History of Cleveland

Cleveland has a long and rich history. From the first settlers and the days of the Connecticut Western Reserve to the ‘Gilded Age’ of Cleveland's Millionaire's Row, and the chaotic 1960s to the revival of the downtown area in the 1990s; Cleveland is a vibrant, ever-changing city.

Founding the city

US General Moses Cleaveland was sent by the Connecticut Land Company to survey the Western Reserve in 1796, a half-million acre tract of land in northeastern Ohio, which was at that time called ‘New Connecticut’.

Cleaveland oversaw the plan for the modern downtown area, which centred on the Public Square, before returning home, never again to visit Ohio. The first settler in Cleveland was Lorenzo Carter, who built a cabin on the banks of the Cuyahoga River. Carter, a man of impressive ability and stature, brought stability to the primitive setting and established friendly relations with the Native Americans in the area.

The spelling of the city's name was later changed to ‘Cleveland’, when in 1831 the ‘a’ was dropped so that the name could fit a newspaper's masthead.

Industrial development

Cleveland's geographic position as a Lake Erie port made it ideally situated for development in transportation, industry and commerce. The city began to grow rapidly after the completion of the Ohio and Erie Canal in 1832, turning it into a key link between the Ohio River and the Great Lakes, connecting by water the Atlantic Ocean via the St Lawrence Seaway to the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River.

As its population increased dramatically, Cleveland was incorporated in 1836. Telegraph lines were installed in 1847, and shortly thereafter Western Union telegraph service was founded in Cleveland by Jeptha H Wade. As a halfway point for iron ore coming from Minnesota across the Great Lakes and for coal and other raw materials coming by rail from the south, the site flourished. The opening of the Soo Canal in 1855 and the arrival of the railroad thereafter strengthened Cleveland's position as a transportation centre.

A river in flames

The city played an important role in the Civil War. Most Clevelanders were against slavery, and the city sent its share of volunteers to fight for the Union cause. During the Civil War, the ironworks industry grew, aided by the discovery of soft coal in canal beds.
After the war, the iron industry continued to grow in Cleveland, and local riches were made in steel and shipping. Those who profited formed the Cleveland Uptown district known as ‘Millionaires Row’.
Like other Rust Belt cities, Cleveland suffered in the 1950s and 1960s, attracting national attention and ridicule when the polluted Cuyahoga River burst into flames in 1969. The event, a low point in Cleveland history, became a rallying point in the passage of the Clean Water Act of 1972.

Rebirth

Cleveland's recovery began in the early 1980s. From grass root efforts initiated by neighbourhood groups to the city's top brass, citizens have worked hard to shape Cleveland into a model city for America. The result is a city that has gained international and national interest as a model for urban development. Cleveland has been awarded the coveted ‘All America City’ distinction five times.