Cleveland Discount Car Rentals

Cleveland Attractions and Things to See

Cleveland sits on the southern shore of Lake Erie in the northeastern region of the state, some 60 miles from the border with Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1796 at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River and would evolve into a manufacturing hub because of its excellent location at the head of several railroad lines and canals. As the heavy manufacturing industry began to fade, it diversified into the service industry, that includes healthcare, legal, insurance and financial services, and became home to the famous Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It is the second most populated city in the state, and has been nicknamed "the Forest City", "C-town", "Metropolis of the Western Reserve", "Sixth City" and the "Rock and Roll capital of the World". Some of the people that live there have called it "the North Coast" since it is on the northern border of Lake Erie.

The city has a marvelous history and with its unique location, it would grow quickly, in spite of the hard winters and swampy lowlands that were located close by it. With its outstanding location on the edge of Lake Erie, it would begin to flourish as a hub for heavy industry, since it was a halfway point for iron ore arriving from Minnesota that was shipped across the Great Lakes, along with coal, and other materials that were shipped there by rail from the south. In 1870, John D. Rockefeller founded Standard Oil, but the headquarters would be moved to New York City in 1885, but it would still evolve into a leading American manufacturing city in the early 20th century, that was the home of many steel producers, automobile manufacturers, that included gas powered cars, steam-powered cars and the electric car company Baker. It would become a hub for the national progressive movement that had been headed by city mayor, Tom L. Johnson, and many politicians would began their careers here that included President John A. Garfield and Rockefeller. By the 1950s, it was called the best location in the nation by businesses and within a decade, it would begin a decline, with the national trend of suburban sprawl. Also, in the turbulent 1960s, it would have its share of Civil Rights problems, that would end in the Hough Riots during 1966 and the Glenville Shootout in 1968. It would begin a comeback during the 1990s, and by 1999, it would be named a emerging global city.

Cleveland has some magnificent architecture that was built during these periods that included neoclassical, beaux-arts, art-deco, postmodern and ecclesiastical. There are marvelous old neighborhood that would be redeveloped after the population began to settle down and return to recuperate the old historical structures and the increase in culture that included fine arts, that include the Playhouse Square Center, Opera Cleveland, the Great Lakes Theater Festival, the Cleveland Orchestra that is considered one of the top orchestras in the world, film and television production, literature, and the fabulous cuisine.

The city has become a significant center of haute cuisine, that include local personalities like chef Michael Symon and food author, Michael Ruhlman and many restaurants named the "best" that included the "best steakhouse", "best new restaurant", "best farm-to-table programs" and "great new neighborhood eateries". The city is one those "melting pots" of immigrant groups that have brought their unique culinary traditions to the city that has been part of the local cuisine scene and are still showcased in various neighborhoods like Tremont, Slavic Village and Little Italy. Some of the mainstays include a significant number of contributions like the pierogies, corned beef, Polish Boy, fish fries, kielbasa and stuffed cabbage.

Tourism has become one of the biggest industries in this city as well, like so many other cities that once produced products that have left this country and put so many workers in the dumps, along with the industries that helped build this fantastic country, and unless some of them return, we will continue in dire straits. Some of the major employers in the city, like many of the cities of the east, have become service industries, like the city's biggest employer, with 37,000 employees, the Cleveland Clinic and other healthcare businesses. It is an emerging biotechnology and fuel cell research center, and the technology industry. Unfortunately, all these businesses are helping to destroy the unions that have helped workers for over a century, but as all these white collar positions improve, the union is dying, that has been the friend of many workers in America.