{"nrhp_refnum":"84002910","name":"Beehive School","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"4345 Lee Rd.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Cleveland","county":"Cuyahoga County","state":"OH","lat":41.44100950400008,"lon":-81.56364058799994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1984-04-05","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Education"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"Beehive School is a two-story brick school with sandstone trim at 4345 Lee Road in southeast Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. The central section was built in 1916-1918, with major additions in 1925 and 1931.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the school illustrates the consolidation of American school systems from rural township to suburban village to metropolitan district. It is the only one of Cleveland's school buildings built as a township union school, enlarged by a suburban village, and then annexed by the city. It is also linked to Arthur Johnston, described as Ohio's first black mayor, though this is treated as secondary.","narrative":"Beehive School is a two-story brick and sandstone building on a large lot along Lee Road in southeast Cleveland. Its central section was built in 1916-1918 as a district school in Warrensville Township, replacing a one-room school nicknamed the Beehive. In 1925 two long wings, an auditorium and a gymnasium were added, giving the complex a balanced classical look, and a small rear wing followed in 1931. The school matters because it traces how American school systems consolidated. It began as a township union school, was enlarged by an independent suburban village, and then joined the Cleveland system in 1932 when the village was annexed. Of the dozen or so schools Cleveland acquired through annexation, the others have been replaced. The building is also tied to Arthur Johnston, who served on the village school board and later became mayor of Miles Heights, reported as Ohio's first black mayor. The school closed in 1981 and stands vacant.","period_of_significance":"1916-1918, 1925, 1931","architect_builder":"A.W. Rust Co.; Fulton & Taylor","architectural_style":null,"criteria":["A"],"status_note":"The school closed in 1981 and is listed as unoccupied and vacant. The building is in fair condition and has been altered.","vacant_flag":true,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:14.379015-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/84002910.pdf"},"photo":null,"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71987863","wikipedia":null,"wikidata":null},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/cuyahoga-county/beehive-school-84002910/"}