Description: Portrait of American industrialist John D. Rockefeller, ca. 1910. Rockefeller was born in New York in 1839, but his family settled in northeast Ohio in the early 1850s. Rockefeller eventually became the first American billionaire after the massive success of his Standard Oil Company in the mid- to late-1800s. His wealth and interest in philanthropy led to the creation of The Rockefeller Foundation in 1913. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL04283
Subjects: Rockefeller, John D. (John Davison), 1839-1937; Oil industry; Industrialists--Ohio
 

Description: John D. Rockefeller bought the home at the southwest corner of Euclid Avenue and East 40th Street in Cleveland in 1868 [3920 Euclid Ave.]. He lived here many years and his children were born here. This building was later used as the Keeley Cure for habitual drinkers. This photograph was taken in 1931. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL06010
Subjects: Ohio Economy--Architecture and Engineering; Rockefeller, John D. (John Davison), 1839-1937
Places: Cleveland (Ohio)
 

Description: This black-and-white photograph is a portrait of John D. Rockefeller, Sr., from the original manuscript of "Forest Hill Park: A Report on the Proposed Landscape Development," 1938. This photograph, likely taken in the early 1930s, shows an older Rockefeller seated in a formal suit and tie. Forest Hill Park, designed by Cleveland landscape architect Albert Davis Taylor, was formerly the estate of industrialist J. D. Rockefeller. John Davison Rockefeller, born in Richford, New York, was an oil industry businessman who came to be known as one of the richest men in history, having owned, at one time, ninety percent of the United States oil refining industry. In his youth, he moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where he became a bookkeeper at 16. In 1862 he went into business with entrepreneur Henry Flagler and Samuel Andrews, a firm which later changed its name to the Standard Oil Company. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. joined his father in 1897 but focused his efforts on philanthropy rather than the family business. He bought the land of Forest Hill from his father in 1923, selling and donating portions of the estate for various public uses. In 1938 he gave over 200 acres to East Cleveland and Cleveland Heights, land which became the Forest Hill Park. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL05087
Subjects: Rockefeller, John D. (John Davison), 1839-1937; Parks--Ohio--Cuyahoga County; Parks; Landscape architects; Environment
Places: Cleveland Heights (Ohio); Cuyahoga County (Ohio)
 

Description: This photograph shows the Rockefeller Building, a 17-story office building erected by John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937) between 1903 and 1905. The view is of the front entrance. A lone male pedestrian is walking past the building. Designed by Know and Elliot, the Rockefeller Building exemplifies the "Sullivanesque" style as it resembles to Louis Sullivan's Guaranty Building in Buffalo, New York. The historic Weddell House hotel built in 1847 previously stood on the site, which is at the corner of Superior and West 6th Street. The Rockefeller Building was rented to businesses involved in iron, coal, and lake-shipping industries. The original structure consisted of seven bays along Superior Avenue, and in 1910 an additional four bays in the same design were added to the west side. Josiah Kirby bought the building in 1920 and changed its name to the Kirby Building. Rockefeller was angered by the change and bought the building back, restoring the name in 1923. Rockefeller moved to the Cleveland area with his family at age fourteen. He ventured into the oil business in 1863. During the 1870s and 1880s, Rockefeller sought to expand Standard Oil's influence. The company began to purchase or drive oil refiners out of business across the United States. By 1878, Standard Oil purportedly controlled ninety percent of the oil refineries in the United States. In 1881 the Standard Oil Company became known as the Standard Oil Trust. In essence, the Standard Oil Company created various companies across the United States that were purportedly their own entities. In reality, Rockefeller directed all of these businesses. Rockefeller was alive during the government's attack on Standard Oil, but he had retired from the company in 1895, well before the dispute ended. In 1901, his wealth was estimated at $900 million, making him the wealthiest man in the world. He dedicated the remainder of his life to philanthropic efforts. He used his wealth to establish the University of Chicago in 1892 and the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research in 1901. Rockefeller also was a driving force behind the preservation of Williamsburg, Virginia, as an historic landmark. He donated funds to innumerable other charities through the Rockefeller Foundation. John Rockefeller died in 1937 at Ormond Beach, Florida. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL06619
Subjects: Rockefeller, John D. (John Davison), 1839-1937; Buildings; Cities and towns--Ohio.; Cleveland (Ohio)--Buildings, structures, etc.
Places: Cleveland (Ohio); Cuyahoga County (Ohio)
 

Description: Postcard depicting an exterior view of Forest Hill, the summer residence of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. in Cleveland, Ohio. Rockefeller consolidated small oil refineries in the Cleveland area to form the Standard Oil Company in 1870. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL02680
Subjects: Cuyahoga County (Ohio); Ohio Economy--Economy--Business; Rockefeller, John D. (John Davison), 1839-1937
Places: Cleveland (Ohio); Cuyahoga County (Ohio)
 

Description: This color image shows the Rockefeller Building, Cleveland, Ohio, ca. 1960-1969. John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937) erected the seventeen-story structure by between 1903 and 1905. The historic Weddell House Hotel, built in 1847, formerly stood on this site. Located on the corner of Superior and West 6th Street, the Rockefeller Building contained offices for iron, coal, and lake-shipping industries. Josiah Kirby bought the building in 1920 and changed its named to the Kirby Building. Angered by the change, Rockefeller bought the building back, restoring the name in 1923. John D. Rockefeller moved to the Cleveland area with his family at age 14. He ventured into the oil business in 1863. During the 1870s and 1880s, Rockefeller sought to expand Standard Oil's influence. The company began to purchase or drive out of business oil refiners across the United States. By 1878, Standard Oil purportedly controlled ninety percent of the oil refineries in the United States. In 1881 the Standard Oil Company became known as the Standard Oil Trust. In essence, the Standard Oil Company created various companies across the United States that were purportedly their own entities. In reality, Rockefeller directed all of these businesses. Rockefeller was alive during the government's attack on Standard Oil, but he had retired from the company in 1895, well before the dispute ended. In 1901, his wealth was estimated at 900 million dollars, making him the wealthiest man in the world. He dedicated the remainder of his life to philanthropic efforts. He used his wealth to establish the University of Chicago in 1892 and the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research in 1901. Rockefeller also was a driving force behind the preservation of Williamsburg, Virginia, as an historic landmark. He donated funds to innumerable other charities through the Rockefeller Foundation. John Rockefeller died in 1937 at Ormond Beach, Florida. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: AL06620
Subjects: Rockefeller, John D. (John Davison), 1839-1937; Buildings; Cities and towns--Ohio.; Cleveland (Ohio)--Buildings, structures, etc.
Places: Cleveland (Ohio); Cuyahoga County (Ohio)