Looking Back: Cleveland Greyhound Station's Groundbreaking Debut

Cleveland’s Greyhound Bus Station on Chester Avenue featured all the conveniences of a modern airport hub when it opened March 30, 1948. Travelers could eat at the Post House restaurant, shop at Gray Drug Store or get a cut from the barber. Buses were decked out with amenities, such as reading lights and radio speakers. “Bus travel was an exciting thing,” says Steven Rugare, associate professor of architecture at Kent State University. “They improved on trains. They took you more places and were more modern.” William S. Arrasmith, architect of more than 60 Greyhound stations across the U.S., designed the now-deteriorating station in a streamline moderne style, an offshoot of art deco. Crafted from limestone, the 70-year-old building’s long lines, smooth exterior and curved edges evoke nautical themes fitting for Cleveland, even today. “It’s such a distinctive building,” says Rugare. “If it were cleaned up, it would be a real gem.” 1465 Chester Ave., Cleveland, 216-781-0520