Presenter: John Grabowski, PhD, WRHS Senior Vice President, Research & Publications; Krieger Mueller Historian
Cleveland's neighborhoods have, and have had, an intriguing series of names - from Kamm's Corners to Dutch Hill and Little Italy and now to Hingetown. Some names have been around for over a century, others are new. Neighborhood identity is something many take for granted, yet the story of names and name changes for areas within the city opens a deeper story. Who, for instance, gets to choose the names - the people who live in the area, or city officialdom? Why, when and how have the identities of neighborhoods become altered simply by the ascription of a new name? When did the original "organic" borders of neighborhoods become straight lines on a map? This session will explore the history of Cleveland's neighborhoods by looking at the broader story of their identities over time and the manner in which name changes have been influence by shifting demography, politicians, developers, and urban planners.
Registration: $15 general/$10 WRHS members
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This event is sponsored by the Western Reserve Historical Society.