Shaker Heights, Ohio

Ever wonder what Cleveland was like before it was even Cleveland? This area, Broadway-Slavic Village, is the place to imagine it. Originally called Newburgh, this area was first settled back in 1799. It was a separate…

Imagine weary travelers in the 1840s, finally reaching a welcoming tavern after miles on bumpy roads – that's the story of Dunham Tavern. Rufus and Jane Pratt Dunham first built their home here in 1824. The tavern…

Step back in time at the former site of League Park, where baseball legends like Cy Young and Babe Ruth once played. League Park was built in 1891 at the corner of Dunham Street, now East 66th, and Lexington Avenue. It…

Imagine a place of refuge, built on compassion, for Cleveland's aging African American community. This is the story of Eliza Bryant Village. It began with Eliza Bryant, a remarkable woman who witnessed the influx of…

Imagine the sounds that have echoed through these walls! This is the Cleveland Masonic Temple, built in 1921. For decades, this was home to the Cleveland Orchestra. Think of the music! Designed by Hubbell and Benes, the…

Imagine living in a 45-room mansion! That was life for Samuel Mather, a big name in Cleveland's shipping and mining industries. This is the Mather Mansion. Completed in 1910, it was designed by architect Charles F.…

Ever wonder where Cleveland's story began? It's right here, in Erie Street Cemetery, the city's oldest existing burial ground. Founded in 1826, it served as the city's primary cemetery for decades. Many of Cleveland's…

Outside of New York City, this is the largest performing arts center in the US. Playhouse Square's theaters were built in the early 1920s, quickly becoming a major entertainment hub. But by the late 1960s, things had…

Experience the grandeur of the Mimi Ohio Theatre, a stunning example of early 20th-century movie palace architecture. This wasn't just a place to watch a film; it was an escape. The Ohio Theatre, part of Playhouse…

Ever wonder what a real-life private army looked like? You're passing its headquarters. The Cleveland Grays, a private military company, built this armory back in 1837. Originally, the Grays were formed to protect…

On June 4, 1974, the Cleveland Indians ran one of the worst promotions in sports history: Ten Cent Beer Night. A cup of Stroh's dropped from sixty-five cents to a dime, with a limit of six per trip but no limit on…

At 3159 West 11th Street in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood stands the Victorian house used as Ralphie Parker's home in the 1983 holiday classic 'A Christmas Story.' Only the exterior and a few interior shots were…

Founded in 1908, this spot was once home to the Cleveland Athletic Club, a playground for Cleveland's elite, including mayors and prominent bankers. Imagine the deals brokered and the celebrations held within those…

Step back in time inside this stunning Victorian-era arcade, featuring a breathtaking five-story glass skylight. The Cleveland Arcade, a marvel of late 19th-century architecture, opened on Memorial Day, 1890. It was…

Behold the Guardians of Traffic! These massive art deco sculptures aren't just decoration; they're a symbol of Cleveland's industrial might and a tribute to progress. Built in 1932, the Hope Memorial Bridge, originally…

Ever wonder how money makes its way into our wallets? You're near one of the key places where that happens! This imposing building is the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, headquarters for the Fourth District.…

This WWII submarine patrolled the Pacific and is now a floating museum where you can explore its cramped quarters. Launched in 1943, the USS Cod served valiantly in the Pacific Theater during World War II, conducting…

Cleveland's story is etched in the shale beneath its streets, a foundation formed long before its industrial rise. The Cuyahoga River, once a symbol of industrial pollution, now reflects a different image. Bald eagles,…

Prepare to be amazed, because this isn't just a park, it's a vision brought to life! The Cleveland Mall is a stunning example of the City Beautiful movement, a grand plan to make urban life more beautiful and orderly.…

Ever wonder why Cleveland's downtown feels so…square? This spot, Public Square, is why. It was the heart of General Moses Cleaveland's original plan for the city back in 1796. Back then, the Connecticut Land Company,…

Cleveland landmark honoring rock music's greatest artists, opened 1995 on Lake Erie's shore.

This empty space once roared with the cheers of tens of thousands, a place where legends were made and history unfolded. This was Cleveland Stadium, a giant that dominated the city's skyline for decades. From 1931 to…

Marvel at the Beaux Arts architecture of this courthouse, a landmark on the Cleveland Mall since 1912! This impressive building is the fifth courthouse to serve Cuyahoga County. In 1903, a group of architects and…

The river that caught fire, sparking the modern environmental movement and passage of the Clean Water Act.

Step aboard, virtually, and imagine life aboard a Great Lakes freighter! The SS William G. Mather, launched in 1925, spent decades hauling vital cargo across these waters. She earned the nickname "The Ship That Built…

Hungry? You're in the right place! This bustling market has been a Cleveland institution since 1912, offering a taste of local culture and history. The West Side Market is Cleveland's oldest operating indoor/outdoor…

Get ready to cross a real Cleveland landmark, the Detroit-Superior Bridge! It was a game-changer for getting around this city. Back in 1914, Cleveland was booming, but getting across the Cuyahoga Valley was a pain. The…

You're driving near a place where an entire neighborhood vanished: Irishtown Bend. It's hard to imagine now, but this curve in the Cuyahoga River was once home to a thriving Irish community. Beginning around 1830, Irish…

Pull over for a minute; this is where Cleveland’s history whispers. St. John's Episcopal Church is the oldest consecrated building in Cuyahoga County.Construction on this stone Gothic Revival church started way back in…

Imagine a canal boat, laden with goods, floating *over* a creek! That's exactly what happened here at the Tinkers Creek Aqueduct. Back in the 1820s, Ohio was booming, thanks to the Ohio and Erie Canal. This canal needed…

Buckle up, because right here on Franklin Boulevard sits Franklin Castle, a house with whispers of a past so strange, it's earned the title of Ohio's most haunted. Built in the late 1800s by German immigrant Hannes…

Built in 1882, this historic bridge offers a glimpse into the region's transportation past. The Station Road Bridge, near Brecksville, spans the Cuyahoga River, connecting Cuyahoga and Summit Counties. The Massillon…

Ever heard of a place that helped launch Devo and Nine Inch Nails? This is it. The Phantasy Entertainment Complex was a vital part of Cleveland's music scene starting in the early 1980s. It wasn't just about big names…

Built in 1921, this 'Old School' once housed all grades K-12, a testament to a different era of education. Imagine kindergarteners sharing the same hallways as graduating seniors! Built for the Twinsburg City School…

Prepare to be amazed by a structure that marries science and architecture: the ASM International Headquarters and its iconic Geodesic Dome. Back in 1958, ASM International, a leading organization for materials…

Imagine life on a historic farm overlooking the stunning Brandywine Falls. This land whispers tales of early settlers forging a life in the Cuyahoga Valley. George Wallace, a land speculator and sawyer, brought his…

Pull over here for a second. This unassuming building is actually the Kirtland Temple, the very first temple of the Latter Day Saint movement. It's more than just a pretty building; it represents a bold vision. Joseph…

Imagine waking up every morning to this view of the Cuyahoga River, just like the Stanford family did for generations. This is the George Stanford Farm, a window into 19th-century Ohio life. James and Polly Stanford…

Imagine this quiet valley booming with activity! It all started with the Ohio and Erie Canal. Once the canal opened in 1827, people flocked here, turning Boston Mills into a bustling canal town. By 1842, you would have…

Legend says a Dr. Crow ran an orphanage on Wisner Road and experimented on children causing their heads to enlarge. They escaped into the woods and still roam…

Step back in time at the Aurora train station, a relic of the 19th century railroad boom. This unassuming spot was once a vital hub connecting Aurora, Ohio, to the wider world. Constructed in 1872 by the New York,…

Imagine a log cabin to the White House! That's the improbable story of James A. Garfield, whose home you're approaching. Born in a log cabin, Garfield rose to become a Civil War general and a nine-term Congressman. In…

Ever wonder how NASA tests equipment for space before launching it into orbit? Well, right here in Cleveland is a facility that does just that. It's called the Zero Gravity Research Facility. This unique facility, part…

Ever wonder what secrets a place holds? This spot, once home to Bay View Hospital, has quite the story. It all started with the Washington Lawrence mansion in the late 1800s. Then, in 1948, Dr. Richard Sheppard bought…

Gaze at the stars through the second oldest observatory in the United States, built in 1838! Loomis Observatory, named for professor Elias Loomis, was built right here on the campus of Western Reserve College. At the…

Hudson, Ohio, is the opening setting of the 2004 comedy film EuroTrip. The movie begins at a Hudson high school graduation party in 2004, where Scotty Thomas is dumped by his girlfriend Fiona — and a band fronted by her…

Listen close, because this unassuming stretch of land helped fuel the Industrial Revolution in Northeast Ohio! In the late 1800s, the Valley Railway was built to transport coal from the Tuscarawas River Valley to…

Imagine a thriving community here, centuries before Ohio was even a state. This is the Everett Knoll Complex, an ancient Hopewell site. Between 200 and 500 AD, people of the Hopewell culture built a burial mound here,…

Imagine justice being served for over a century right where you're standing! The Chardon Courthouse Square District has been the heart of Geauga County's legal system since the late 19th century. It all started with the…

Imagine stepping back in time to a working 19th-century farm! Hale Farm and Village offers just that, a glimpse into the life of early settlers in the Western Reserve. Jonathan Hale, a farmer from Connecticut, journeyed…