The City Sights Network


The Settling of a City and the Current Downtown Layout

     A reproduction of Lorenzo Carter’s cabin can still be seen today standing on its original site, surrounded by the bridges and warehouses of the first industrial revolution that would eventually launch the city’s economy. This place is really where the city started. From there, where history meets modernity, Clevelanders and visitors can see what has become of the city. Along with Carter’s cabin, Public Square is the oldest staple of the city of Cleveland.

     Time has passed since Public Square was designed by Moses Cleaveland and his surveyors, where militia marches would take place next to cattle grazing and around town gatherings and celebrations. But the variety of purposes filled by the buildings in the surroundings has remained the same.

      Exhibited on the square, a statue of General Cleaveland is another tribute to his settling of our city. Every Fourth of July, the whole city pays homage to this statue as it gathers to hear the traditional concert performed by the Cleveland Symphonic Orchestra and followed by fireworks. Public Square still is a place where people meet and converge around community events.

     Across the street from Cleveland ’s statue is another staple of our city’s history: the Soldiers and Sailors monument. Ohio-born President William McKinley dedicated it in 1894, in the memory of the men from Cuyahoga County who served in the Union army. Its sculptures represent the different branches of the army when the names of more than 6000 men are etched in the marble.

     On the north side of Public Square, the First Presbyterian church is the oldest building on the square dating from 1855.  In 1865, a memorial service was honored there for Abraham Lincoln as his funeral cortege proceeded back to Springfield, Illinois. It is better known as the Old stone church because churches, which were built at the time, would be more commonly made of wood; its interior was destroyed by a fire in 1884 though miraculously sparing a pew in the front row where Lincoln’s family sat during the memorial. This building is the cradle of other unique architectural curiosities like the two etched glass windows by Tiffany. Even more spectacular is the trio of windows by John Lafarge. Only sixteen of these works are still in existence today.

     The Tower City Terminal station, completed in 1930s is the center of focus of the Cleveland’s skyline and became its symbol. Cleveland is a spread-out city but do not let it deter you from exploring it beyond downtown. Public transportation insured by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) is very easy to use whether you choose to take the bus or ride the rapid that uses the tracks of the old underground train station designed by the Van Sweringen brothers for Terminal tower and completed in 1930.

     The Terminal Tower was initially designed to be much shorter. A part of the challenge to the sky about making skyscrapers taller and taller, the tower was also designed for economic reasons as an increased space for business offices, with room for indoor shopping. A local train station would insure public transportation to the further suburban neighborhoods and travelers could take the train out of the city as well; the tower was completed in 1927 and the train station opened in 1929. The marks left by the directional signs to the tracks can still be seen today on the wall of  Tower City. It has been converted into a magnificent shopping mall including restaurants and hotels. Tower city features holiday shows and major events such as the Cleveland International film festival. The tallest building between New-York and Chicago until 1992 with 52 stories culminating at a height of 708 feet, Tower City features an observation deck open all year-long on Saturdays and Sundays and which allow one to see as far as 32 miles away from the city.  

     A convenient indoor walkway links Tower city with the Gateway sports complex. Located south of Public square, it includes Quicken Loans Arena (previously known as Gund Arena, where national and international acts and performances take place, from concerts to the circus to conferences) and Progressive Field, previously known as Jacob’s field. Before it was known as Progressive Field, Jacob’s Field was inaugurated by President Clinton who threw the first ball on April 14^th, 1994. Progressive Field is home to the Cleveland Indians baseball team. It attracts baseball fans from around the country.  

     This area is part of Cleveland’s rebirth after the industrial times. In the 1990’s, substantial investments were made in professional sports in Cleveland to foster the retention of professional teams, offer the city a national level recognition in sports and boost its economy. Cleveland had had a long sports history mainly in baseball: the first baseball team in Cleveland had started in 1869 under the name of the Forest City team. In order to be among the biggest cities in the country, Cleveland had to have main league sports events and the facilities to welcome games and supporters.

     As for the new football stadium located next to the harbor on the site of the historic municipal stadium, it opened its doors to its team the Cleveland Browns in 1999 and has since been bringing to Cleveland from 600.000 to 900.000 visitors per year.  

    Also featuring hockey and ice-skating performances as well as a variety of special events encompassing concerts, comedy, live performances, the neighborhood also offers a diverse scope of Cleveland’s nightlife dining and shopping experience, with its three beautifully restored arcades. Here, the stores, restaurants, hotels and galleries are really unique.