, and the condition of viaducts. The reports make recommendations regarding the construction of high level bridges. Much of the collection relates to appointments to the various commissions.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Access

None.

The researcher should also consult MS 3974 Hermann Baehr Papers; and MS 5348 Hermann Baehr Papers, Series III.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 4022 Hermann Baehr Papers, Series II, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Gift of the Human Support Systems Foundation in 1986.

Processing Information

Processed by Leslie Ann Solotko in 1986.

Detailed Description of The Collection