Recent Stories
The Stillman Theater
The beginning of Cleveland's Playhouse Square is almost universally acknowledged to be February 5, 1921, when Loew's State Theater opened, showing the photo play (silent film) Polly with a Past. According to an article which appeared in the Plain…
The Belden Seymour House
In 1934, during the Great Depression, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt commissioned the Civil Works Administration (CWA) to conduct a special census of American cities in the hope of gathering information that would be helpful in aiding the…
Holden Arboretum
Albert Fairchild Holden (1866-1913) found wealth and inspiration in the ground. His roles as founder of the Island Creek Coal Company and managing director of the United States Mining and Smelting Company made him millions. But his lifelong passion…
A Public Service Message from David Blaushild Chevrolet
In July of 1964, motorists traveling along the Inner Belt Freeway south of Memorial Shoreway were greeted by the newest billboard from Shaker Heights auto dealer David L. Blaushild. Bold letters spanning a giant 80- by 20-foot sign declared: “Let’s…
Moreland Community Association
Visitors to the Moreland neighborhood in Shaker Heights are greeted with picturesque sights of an idealized inner ring suburban community. Attractive tree lawns line its residential streets, which lead past rows of well-maintained Cleveland Doubles,…
Sutton Place
Standing before a crowd of 200 community members in the fall of 1968, City of Shaker Heights Mayor Paul K. Jones offered his assurances to constituents gathered at Shaker Heights High School Auditorium. An urban renewal plan had sparked public debate…
Featured Stories
Tom L Johnson
Born into a wealthy family in 1854, Tom L. Johnson did not originally have political intentions or aspirations. Instead, he started off as an inventor and street railway magnate with holdings in…
James A. Garfield Memorial
James A. Garfield was born on November 19, 1831, in a log cabin in Orange Township. His father passed away when he was only 18 months old, leaving his mother to fend for herself and her family.…
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
In 1979, the year that Ian Hunter released “Cleveland Rocks,” the Wall Street Journal proclaimed Cleveland the nation’s “Rock and Roll Capital.” The city had earned this reputation through the…
Featured Tours
Cultural Gardens
26 Locations ~ Curated by CSU Center for Public History + Digital HumanitiesIn Search of the Underground Railroad
6 Locations ~ Curated by CSU Center for Public History + Digital HumanitiesCleveland Metroparks 100th Anniversary
19 Locations ~ Curated by Cleveland MetroparksRaymond L. Pianka Memorial Walk
15 Locations ~ Curated by The Cleveland Historical TeamCleveland Historical
A project by Center for Public History + Digital HumanitiesCleveland Historical is a free mobile app that puts Cleveland history at your fingertips. Developed by the Center for Public History + Digital Humanities at Cleveland State University, Cleveland Historical lets you explore the people, places, and moments that have shaped the city’s history. Learn about the region through layered, map-based, multimedia presentations, use social media to share your stories, and experience curated historical tours of Northeast Ohio. Read more About Us