'Bicentennial Bike Route' takes cyclists on tour of historical Avon Lake sites

AVON LAKE — When Alison Steele was a young kid growing up in Avon Lake, she loved riding her bike everywhere in town. She would often see historical sites on her bike rides but did not know their significance. Now a senior at Avon Lake High School, Steele decided to learn more about the city's historical sites and use that knowledge to create a bike route that passes by six of them. Her Girl Scout Gold Award Project, dubbed the "Bicentennial Bike Route" after the city's 200-year anniversary last year, gives cyclists the chance to do just that. "As I learned more about all these different locations, I grew really interested in them," Steele said. "With the bicentennial, there is an emphasis on historical preservation." The six historical sites are Avon Lake Public Library, the Folger Home, Lake Shore Cemetery, Beach Park Station, the power plant and the Peter Miller House and Museum. The Gold Award that Steele will earn for the project is the highest honor in Girl Scouting. When cyclists arrive at the sites, they will find a sign with a QR code that can be scanned with a smartphone to reveal more information about the location. The signs are being donated by Suntan Supply in Avon, and Steele is hoping to start placing them in the next few weeks. "People can scan the QR code or go to the web address and they will be brought to the web page," she said. "I designed a website, and that's full of information. It goes really in depth to each location." A number of historians were at Avon Lake Public Library on Sunday with Steele and other members of Girl Scout Troop 50106 to discuss the sites with library patrons. Sherry Spenzer of Heritage Avon Lake was on hand to talk about Lake Shore Cemetery, a site she is very familiar with. "It holds some of Avon Lake's earliest residents and namesake for streets in Avon Lake," she said. Some of those famous surnames include Curtis, Duff, Moore, Jaycox and Beck. Others buried in cemetery include soldiers from the Revolutionary War, the Battle of Put-in-Bay in the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I and World War II. Steele contacted Spenzer after reading her recent book "Lake Shore Cemetery of Avon Lake" and wanting to get her involved with the project. Spenzer hopes the bike trail will boost the cemetery's profile among Avon Lake residents. "I was surprised at people who live here and don't even know that this (cemetery) exists," she said. "I think it will certainly raise awareness of its existence." Heritage Avon Lake President Tony Tomanek is also hopeful that Steele's bike route will get more residents interested in Avon Lake history. He said he supports the project 100 percent and sees Steele's desire to go above and beyond. "It's not just to get her Gold Award," he said. "It's to educate people about our community and give them an enjoyable way to do it." Contact Dylan Reynolds at (440) 329-7123 or dreynolds@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @DRey1357.