Exploring Our City's Past: Cleveland History Days 2023

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Cleveland History Days (CHD) is an annual celebration of our city's rich legacy. Created in 2018 by Tim Donovan and Tom Yablonsky, the inaugural year featured 32 programs over ten days. Since then, the celebration has grown to comprise 36 organizations and partners offering over 50 spectacular programs and events.

From Friday, June 23 to Sunday, July 2, visitors can take tours, listen to lectures, and marvel at the major contributions that have brought us to where we are today.

Cleveland History Days is a program of the non-profit Canalway, a cultural heritage organization that serves as a catalyst for projects and programs within the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area in Cuyahoga County. Canalway's mission is to preserve the natural and cultural experiences of the Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area for the future and connect people to place for the prosperity of all.

For me, the timing of the Cleveland History Days 2023 was perfect, since it was two months after my septal myectomy open-heart surgery at University Hospitals, and I was finally able to be active again for the first time in 2023. During that week, starting on Sunday, June 25, 2023, the final three post-surgery symptoms were finally resolved. As I wrote in my first of three hypertrophic cardiomyopathy blog posts, symptoms caused by this genetic heart disease had radically changed my life, causing me to miss events that I normally attend and about which I often write blog posts. If you are interested in learning about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and how it affected my life in the first half of 2023, please see by blog posts:

• Blog Date: Sunday, June 11, 2023 - My Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Part One: Diagnosis & Medication

• Blog Date: Sunday, June 11, 2023 - My Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Part Two: Surgery

• Blog Date: Sunday, June 11, 2023 - My Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Part Two: Surgery

With over 50 events happening during Cleveland History Days 2023, I was grateful to the organizations that hosted so many interesting activities. I did elect to skip the the Cleveland "Take A Hike" tours, since I was unsure of myself doing a lot of walking, but near the end of the 10 days of activities, I felt well enough to attend the "Ohio Freedom Path Hike" on Saturday, July 1, 2023. I can highly recommend the Cleveland "Take A Hike" tours from attending them with my wife in the past. I have heard that in recent years they have developed new tour locations and updated old favorite tours. Learn more about my experiences with these tours in my blog posts:

• Blog Date: August 14, 2014 - "Take a Hike" - Cleveland's Playhouse Square District

• Blog Date: September 11, 2014 - "Take a Hike" - Cleveland's Flats & Beyond!
  Very interesting to see how much of what we learned on this 2014 walk about potential future developments has now come true nine years later!!

• Blog Date: September 27, 2016 - "Take a Hike," Cleveland! - 2015 & 2016

Read about the 50+ events by clicking here to open the PDF file (4.6 MB) of the Cleveland History Days 2023 Program Guide in a new browser window.

I was so impressed with all that was happening during these 10 days, that I wanted to capture what I could in my blog post. I hope you enjoy the following and share with others. Remember that even though Cleveland History Days is only once a year, most of the the places it features are available to explore year round!

 

 

Learning From Tom Kunsman (@tkunsman) About Potential Park Under Veterans Memorial Bridge!!

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Cuyahoga County is opening the underside of the double-decker Veterans Memorial Bridge and Subway for two days in June, and officials want the public’s help in deciding what to do with the space going forward. . . . [County Executive Chris Ronayne] envisions a public “park in the sky,” restoring it as a commuter hub to become “a key east-west multimodal connector.”

As I have written in the past, Tom Kunsman is the man to follow on Twitter (see all my blog posts where I mention @tkunsman by clicking here). The tour under the Veterans Memorial Bridge is one of several events that I have learned about by following Tom Kunsman on Twitter as @tkunsman. I am particularly grateful that he let me know about the article on County Executive Chris Ronayne's idea for a public “park in the sky.” For years, I have said that I would like to see this area developed as a park.

Here is a link to Kaitlin Durbin's article on Cleveland.Com, followed by Tom Kunsman's tweet with the announcement. I highly recommend you read the article:

• Cuyahoga County opening subway level of Veterans Memorial Bridge in June, residents invited to reimagine its future
  Published: May. 30, 2023, 12:17 p.m. by Kaitlin Durbin, cleveland.com (@njKaitlinDurbin - @ClevelandDotCom)

 

In 2017, I shared on Twitter my desire for the creation of a public park under the Veterans Memorial Bridge:

On Saturday, June 17, 2023, while I was attending a play at the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre, I picked up a Cleveland History Days 2023 Program Guide in the theatre's lobby. I enjoyed reading over the guide and thinking about the fun I would have attending the Cleveland History Days events.

 

Historically, I have always used Twitter as a great way to learn details about fun events happening in our community. Here are other people's tweets I shared before Cleveland History Days, one of which included the following Ideastream article.

• Veterans Memorial Bridge's long-dormant lower level could open with input from the public
  Published June 20, 2023 at 7:06 PM EDT Ideastream Public Media | By Kelly Krabill (@kellyskrabill - @Ideastream)

 

 

Friday, June 23, 2023 - Cleveland History Days Opening Ceremony

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10am - 1:30pm | Cleveland History Center, 10825 East Blvd., Cleveland OH 44106

Join us as we kick off the Sixth Annual Cleveland History Days. During the Opening Ceremony, we’ll present an overview of this years exciting events.

Free event. Registration requested, but not required.

It was appropriate that the opening ceremony for Cleveland History Days started at the Western Reserve Historical Society's Cleveland History Center. My son, Kevin, is a member and my wife and co-blogger, Julie, volunteers at this museum, so my family benefits often from their programming. I have written many Cleveland History Center-related blog posts.

Most of the attendees at the opening ceremony were representatives from the organizations that hosted or organized the many events that took place during the ten Cleveland History Days. It felt great to be in room with these leaders who are making great things happen in our community!! I am so glad I attended this kickoff event and was part of the excitement of the day!

While at the Cleveland History Center, I saw some of the exhibit Partnerships, Portraits, and the Power of Photojournalism: Black History According to Allen E. and Frances T. Cole. A representative from the Cleveland Public Library had a table display with copies of the book, Through the lens of Allen E. Cole : a history of African Americans in Cleveland, Ohio, that were given to attendees of the opening ceremony.

My wife, Julie, volunteers at the Cleveland History Center's Euclid Beach Grand Carousel on Fridays as a ride attendant, so after the opening ceremony, I joined her for lunch in the staff lunchroom before going to my next Cleveland History Days destination.

Two videos were shown at the Cleveland History Days' Opening Ceremony. The first one was about Cleveland streetcars and the second was a 1966 ad for the "Best Location in the Nation." I have embedded both videos below. The video on streetcars related to that evening's Cleveland History Days gathering at the streetcar level under the Veterans Memorial Bridge (Detroit-Superior Bridge).

 

Here are tweets from the opening morning of Cleveland History Days:

 

 

Friday, June 23, 2023 - Cuyahoga County – Rediscover The Detroit-Superior Bridge: Community Conversation

5pm – 8pm | Detroit-Superior Bridge, 2433 Superior Viaduct, Cleveland, 44113

The public is invited to participate in a conversation with local leaders and other residents about their vision for creating public access to the lowline. This community dialogue will be hosted on the underside of the bridge, with dinner available on a first come-first served basis. Feedback and ideas will be used to inform future plans for the bridge.

Event is free to attend. Registration is preferred.

After my morning attending the opening and eating my lunch at the Cleveland History Center, I spent the afternoon wandering around Cleveland's waterfront. It was a great place to relax before attending the Rediscover The Detroit-Superior Bridge: Community Conversation gathering at 5:00 pm.

I have been under the Veterans Memorial Bridge (Detroit-Superior Bridge) many times during the IngenuityFests in 2010 and 2011, and when the Cuyahoga County Department of Engineers offered tours. Every time I enter this wonderful space, I get excited -- excited by not only the history it represents, but also the potential as a public place for Cleveland creatives and for connectivity across the Cuyahoga River.

Thank you, Cuyahoga County, for arranging a fun dinner which was grilled by representatives from Stella Maris Cleveland. Entering under the bridge, I talked to a woman who was a student at Kent State University (I think she was an urban design major), who documented my answers to questions about the future of this grand space. If you missed the chance to give feedback during the two days that the underside of the bridge was open for Cleveland History Days, I recommend that you take the time to give your feedback using the online survey located at:

• Veterans Memorial Bridge Lower Level Feedback
  VeteransMemorialBridge.org/Bridge-Survey
  

 

You may also be interested in the "Fun Facts" located at the bottom of the home page of the Rediscover VeteransMemorialBridge.org website.

Here is my video with photos and videos I took while exploring under the bridge. In addition to viewing the interesting space in my photos and videos, note how the county provided informational displays, and places for attendees to give their ideas on how to use the space:

 

Please share the following tweet, which includes the Cuyahoga County official Rediscover Veterans Memorial Bridge video:

THE WEEKEND!! Exploring under the Veterans Memorial Bridge was a great way to start the weekend and Cleveland History Days!

 

Check out the following tweets with photos from under the bridge:

 

 

 

Saturday, June 24, 2023 - Cuyahoga River Rally

11am-4pm | Hart Crane Memorial Park, 1820 Merwin Ave, Cleveland, 44113

Join Canalway at Hart Crane Memorial Park for a full day of fun along the river. Cuyahoga River Rally celebrates the history of the Cuyahoga River and the lifestyle enhancements clean water provides with an all day festival, live music and free history tours. Activities include riverside yoga, kayaking tours, boat rides, walking tours, biking tours and more.

Event is free. Tickets are not required to enter the event, however, advance registration for some tours is required, as space is limited.

As you can see by the above description taken from the Canalway Partner's Cuyahoga River Rally 2023 web page, there was a lot to do at this event. Last year, I participated in organized bike, walking, and boat tours, which you can read about in my blog post:

• Blog Date: July 6, 2022 - Celebrating Cleveland's Riverfront: Canalway Partners 2022 Cuyahoga River Rally

This year, I was just recovering from my post-surgery symptoms, so I elected to just go on the Holiday Boat tour with my son, Mike. We enjoyed the views from the river, which I have included in the following video:

 

Note that the Akron Waterways Renewed's 9th Annual Blue Heron Homecoming in Akron was also happening on June 24, 2023. Thus, we had two water-related events on the same day. There are just too many fun things always happening in the Greater Cleveland and Greater Akron areas! Learn more about the Annual Blue Heron Homecoming in my blog post from past years when I was able to attend:

• Blog Date: May 15, 2018 - 7) Saturday, May 5, 2018 - Akron Waterways Renewed! Blue Heron Homecoming

• Blog Date: June 27, 2022 - 1 of 3: Fun Father's Day Weekend: Friday -- Blue Heron Homecoming
  I have great memories of taking my dad to this event last year before he passed away the first week of 2023.

 

 

Sunday, June 25, 2023 - Open House at The Historic B&O Roundhouse

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11am – 4pm | The Historic B&O Roundhouse, 2800 West 3rd Street, Cleveland 44113

The Midwest Railway Preservation Society invites you to learn how railroads helped make Cleveland become an industrial giant. Enjoy a tour of the roundhouse and railyard. Short train rides will be offered during the tour. The roundhouse and rail yard is a working facility. Please, no open toed shoes or flip-flops.

$10 for ages 13+ | $5 for children 5-12 | 4 & under free. Registration is preferred but not required.

The mission of the Midwest Railway Preservation Society is to acquire, restore, preserve and operate vintage railroad equipment, buildings, structures and artifacts for the purpose of educating the general public regarding the history of the American railroad industry and its’ role in our nation’s progress; to engage in activities for educational, charitable, scientific and literary purposes; to hold, acquire, purchase, lease, possess, sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of such real or personal property necessary or requisite to carrying out the purposes of the Society and all things incident thereto; to perform any and all things necessary or incidental to the accomplishment of the aforementioned purposes of the Corporation and for any other lawful purpose.

I had heard interesting things about the Midwest Railway Preservation Society (MRPS), but for some reason I thought it was at a different location farther north. I am so glad that Cleveland History Days finally got me to take my family to this location to tour the grounds of the historic B&O Roundhouse and to take a short ride on a train. The place is fantastic!

I was very impressed with how the tour not only had us enter many different trains and buildings, but the volunteers conducting the tours were very open to sharing their knowledge and answering questions. I loved the depth of detail provided on all things related to railroads.

Here is a video of photos and videos from the tour of the Historic B&O Roundhouse:

 

 

Tuesday, June 27, 2023 - Buckeye Trail

On Tuesday, June 27th, I celebrated two months since my April 27, 2023, septal myectomy open-heart surgery by taking a over five-mile hike on the Buckeye Trail, starting at its northern terminus at Headlands Beach State Park on Lake Erie. (This is within the Bedford Section of the trail.) This was the first time I had been able to walk any distance since early December 2022. I mention this here to state that this week, I had finally regained my health since being diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This meant I would be able to take part in the over-two-mile Ohio Freedom Path Hike that Cleveland History Days had scheduled for the first Saturday in July. I was very interested in this historic hike, and felt very fortunate to now be physically able to participate in it.

Speaking of local history, be sure to read "The Buckeye Trail Story" to learn about this trail's interesting place in Ohio's history. At nearly 1,444 miles, it is the longest trail within any single state. I have written many blog posts about the Buckeye Trail.

 

 

Saturday, July 1, 2023 - Ohio Freedom Path Hike

Be sure to listen to the above video!
Prester Pickett portrayed Frederick Douglass

10am – 12pm | Starts at St John's Episcopal Church, 2600 Church Ave., Cleveland, OH 44113

Enjoy a 2-3 mile walk that follows a path of the Underground Railroad. Learn to use a new phone app that brings to life stories of daring escapes and the risks Ohio abolitionists took.

Event is free. Registration is required.

I feel privileged to have been able to attend the "inaugural Ohio Freedom Path tour." I also appreciate how the leadership who developed this tour reached out to me after the event to provide me with additional information for this blog post.

I am so glad that I attended, since I not only learned about our local history, but I also learned from the Ohio Freedom Path leaders about a 300+ mile historic route (mostly a bikeway) through our state. I could see myself exploring this bikeway in the future.

The hike started at St. John's Episcopal Church, 2600 Church Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113, and then went:
-> above Irishtown Bend Park (See my 2021 Irishtown Bend Tour information here.)
-> on the Cleveland Foundation Centennial Trail
-> to Cleveland Metroparks' Wendy Park
-> to Stella Maris Cleveland
-> to St. Malachi Parish
-> and then returned to St. John's Episcopal Church
(CLICK HERE to open a Google Map of the general area in a new browser window.)

Click on the following image to open a PDF file in a new browser window of the route we walked on the Saturday, July 1, 2023, Ohio Freedom Path Hike. I recommend using your zoom-in feature to see the route more clearly. We walked to Cleveland's Wendy Island, which is the northern terminus of this historic path.

Click to open map PDF file (1.6 MB) in new window

Along the route, historic re-enactors joined us to tell the story of the lives of the characters they portrayed in Cleveland during the time there was legal slavery in the USA. After the tour, I learned that Prester Pickett, who portrayed Frederick Douglass, is the coordinator of the Howard A. Mims African American Cultural Center at Cleveland State University. He let us know that through the University, portrayals of African American historic figures can be scheduled for local groups.

Thank you to the Ohio Freedom Path leadership for sending me the following Cleveland State University Africana Studies brochure image files, so that you can learn more about the program:

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Here is a video of my photos and videos of what I saw along the walk:

 

Thank you to the leader from Cleveland History Days who took the following photo of those of us on the tour. Find this photo and more from the Cleveland History Days 2023 events on their Facebook page: Facebook.com/Clevelandhistorydays

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The "inaugural Ohio Freedom Path tour" that I attended was the first, but certainly not the last. You should watch for more on the Ohio Freedom Path Facebook page.

If you are not able to attend any of the in-person tours, you are still in luck, since the Ohio Freedom Path leaders have used technology to provide an informative, interactive tour and other information about the Underground Railroad in Ohio on their app and website. Do a tour on your own using the following:

• Ohio Freedom Path website
  https://ohiofreedompath.stqry.app
  

  Welcome to Ohio's Freedom Path. It’s more accurate to say Ohio’s Freedom Paths, because those escaping the evils of slavery found refuge and help from individuals, black and white, in communities all across Ohio. But the path that you are on, as you take in Ohio’s natural beauty while biking or walking the Ohio to Erie Trail, fairly closely follows one of the many documented Underground Railroad lines freedom seekers took as they made their way north from the Ohio River all the way to Lake Erie and then on to Canada.

• Ohio Freedom Path apps
  https://qrco.de/bdtdjh
  

  While walking or biking the 15-county Ohio-To-Erie Trail hear of daring escapes, clashes with slave catchers, events that shaped the nation, and the courage, and resourcefulness of participants brought together on Ohio's Underground

Here are images of downloading the Ohio Freedom Path app and of its interactive tour and map:

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After the hike, I talked to some of the leaders to learn more about how they use technology. They were interested to learn from me how Cleveland GiveCamp volunteers build websites and other tech solutions for local nonprofits. You can learn more at Cleveland GiveCamp's website and in my blog posts:

• ClevelandGiveCamp.org Website

• Cleveland GiveCamp Blog Posts
  I have attended every Cleveland GiveCamp since its first year in 2010, and have served on the Steering Committee from 2011 through 2022.

 

After the tour, the leaders of the Ohio Freedom Path project sent me to the following three blog posts that Lili Allen published on medium.com. They tell her story of following the Ohio Freedom Path:

• Ohio and the Underground Railroad, Part I
  Published April 20, 2023 - 4-minute read by Lili Allen

  . . . Ohio to Erie Trail, a 362-mile bike trail from the Ohio River (Cincinnati) to Lake Erie (Cleveland). The trail follows one of the paths of the Underground Railroad, and there’s an app that shows sites of interest along the way . . .

• Ohio and the Underground Railroad, Part 2
  Published May 7, 2023 - 4-minute read by Lili Allen

  Hudson has a long tradition of being an anti-slavery town. The town’s founder, John Hudson, hid escapees in his home; John Browns’ father Owen Brown, lived there. In the 1830’s there was a split between the colonization movement (those who supported founding of a free colony in Africa for former slaves) and abolitionists. As a result, Owen Brown withdrew his financial support for Case Western College and helped found Oberlin College as a multi-racial school. He also split from a local church and founded a new one that required an oath against slavery for admission.

• Cleveland! And the end of the road…
  Published May 15, 2023 - 3-minute read by Lili Allen

  Jeanne is on the board of Restore Cleveland Hope with Joan Southgate . . . Restore Cleveland Hope is dedicated to telling the story of the Underground Railroad in Cleveland. . . . In 2001–2002, Joan became inspired to walk the Underground Railroad from the Ohio River to the Canadian border. . . . She was 71 years old when she walked.

Note that Lili Allen's Ohio and the Underground Railroad, Part 2 blog post includes information about the Akron section of the Ohio and Erie Canal that I hiked when completing the Buckeye Trail's "Little Loop" in 2020. Learn more about the Akron section of trail in my blog post:

• Blog Date: December 10, 2020 - 3 of 5: Exploring the Akron Section of the Buckeye Trail "Little Loop"

 

After reading Lili Allen's three blog posts, I found more information about Restore Cleveland Hope and its founder Joan Southgate's book, IN THEIR PATH: A Grandmother’s 519-Mile Underground Railroad Walk, at the following web page: RestoreClevelandHope.com/About/

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"Bike and hike route across Ohio from the Ohio River in Cincinnati to Lake Erie in Cleveland" -- Here is the Ohio-to-Erie Trail Google map that is embedded in the Ohio Freedom Path website and app:

 

 

Saturday, July 1, 2023 - Talk at Cleveland Public Library: “The Other Trails of Tears: The Removal of the Ohio Indians”

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Cleveland Public Library Main Library, 325 Superior Ave., Cleveland, 44114

Enjoy a full day of author talks, presentations and discussions presented by Cleveland History Days in the Stokes Auditorium of the beautiful and historic Cleveland Public Library, Main Library.
. . .
2pm-3pm - Mary Stockwell (Author, “The Other Trails of Tears: The Removal of the Ohio Indians”)
Presentation Topic: Ohio's moundbuilding civilizations, the state's historic tribes, and The Other Trails of Tears: The Removal of the Ohio Indians. Author Q&A to follow.

[About Mary Stockwell] . . . I received my B.A. in history from Mary Manse College and my M.A. and Ph.D. in history from the University of Toledo . . . I later became a history professor and a department chair at Lourdes University in Sylvania, Ohio. I said goodbye to my teaching and administrative career to accept the first of two Earhart Foundation Fellowships at the William L. Clements Library at the University of Michigan and to become a full-time writer.

. . . I am the author of history books used by young people throughout the United States including The Ohio Adventure . . . I am also the author of The Other Trail of Tears: The Removal of the Ohio Indians, a 2016 finalist for the Ohio Library Association's Best Book Award . . .

I have never studied Ohio's history, and I found Mary Stockwell's talk very interesting. The following photos of her presentation don't do her full talk justice, but I hope they give you an idea of the issues that were dealt with during the time of the removal of the Ohio Indians. I highly recommend you attend her lecture on this subject if you get a chance at a future date.

I found a listing of Mary Stockwell's books on her website at: MaryStockwell.com/Writings.html

Locally, Mary Stockwell recommends visiting Lake Metroparks’ Indian Point Metropolitan Park. My wife, Julie, and I have enjoyed the hiking trails there, and seeing the historic area. We wrote about our visit to the park in 2020 in our blog post:

• Blog Date: July 1, 2020 - Social Distancing Park Visits - June 2020
  See the "Friday, June 5, 2020 - Indian Point Park, Lake Metroparks" section of the blog post.

(FYI, in 2020 and 2021, my wife, Julie, and I wrote a series of 27 "Social Distancing" blog posts about places we felt safe visiting, such as our great local parks, during the height of COVID-19 pandemic.)

 

 

PHOTOS

In the sections above, I included videos of my photos. To see higher quality photos (178) and videos (11), go to my June 23 - July 1, 2023 - Cleveland History Days 2023 photo album on my flickr.com page (which contains 10,476 photos). I also embedded a slideshow of the photos below.

Once the slideshow loads, please click on the right arrow to view the slideshow of 189 photos:

 

 

Tell Canalway Partners about your participation in Cleveland History Days!

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As I was finishing this blog post, I saw a request on social media from Cleveland History Days asking for feedback. Please CLICK HERE and share your ideas for future events.

 

 

Related Blog Posts

I always like ending our blog posts with links to related blog posts:

• Blog Date: July 7, 2022 - A Day of James A. Garfield History and a Night of Shakespeare's Hamlet!

• Blog Date: July 6, 2022 - Celebrating Cleveland's Riverfront: Canalway Partners 2022 Cuyahoga River Rally

• Blog Date: September 8, 2021 - My Cleveland Week: Cleveland Foundation > MidTown Murals > USS Cod Party > Irishtown Bend Hike > One World Day

• Blog Date: December 10, 2020 - 3 of 5: Exploring the Akron Section of the Buckeye Trail "Little Loop"

• Blog Date: September 27, 2016 - "Take a Hike," Cleveland! - 2015 & 2016

• Blog Date: September 18, 2014 - Cleveland Foundation Centennial Gift: Weekends on the Water

• Blog Date: September 11, 2014 - "Take a Hike" - Cleveland's Flats & Beyond!
  Very interesting to see how much of what we learned on this 2014 walk about potential future developments has now come true nine years later!!

• Blog Date: August 14, 2014 - "Take a Hike" - Cleveland's Playhouse Square District

Also see the following blog subject tags:

• Cleveland History Center

• GiveCamp

• Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

• Trails

• Watercraft

I am grateful for all that is happening in our community, and now that I am healthy again, I plan to continue exploring and enjoying local events and venues.