Don't call Homeland Security if you see a bunch of men with cameras talking intently among themselves while taking pictures of locomotives, tracks and other train facilities. Those guys are rail fans, scurrying about the city to pay homage to Norfolk Southern. That rail company still operates a junction and classification yard in Bellevue, Ohio, while the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway still runs through town. Those lines are what's left of the three that grew the town during the 19th Century.
But you're not moving here for the railroad or you'd already know that. Maybe you're coming because the city is a convenient commute to employment centers in four counties: Erie, Huron, Sandusky and Seneca. Or maybe you love all the vintage structures, some of which are available as property rentals in Bellevue. How about having fun with the caverns, historic village, the golf course and the annual festival?
Moving to Bellevue
If you're from a nearby city or have done any kind of research, it's not news that Ohio collects state taxes. But Bellevue also imposes city income taxes on "salaries, qualifying wages, commissions .. and on net profits of business ‰Û_" Yup, that's money out of your pocket that you have to budget for. But these revenues go to improving city services, buying new equipment and paying for operations.
Managers of apartment complexes don't want to see you shelling out more than a third of your income, maybe even less if you've got a lot of monthly expenses. So pay off as much of what you owe as possible. Your potential landlords will know exactly how you handle your cash by studying your credit report. You can get a free copy of this report at AnnualCreditReport.com. Order it way before you apply for a rental apartment, so you can correct any mistakes, which could take longer than any landlord is willing to wait.
One of the things easing any transfer to town is the connection to several highways. US Route 20 and State Routes 18, 269, and 113 join the city to the major population centers of Toledo and Cleveland. Strangely enough, although a lot of trains rumble through, the nearest passenger station is in Sandusky, about a half hour north. The nearest commercial airport is Cleveland Hopkins International, about an hour east. Dougherty and Missler-Bellevue are smaller flight fields, useful if you have your own private plane.
There's no getting around the cold and snows of the Midwestern winters except by avoiding them. So time your move for the better days of summer -- you'll only have to contend with humidity and about four inches of rain in June.
Neighborhoods in Bellevue
The city keeps it simple with just a handful of choices in neighborhoods:
City Center: If you fancy older architecture, then almost half of the homes here pre-date World War II and about a quarter are from the retro era. A few places were even built in the current century. You can putter around the 18 holes of the Twin Lakes Golf Course or gorge on some thick deep-dish pizza at East of Chicago.
Eastern: Train lovers and haters take note. This is the side of town with the rail yards and the junction. It's also less crowded here and you can fish for bluegill, largemouth bass, crappie and channel catfish in three reservoirs, as long as you have a fishing license.
Top Apartment Communities
Rotary Commons: This apartment complex includes a community room for impromptu meetings with lunches cooked at the community kitchen, a library for reading best-sellers, and a laundry room for taking care of washing and drying. Aside from standard appliances, locked mailboxes and smoke detectors, the units also feature an emergency call cord that summons help if something unpredictable happens. All the rental apartments consist of one bedroom with patios on the first floor and balconies on higher floors. One pet is okay with an additional deposit.
Sir Frederick Estates: This one is, at first glance, fairly ordinary for an apartment complex. It contains up to two-bedroom apartments with a patio or balcony, offers an on-site laundry room and pays for water, sewer and trash. But the complex's biggest perk is being within walking distance to all three reservoirs, making it an ideal location if you enjoy relaxing by the water.
Living in Bellevue
The Bellevue Area Tourism and Visitors Bureau brags about several main attractions for keeping residents and out-of-towners amused.
The Mad River & NKP Railroad Society Museum displays vintage cars and locomotives, aboard which visitors can climb. The museum, which contains railroad memorabilia, isn't the only structure. There's also a watchman's tower, section house and a gift shop.
Historic Lyme Village is about simulating life in the 19th Century, starting with the Wright Mansion, which was built around 1880 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can also explore a one-room school house, general store, town hall and some log homes. If you're into postmarks (and who isn't?) the national Postmark Collectors Museum is also located here.
You can literally go underground at Bellevue by burrowing into the Seneca Caverns, which is a Registered National Landmark, and preserved as close to its original natural state as possible. The walking tour takes you through seven different areas, with one chamber being 250 feet long, and the lowest level lying 110 feet underground.
It's not just museums and nature in this city. The performing arts also get their due at the Bellevue Society for the Arts, located in a former cement factory. The 350-seat theater allows for plays, lectures, concerts and children's programs. The Bellevue Historical Society treasures the past, not just by gathering resources, but by preserving historic buildings, many of which are still in daily use as boutiques, restaurants and homes.
The biggest shindig in town consists of the Bellevue Community Days Festival held for three days in June. You'll enjoy food, rides, live entertainment, games and contests. Another biggie comes during Pioneer Days, when Lyme Village demonstrates such early crafts as butter-churning and spinning wool. It's going to be your only chance to chat with such notables as Ben Franklin, who always makes an appearance.
