Kamm's Corners


Kamm's Corners is a neighborhood on the West Side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is bounded by the streetcar suburb of Lakewood to the north, the Rocky River Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks and the suburbs of Rocky River and Fairview Park to the west, the New York Central Railroad tracks to the east, and Puritas Road to the south. Kamm's Corners Plaza and Warren Village are the major retail centers of the neighborhood. According to the 2019 U.S. census estimate, the neighborhood has the highest concentration of Irish Americans in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.

History

Kamm's Corners derives its name from local merchant Oswald Kamm. Kamm emigrated from Switzerland to Cleveland and in 1875 he purchased four acres at the southwest corner of Lorain Avenue and Rocky River Drive. He opened a general store which also served as the local post office. The original store was torn down in 1900 and a second store was built on the same site which still stands in 2015 where Kamm's Corners is still a retail district.
The neighborhood is one of four sub-neighborhoods that comprise the larger historical neighborhood of West Park, the others being Jefferson, Bellaire–Puritas, and Hopkins. Named for early settler John West, West Park was annexed to Cleveland in 1923 and became the last large suburb to become part of the city.