Cleveland

Cleveland is the largest overseas general cargo port positioned on the southern shore Lake Erie. It is the capital seat of Cuyahoga County in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is the second most populous city in Ohio and 33rd in the nation. It is the 16th largest metro area and 15th largest consumer market in the United States with 2.9 million residents in Greater Cleveland metro and nearly 500,000 in the City of Cleveland. Located in the northeastern territory of Ohio on the Cuyahoga River 60 miles west of the Pennsylvania border, Cleveland from a small frontier village in the Western Reserve developed into a major city of Northeast, Ohio. Cleveland’s evolving tourism has made it a convention destination and headquarters for the manufacturing, shipping and service industries. On July 22, 1796, U.S. General Moses Cleveland from the Connecticut Land Company named one-half million-acre piece of land on the shores of Lake Erie Ohio "Cleaveland" and in 1797; Lorenzo Carter arrived at original town site as the city’s first permanent settler. Gradually the Cleaveland city began to develop into a port city. Walk-in-the-Water, the first steamship on Lake Erie served Cleaveland. In 1831, The Cleveland Advertiser changed the spelling of the village’s name to Cleveland, dropping the first "a" to fit the General’s name upon the newspaper masthead.

Though the location of the city was advantageous but the severe winters and marshy areas didn’t promote any settlement. First apparent signs of civilization were seen in 1832 after the completion of the Ohio and Erie Canal. The canal was a link between the Ohio River and the Great Lakes. In 1836, Cleveland was incorporated as an official city. John Willey became the first elected mayor of Cleveland. In 1837, the city almost erupted into open combat with neighboring Ohio City over a bridge that connected the two cities. The city’s ideal location proved to be providential since the iron ore coming from Minnesota across the Great Lakes and coal and other raw materials coming by rail from the south put the city on the trail of prosperity. Gradually Cleveland became home of numerous major steel firms and by 1920 became the 5th largest city in the country and one of the centers of the national progressive movement. After the World-War II, a recession came in the city, heavy industries slumped and residents shifted in the suburbs. Under young Mayor Dennis Kucinich it became the first major American city to enter evasion since the Great Depression. The period of renaissance came under Mayors George Voinovich and Michael White. The area was developed once again and landmarks were added. Economic development, withholding of young professionals, and capitalizing upon its Lake Erie waterfront are current municipal priorities. Cleveland's sports teams include the Cleveland Indians (Major League Baseball), Cleveland Browns (National Football League), Cleveland Cavaliers (National Basketball Association), Cleveland Barons (American Hockey League), and Cleveland Force (Major Indoor Soccer League).

The main area of focus of the city’s revitalization plan has been primarily the downtown area near the Gateway complex consisting of Jacobs Field and Gund Arena, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Cleveland Browns Stadium. Public transportation in Greater Cleveland has a long and proud history. The City-operated Cleveland Transit System (CTS) was formed on April 28, 1942. A complex network of rail subway connects downtown to many points, including Hopkins International Airport and reliable bus service links downtown to neighborhoods and university areas. One of the city’s attractions is the City Hall. Designed by J. Milton Dyer, the Hall has the acclamation of being recognized by the American Institute of Architects as one of the only 49 outstanding City Halls in the United States. Major industries in Cleveland include polymers, transportation, financial services, utilities and retailing. The Cleveland Baseball Federation is the oldest running youth sports organization in the country. The tourist spots in Cleveland are The Great Lakes Science Center, Steamship William G. Mather Maritime Museum, USS Cod-a World War II submarine, University Circle etc. In 2002, Jane L. Campbell became the first female mayor of Cleveland. The city’s ethnicity is formed by White, Black or African American, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, Hispanic and Latino.