1831

On November 19, James A. Garfield was born in Orange Township; he would become the 20th U.S. President.

1836

Cleveland had its share of disputes, the most famous was with then rival Ohio City. Residents were angered by the construction of the Columbus Street Bridge, which was the first permanent bridge over the Cuyahoga River, because it would allow visitors to go directly into Cleveland and bypass Ohio City. A skirmish erupted between Ohio City rebels and a group of armed Cleveland militiamen. Fortunately, the county sheriff arrived to end the violence.

1853

The Fourth National Women’s Rights Convention is held in Melodean Hall.

1864

The Cleveland Convention is convened by the Radical Democracy Party at Chapin Hall.

1893

Garrett Morgan moves to Cleveland and continues his work as a prolific inventor, creating and patenting the first gas mask and traffic signal.

1912

Cleveland’s King Bridge Company builds the Detroit-Superior Bridge (later renamed the Veterans Memorial Bridge). A Short History of Veterans Memorial Bridge

1916

Cleveland Museum of Art opened to the public.

1930

Cleveland Airport is the first airport in the country with an air-traffic control tower. It was invented, constructed, and installed by Claude King.

1933

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster create the superhero Superman while attending Glenville High School.

1936

Cleveland hosts the Republican National Convention at Public Auditorium.

1944

East Ohio Gas explosion devastates Cleveland’s East Side, killing around 130 and displacing hundreds.

1948

Cleveland Indians win the World Series 4-2 over the Boston Braves.

1950

Cleveland Browns win the first of four NFL Championships this decade (1950, 1954 and 1955).

1952

DJ Alan Freed hosts what is considered to be the world’s first rock and roll concert, the Moondog Coronation Ball, at Cleveland Arena.

1956

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. makes the first of many visits to Cleveland, urging voter registration and participation for the Civil Rights Movement. See more in our MLK Storymap.

1981

Cleveland Tomorrow alliance forms with business and civic leaders mobilized to revitalize urban cores, improve infrastructure, and combat sprawl.

The Cuyahoga County Board of Commissioners were Vincent Campanella, Virgil E. Brown, and Edward Feighan.

1983

Film crews begin production on “A Christmas Story” in Tremont and downtown Cleveland. The film opens to moderate success in theaters but goes on to become a holiday classic, spawning a tourist destination.

1992

County forms Cuyahoga Housing Consortium with Cleveland Heights, Euclid, and Lakewood to access federal funding and coordinate housing development.

County supports Cleveland Metroparks and greater regional emphasis on stewardship of parklands like Euclid Creek Reservation and Rocky River.

2001

The Cleveland Indians’ consecutive sell-out streak ends at 455 games, lasting from June 12, 1995 to April 4, 2001. The streak sets an MLB record and establishes the team as a regional business driver.

2008

Stakeholders participate in regional planning to manage downtown occupancy, urban farming, parks, and stormwater solutions.

Cuyahoga River cleanup: remediation efforts targeting habitat restoration, dam removals, and moves toward improved fish and wildlife health.

Infrastructure improvement through the Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works, Northfield Road Bridge, Brookpark Road Bridge, and Metroparks access routes.

2010

The Census results showed Cuyahoga County had about 1.28 million residents, with a diverse age structure (5% under 5, 20% under 18, and 20% 65+) and a significant aging population trend.

Shift to a County Executive–Council structure—unique among Ohio's 88 counties, paired with a home rule charter.

2011

Ed FitzGerald takes office as the first elected Cuyahoga County Executive.

Greater Cleveland Film Commission works to attract big budget film productions to the area with the Ohio Motion Picture Tax Credit. Marvel’s The Avengers films scenes for four weeks in downtown Cleveland, in Parma, and on the Veterans Memorial Bridge.