The railroad in Bellaire was significant. It began as the
Central Ohio Railroad and was built from Columbus east- ward until it finally reached Bellaire in 
the 1850s, provid- ing a pathway to the ports of Lake Erie to the Ohio River. The Great Stone 
Viaduct was constructed in the late  1860s and finished in 1871, linking the two railways. By this 
time B & O had bought the Central Ohio Railroad. By linking the railroads, the county now had 
access to mar- kets across the nation. Bellaire was known as the “Glass City” from 1870-1885. It 
was considered a great location for this industry because it provided modern transportation (the 
railroad), skilled labor and  an energy source (coal). If you are interested in learning more about 
the glass industry please feel free to visit Imperial Glass Muse- um in Bellaire.

In the 1930s Bellaire became known as “The All American Town” when many Bellaire athletes were 
found through- out American colleges and universities on the gridiron.
Here is a list of some of the notable athletes from Bellaire: Jose Davis, Nate Davis, Andy Dorris, 
Joey Galloway, Brick- yard Kennedy, Lance Mehl, Ben Taylor, and Chalmers Tschappat. Sol White 
played infield and managed minor
leagues and Negro leagues and was also a sports writer.
He is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. George “Chappie” Johnson played baseball as a 
catcher, but he is known for crossing racial barriers as a teacher
and a coach.

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The railroad stations in Shadyside are now houses. The 33rd (which was the first stop) and the 38th (Shady Side Station, which gave the town its name) still stand. The railroad brought in industry to Shadyside and helped it grow. It was a narrow gauge railroad, which meant that it was narrower than some of the more standard lines. The official name of it was the Ohio River and Western, which ran to Zanesville. The nickname was the Bent Zig-zag and Crooked because it was hardly straight.
There was a marble factory in Shadyside. The marbles were made by placing them in a giant bowl (not the offi-cial term) in the ground. They would take pieces of mol-ten glass and drop it down the side and they would roll down forming into balls.
The county’s original courthouse was located in Shadyside.