Gozaic of the Week: Cleveland, Ohio

Small town USA—with its quiet main streets, one-of-a-kind boutiques and hometown hospitality— is the recipe for an idyllic heritage travel getaway. But when you’ve got an itch for city lights and a good dose of culture, Cleveland, Ohio makes for a great trip. With arts and entertainment, ethnic cuisine and plenty of historic sites, this city of more than 2.2 million residents is the perfect destination for heritage travel with a cosmopolitan flair.

History
In 1796 Gen. Moses Cleaveland surveyed the land on the south shore of Lake Eerie, 60 miles west of the Pennsylvania border, that later became known as Cleveland. The village of Cleveland, located at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, was incorporated in 1814. During the 19th century the city’s population grew by leaps and bounds, as it became a center of manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution. In 1920, as the fifth-largest city in the country, Cleveland became a prime location for immigrants. The city developed at a fast rate during the 20th century, and the 1980s brought an urban revitalization trend. The nineties saw Cleveland become the first large city in America with an African-American mayor.

Scenic Neighborhoods
Movie and dinner night? Why not spice up that classic combination by dining in one of Cleveland’s authentic ethnic neighborhoods, such as Little Italy or AsiaTown, and then taking a stroll through one of the city’s arts districts and catching a show. Coventry Village, with its Bohemian ambiance, is lined with whimsical shops, unique eateries and several music and theater houses. There’s also Gordon Square, with Capitol Independent movie theater, Cleveland Public and Near West Theatres, and PlayhouseSquare District, home to the second-largest performing arts center in the country and five vaudeville-era theaters. Two other neighborhoods worth the trip: Tremont, with its creative edge, monthly ArtWalks and striking churches that reflect the Cleveland’s diverse immigrant groups, and Ohio City, full of 19th century homes and tree-lined avenues.

City Attractions
Cleveland boasts a variety of cultural and historic sites, adding up to a well-rounded, action-packed itinerary for any traveler. The Cleveland Museum of Art features two architectural landmarks, the 1916 Beaux Arts south building and the 1971 north building by Marcel Breuer. The museum is thought to contain one of the world’s finest collections of art with present-day to 5000 year-old pieces from around the world. Dunham Tavern Museum is the oldest building in Cleveland and a former stagecoach stop listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Founded in 1869, the 285 acres at Lakeview Cemetery are the burial grounds for many notable figures, including J.D. Rockefeller and Eliot Ness. For a more sensory experience, a visit to Cleveland’s West Side Market, the city’s oldest operating indoor/outdoor market, is a must.

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Gozaic (go-ZAY-ik). Noun. 1) The name of a website, Gozaic.com. 2) The fusion of “go,” for travel and the mosaic of heritage and culture. 3) The mosaic of images to illustrate the dimensions of a featured heritage or cultural destination.