Archives for the Month of October 2007 on Sarah Garriott's Online Journal
The "Composition" of Cleveland: Writing the City's Past and Future
What distinguishes Cleveland from other major American cities? The waterfront area? The second largest theater district in the country? The fact that our stadium is called “The Q”? The Cleveland Browns? The unpredictable weather? While these are all distinct aspects of Cleveland, they do not provide a comprehensive idea of the city. To discover what really composes Cleveland, we must move beyond these superficial observations, and instead focus on the greater picture. Writing plays a key role in helping us to do just that. Examining records of important events and issues that have shaped the city gives us insights regarding why and how Cleveland came to be, while the written plans provide us with a glimpse of the city’s official policies and goals. Thus, writing help define Cleveland’s identity in two ways: by preserving the city’s historical past, and by creating its vision for the future.
Walking down Euclid Avenue, we see sights typical of an American city: the “golden arches” of a McDonald’s sign, the signature green, black, and white Starbucks insignia, and the words “now hiring” scrawled on a sign in a shop window. While presenting us with a picture of the city today, these images fail to convey any information about this busy roadway’s origins. At a lecture last week entitled “Cleveland and Sprawl,” author and historian Robert Bruegmann briefly touched the history of Euclid Avenue, mentioning that it was previously one of the richest avenues in the world, lined with expansive mansions. This intrigued me, as I realized that even though I have lived in Cleveland for a considerable amount of time, I am relatively ignorant of the city’s background. I did not have any idea that the street I cross on my way to class used to be called Millionaire’s Row, nor that it was once home to famous figures such as John D. Rockefeller and Amasa Stone. Fascinated, I searched online, and learned that road originally followed the Lake Shore Indian Trail, and was named Buffalo Road. (http://wiki.case.edu/Euclid_Avenue) Without written accounts of the city’s history, however, I would have never known that the route I walk everyday was probably once part of John Rockefeller’s backyard!
It is thus through writing that accounts of the city’s background such as this one are preserved. Historical documents, such as the letters and journals kept at the Western Reserve Historical Society, provide a means through which we may encounter the “firsthand” perspective of individuals who inhabited Cleveland long before us. These sources, along with old newspapers, help us to learn about the city’s origins, as well as issues and concerns that the city faced. These writings not only teach us about what shaped Cleveland, but can also allow today’s city leaders to look back and learn from past mistakes as they work to shape the city’s future. Dated photographs, marked with written captions, also reveal glimpses of the city as it formerly existed, and document the city’s evolution over time. In addition to these documents which academically mark the city’s history, the writing that appears on signs and plaques physically marks the city’s historical features. Little Italy, for example, has a sign marking it as a “historical district,” thus serving as a reminder of the area’s ethnic roots, while informing current citizens of its past.
While writing helps to define Cleveland by its past, it also serves a unique role in molding its future. The administration’s vision for the city is prepared as an official written document. This “comprehensive plan” lays out long-term goals and serves as a guide for all the decisions affecting the city such as building, renovation, and even trash collection. It may be viewed by visiting the city’s official website, www.city.cleveland.oh.us. The current plan, called the 2020 Citywide Plan, emphasizes building connections among people and communities, and focuses on projects such as improving transportation. Hence, the heavy road construction that we encounter everyday while crossing Euclid Avenue is the result of a policy dictated in a single written document. If this seems striking, consider the fact that the direction in which the entire city is moving is grounded in the same composition! Thus, writing plays an integral role in composing Cleveland’s identity, by reminding us of the city’s historical roots while framing the city’s future.
To view the 2020 Citywide Plan:
http://planning.city.cleveland.oh.us/cwp/cpc.html#
*Photo courtesy of rentacomputer.com (http://www.rentacomputer.com/images/cleveland)