And now for a little free association....
I mentioned yesterday in an email to Bill Barrow that there are certain iconic Cleveland images and places that mean different things to different generations. (I specifically mentioned Coventry as an example.)
He then sent me the following list of possible "candidates for study."
So...how old are you, and what comes to mind when you think of these Cleveland people, places, and things? And are you originally from Cleveland, or are you a transplant?
You can comment or email me at christine [at] christineborne [dot] net. (You don't have to provide an answer to all of them.)
He then sent me the following list of possible "candidates for study."
So...how old are you, and what comes to mind when you think of these Cleveland people, places, and things? And are you originally from Cleveland, or are you a transplant?
You can comment or email me at christine [at] christineborne [dot] net. (You don't have to provide an answer to all of them.)
- Terminal Tower complex
- Lakefront
- The Flats
- Dick Goddard
- Big Chuck
- Jim Brown
- The Browns, Indians & Cavs
- Downtown
- Dennis Kucinich
- George Voinovich
- George Forbes
- The Cleveland Clinic
- Ohio City & Tremont
- The PD
posted by Christine Borne at 9:37 AM
7 Comments:
I'm 44 years old, and was born here, lived all over from age 18-26 and came back home to "settle down"
Terminal Tower complex -- "Crown Jewel" of the city when I was a kid. I loved taking the rapid there from Lakewood.
Lakefront -- Our regional definition and practical compass. Because of the lake, everyone from Cleveland automatically turns local maps upside down to read them. ;)
The Flats -- Party Central
Dick Goddard -- THE weatherman
Big Chuck -- Friday Night Movies
Jim Brown -- nothin. I was too young to identify him as anything but a name associate with the team.
The Browns, Indians & Cavs -- We love them, but every time they win, we kinda don't believe it's happening.
Downtown -- May Company, The old wooden escalators at Higbee's, lights at Christmas, the Arcade.
Dennis Kucinich -- Koosinny save Moony light!
George Voinovich -- I know him as our senator, first and foremost. His mayoral days weren't part of my life here.
George Forbes -- Fire and Brimstone (not in a diabolical way --- more like he treated city council ike his personal pulpit)
The Cleveland Clinic -- The Borg
Ohio City & Tremont -- Ohio City was my first experience with urban renewal
The PD -- wish we still had the Press -- every town needs two real papers.
25 years old, native (greater) Clevelander
Terminal Tower complex - I pass through here every day when I take the Rapid, but I hardly ever shop/hang out there.
Lakefront - best thing about living here, woefully underutilized... but I love Edgewater Park.
The Flats - missed those glory days, but I've heard the stories.
Dick Goddard - I made him mad at me one time when I worked at the zoo. Seems like everyone has a Dick Goddard story of some kind.
Big Chuck - watched with my dad
Jim Brown - no real personal significance
The Browns, Indians & Cavs - apathetic about the Browns, love baseball with Tom Hamilton's narration, and love to watch Lebron play.
Downtown - pretty at Christmas, wish it had more life. Cleveland Public Library is awesome though.
Dennis Kucinich - my congressman
George Voinovich - my parents voted for him.
George Forbes - ?
The Cleveland Clinic - seems to own half the east side.
Ohio City & Tremont - can't afford the restaurants, but the architecture and the vibe is nice.
The PD - used to do the crossword puzzle every morning.
I really don't have any recollection of George Forbes either, to be honest.
I remember when they "revitalized" Tower City, around 1990. I was in junior high, and thought coming down to Tower City and the Galleria to go shopping was the height of sophistication, and perhaps a little "on the edge." I remember my dad instructing me on the correct and most dignified way of addressing panhandlers. I remember the "Meet me on the Avenue" ad jingle when TC opened. I have no earthly clue what was in the Terminal Tower before the current mall setup was there. Just offices? Empty space?
Downtown was where my dad disappeared to on the bus everyday, so of course it took on a mysterious and important aura. I wonder how many other kids in my age group (I'm 31) feel this way. I also wonder how many other middle class kids my age grew up in one-car households.
Well, I can't let that pass.
The main public space in the Terminal Tower complex before the coming of Tower City was Cleveland Union Terminal: the main railroad station. That space was reconfigured quite a bit when it was turned into Tower City, but there are still remnants of the old station in the shopping mall.
Terminal Tower itself has always just been offices, but it's a pretty prestigous office address. As of a couple of years ago, Forest City Enterprises (which owns the complex) had at least some of its offices in the Tower itself. When the Van Sweringens (who built the complex) still owned it, they used a couple of floors of the tower as residential quarters for themselves.
The Chesapeake & Ohio Railway and its successor the Chessie System Railroad had its headquarters in Terminal Tower until CSX finally folded Chessie System in 1986. Fun fact: the Chesapeake and Ohio never served Cleveland ... the headquarters in Cleveland was left over from the era when the railroad was controlled by the Van Sweringens, but that control ended during the Great Depression.
Those were things I thought might bridge the generation gap enough to have memories on both sides (missed on Jim Brown, who's still active with the Browns), but I'd love to hear what people remember most about growing up in Cleveland since 1980. What's your list?
Chief Wahoo
Alright Chris, I'm 30 and a lifelong Near West Sider. So here we go...
Terminal Tower complex - trains! Where I spent every morning waiting for the Rapid for school. Could not understand the J. Crew since every time I had to spend any time there, it was filled with ghetto teenagers. I worked in the old Doubleday there during high school.
Lakefront - Edgewater park. Which I love. Like a junkie brother.
The Flats - Douchebags. Girls in tight pink tops throwing up into the river. This is an unfair stereotype, since I adore the rest of the actual Flats, you know, the industrial part.
Dick Goddard - Wooly Bears and senility.
Big Chuck - obnoxious.
Jim Brown - who?
The Browns, Indians & Cavs - losers
Downtown - empty, pan handlers, being really cold waiting for the damn bus, the library.
Dennis Kucinich - Lakewood.
George Voinovich - Asshole self righteous asshole.
George Forbes - manipulative corrupt thug who likes to hear himself talk.
The Cleveland Clinic - too expensive and taking over neighborhoods like the blob.
Ohio City & Tremont - why do people always think having more bars and restaurants makes you a better neighborhood? I spent a lot of my middle school years in these neighborhoods, and I resented a lot of the gentrification. But yet, I spend most of my time there.
The PD - like, the worst newspaper ever.
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