Geography of Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio, the seat of Cuyahoga County. It is situated on the southern shore of Lake Erie on both sides of the winding Cuyahoga River. The Flats, a low area along the river, was Cleveland's primary industrial district for many years. It is now an entertainment area, with numerous restaurants and bars. The rest of the city is on higher land, although the terrain is generally level. The main avenues lead to Public Square, center of the downtown area. From the southeast corner of Public Square runs Euclid Avenue, the city's main commercial street.
EconomyCleveland is one of the most important industrial centers in the United States. In or near the city are factories producing a wide range of goods, among which are machinery and machine tools; metal goods such as construction, plumbing, and heating equipment; electric and electronic equipment; and motor vehicles and parts. Cleveland has long been a prominent producer of iron and steel. Also important are printing and publishing and the making of processed foods and chemicals.
Cleveland is a chief business and financial center for the Midwest. The headquarters of a number of large corporations and a Federal Reserve bank are here. In addition, the city is noted for its research and development facilities, such as the Lewis Research Center (a NASA facility), and for its large health-care institutions, such as the Cleveland Clinic.
Served by several railways and Interstate highways, Cleveland is a major transportation junction. The city's docks handle a large share of Great Lakes shipping; cargo is mainly bulky commodities such as iron ore for the city's steel mills, coal, lumber, and grain. Commercial air traffic is primarily through Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
Places of InterestThe chief areas of interest in downtown Cleveland are Public Square and the Mall. Public Square was laid out by the city's founder, Moses Cleaveland, to be the center of the settlement. The square has several monuments, including one to Cleaveland. Immediately to the southwest of the square is the Terminal Tower group of buildings, built in the 1920's. The 52-story Terminal Tower, the main building of the group, is downtown Cleveland's chief landmark. Inside this building is Tower City Center, a large retail and entertainment complex. The Mall, an area extending for several blocks from the business district to the lake, was planned in the 1920's as a center for the city's civic institutions. Located around the Mall are the city hall, the Cuyahoga County Courthouse, the Federal Building, the public library, and a convention center.
Downtown along the lakefront is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, designed by I. M. Pei. It houses a variety of exhibits pertaining to the history of rock music. Nearby is Cleveland Browns Stadium, home of the NFL's Browns. At the southern edge of the downtown area are Jacobs Field, home of the Indians (professional baseball), and Gund Arena, home of the Cavaliers and the Rockers, both professional basketball teams.
Among Cleveland's many parks is Rockefeller Park, site of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, which feature botanical displays and sculpture dedicated to the city's numerous ethnic groups. Brookside Park has an outstanding zoo.
Education and CultureMany of the city's educational and cultural facilities are in the area known as University Circle. Found here are the campus of Case Western Reserve University; the Western Reserve Historical Society Museum; the Cleveland Museum of Art; the Cleveland Museum of Natural History; and Severance Hall, home of the Cleveland Orchestra, one of the world's great symphony orchestras.
Institutions of higher education, in addition to Case Western Reserve University, include Cleveland State University and John Carroll University. Cleveland's opera, ballet, and repertory theater companies are among the many other cultural attractions.