Cleveland OH-my! Stop with the jokes!!! Bob Hope AND Drew Carey are from there, also Paul Newman and Halle Berry and quite a few other famous types! I've been jotting down some things, some of which can be gotten off the web, but some of which I know because I grew up there and my family has history there. I don't live too far away now and could probably assist with some other actual exploration too, though I can't do anything that takes too long. (home situation, caring for an elderly family member so I'm limited by how long I can be gone)
I'm blown away by the detail of most of the cities so far, if nothing else it's a great history lesson for us all!
This stuff is as I said general historical info, I'm not sure if I should post this here or not, if not Mods should certainly remove it and I'll apologize for causing trouble!
Old Stone Church - a Presbyterian church, not very large, but a beautifully simple church directly on Public Square, with beautiful stained glass windows, including four created by Louis Comfort Tiffany.
St. Stanislaus Church - Center of the large Polish ethnic community, (now called ‘Slavic Village’) possibly of interest that one of the spires was destroyed by a tornado, though many people now have heard and believe it was struck by lightning which is also a good story! (though not true) My parents are from that neighborhood and it’s a very elaborate church so probably quite interesting.
Interesting NOTE: The main street through downtown Cleveland, (Euclid Ave) and one of the primary cross streets, (East 9th Street) is said to have built directly on the location of the place where the Hopewell Indians had placed two major ‘mounds’ (a prehistoric native group [approx 1000 BC, is that prehistoric?] loosely categorized as ‘moundbuilders’ have left many such heaped mounds throughout Ohio) so what is basically the city center is right on a supposed astrological focus of these prehistoric peoples which was unceremoniously destroyed by the city builders… hmmmm could be a bad thing, or, if the mounds were simply observation points of the Indians, then maybe it’s a GOOD thing, some sort of good focus, no way to be sure.
Great Lakes Brewery - because hey! Who doesn’t want to have an adventure in a brewery!
West Side Market - indoor very impressive ‘hall’ that has various deli/bakery/butcher/prepared food stands etc, outdoors booths have semi-sheltered produce, and some flower market stands, open year round. Been in use since the early 1900’s (either 1909 or 1912 depending on the source)
African American Museum - Underground Railroad info etc. There was a lot of abolitionist activity in the area and resistance to ‘slave catchers’ but runaways were still really not safe till they got to Canada or possibly further north to really busy places like NYC.
Grays Armory - built in the 1830s, Civil war recruits went through there, now used as a small to medium venue to host various shows, such as model train shows etc, wrestling events, and such things with a museum section in front. Not even sure that part is open anymore, but there’s an extensive basement area and back section that are off limits to the public.
Warehouse District - I don't have much on it personally, but there is probably a lot of good fertile ground there.
Cleveland Public Library – great building inside and out, a second building connected by a tunnel to the older one. Great place overall.
"The Arcade" - a pretty mind blowing mall with a basically glass roof which was one of the first covered malls in the country before the word mall was invented. It started as just a bunch of shops under a common roof then grew... it got quite run down but is now thoroughly restored.
The Cleveland Metroparks -- Half circular shaped loop of parkway land that would seem to be a good place for fey life? Called the “Emerald Necklace” due to the shape, and includes the Zoo, a Botanic Garden, several museums (artifacts possibly?) and part of the Western Reserve land, the Cleveland Mounted Police stable, and some Lake Erie waterfront property too… quite interesting actually, when seen on a map it starts up at the lake and drapes down around the city and back up with an almost a pendant shape at the base leading to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, possibly/probably including a cemetery or two, going to check that out.
Oh, a note about the Zoo!!
IT CAME FROM THE CLEVELAND ZOO
In August of 1972, eight different people of the Brookside Park area, just west of the Cleveland Zoo, reported seeing a “monster animal” more than seven feet tall. The creature was described as being “huge, with large claws and empty eyes.” What makes the report so unusual is that the creature was said to be walking away from the zoo and seemed to be “sometimes there and sometimes not.” Zoo officials investigated, fearing that one of their gorillas may have escaped. All of their animals were accounted for, but behind a fence north of the zoo were found bushes matted down as if a large creature had pushed through. The incident was never properly explained. (from _Warren Tribute Chronicle_ 9/14/72) (Dimensional Shambler?)
Terminal Tower - A (semi)Famous landmark (in Cleveland at least!) Once the tallest building in the city, all the commuter trains (called the ‘Rapid Transit’ system, or just ‘the Rapid’ to Clevelanders) converge in the station in the basement. GOTTA be a labyrinth of tunnels and passageways there! (or could be for game purposes!)
Franklin Castle - (also called the Tiedemann House) Built in 1865 by Hannes Tiedemann. It’s said that the Tiedemanns were cursed because after their first daughter died in 1881, the remaining three children followed afterward, one each consecutive year. To distract his wife, Mr Tiedemann started to add onto the house and it started to look more and more like a castle (turrets, gargoyles, crenelated façade etc.) The adult Tiedemanns each died of natural causes, she in 1895 (liver disease… a little drinking perhaps?) he somewhat later of a stroke and the property was sold at least a couple times, rumored to have hidden passageways and rooms, and to have been used for bootlegging and as a speakeasy in the 20s during prohibition.
Its last full time residents were the Romano’s who lived there till 1974 but then sold it and moved out in part due to purported encounters with ghosts, including by the youngest daughter who supposedly often played with a ghostly little girl. (guess that was a last straw)
Whisky Island – It is really a man made peninsula now, home to a marina and dock area, not an island at all anymore since the late 1820s. The peninsula was formed when the mouth of the Cuyahoga river was ‘moved’ to allow for a more clear shipping channel. Before that there was more of an island though it was actually surrounded by swamp more so than water. The Carter farm was there as far back as 1796 (owned by Lorenzo Carter) and later a distillery too which is why the name, and then after/during the rechanneling in circa 1827 many of the Irish immigrants who worked on the project as well as many other construction and manual labor jobs in the area were established there. There was also for a time a hospital called the “pest house” shortly after a major Cholera epidemic where many of the poor simply went to die.
Most of the Irish immigrants moved of their own volition when other housing became available, but it was pretty much a hell hole of squalor for some time. One Irish bar in ‘The Flats’ as the general area up river of Whisky Island came to be called was named “The Flat Iron” and was once a very rough place… there is now a revival of The Flats where merchants are trying to develop a riverfront setting with new bars and restaurants but the area should be a source of haunts and trouble.
NASA Glen Research Center - There’s a NASA division attached to the Cleveland Airport grounds… could be interesting!
Squire’s Castle - now a roofless ruin but it’s a very interesting place built by Fergus Squire and said to be haunted by his wife Rebecca. (probably not true because she died elsewhere, …or so we’re told)
Cleveland State Hospital (grounds) - Originally known as the Northern Ohio Lunatic Asylum it’s actually been demolished, but could still be standing in a “DresdenVerse Cleveland” a very creepy eerie place, I saw it when it was still standing but deserted… I had an Aunt who worked there in the forties… it was a BAD place back then. She hated it but needed the job.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - of course, sort of an ugly monstrosity but could be very cool IG.
Stan Hywet Hall - Actually in Akron which is quite a bit south of Cleveland, but possible for some field trip down the way.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park, quite a bit south too, but very accessible, area has Amerind grounds and early settler area, duh, kinda go together like, fire and water… or is that fire and oil?
Hale Farm and Village – Living history museum set up, not sure if it’s really useful, sort of on hold for now but could be a sort of ace in the hole.
Limestone ledges and caves in Medina… the “Old Man’s Cabin” burned out ruin purported to be haunted Also a fair distance, but may have some small potential.
I know I missed a lot of stuff too, but this is one evenings thunkings so who knows what else is possible. There's a couple college campuses in the city too, Burk Lakefront Airport right on the lake, a ballfield, football stadium, basketball arena, Playhouse Square with several renovated theaters.
