Ohio City (Cuyahoga County), Ohio

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally part of Brooklyn Township, Ohio City is one of Cleveland, Ohio's oldest neighborhoods, located immediately to the west of the Cuyahoga River. Before Cleveland was incorporated, the City of Ohio became an independent municipality on March 3, 1836. The city grew from a population of 2400 people in the early 1830s to over 4000 in 1850. The municipality was annexed by Cleveland on June 5, 1854.

James A. Garfield, who became the 20th president of the United States, frequently preached at Franklin Circle Christian Church in 1857. Franklin Circle Christian Church is located at the intersection of Franklin Avenue and Fulton Road.

The modern focal point of Ohio City neighborhood is the West Side Market, built in 1912. The Market is located at the intersection of Lorain Avenue and West 25th Street.

The demographics of Ohio City have changed rather dramatically in the latter half of the 20th century and first part of the 21st. Originally composed mainly of English and German descendants, many Eastern European immigrants moved into the area during the migrations in the first half of the 20th century. As Cleveland expanded and the wealthy moved to the surrounding suburbs, including Parma, Brooklyn, and Lakewood in the 1960s and 70s, the percentage of African Americans increased. The size of the Latino community has also increased. However, Cleveland City Council, with an eye on redevelopment and with the incentive of tax breaks, has lured an increasing number of yuppies of all backgrounds back into the Ohio City area. This has led to a rather diverse community and a stark contrast between the city's poorest residents, many of whom are homeless, and the wealthy nouveaux rich.

Saint Ignatius High School is located in Ohio City just blocks from the West Side Market on Lorain Ave. and provides young men a college preparatory education in the Jesuit Style, requiring service to the surrounding community. It has an excellent Classics Department as well as nationally recognized sports teams. Some members of the community have bristled at the expansion of the school and have attempted to delay the sales of surrounding property.

St. John's Episcopal Church, located at Church Street and 28th, is the oldest consecrated building in Cuyahoga county and is the mother church of the current Episcopal cathedral located in downtown Cleveland. The church was one of the final stops on the underground railroad in Northeast Ohio and the remains of an entrance to a tunnel leading to the banks of the nearby Cuyahoga river can still be seen in the basement. Several nearby streets retain church-related names, such as Vestry. An episcopal parish continues to worship in the space although membership has dramaticaly declined with the demographic changes in the neighborhood.

The Great Lakes Brewing Company is located on Market Ave., across the street from the West Side Market. Their award winning line up of beers is worth a trip on the RTA Rapid Transit Red Line, although many of these beers are also available in six packs sold throughout North East Ohio. The intersection of Fulton Road and Bridge Avenue is home to Le Oui Oui Cafe, the only authentic French creperie in northeast ohio.