# Timeline of Cleveland

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This article is a timeline of the history of the city of Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

## 18th century

* 1796 – Moses Cleaveland and survey party arrive at the location that would later become Cleveland.
* 1797 – Lorenzo Carter, a prominent early settler, arrives.

## 19th century

* 1800 – Trumbull County created, encompassing Cleveland.
* 1803 – Ohio becomes the 17th State admitted to the Union.
* 1805 – Geauga County created, encompassing Cleveland.
* 1808 – Lorenzo Carter builds the Zephyr, the first ship to be launched in Cleveland.
* 1810 – Cuyahoga County organized; Cleveland selected as county seat.
* 1813 – Oliver Hazard Perry wins the Battle of Lake Erie at Put-in-Bay in the War of 1812.
* 1814
** Cleveland receives its charter as a village.
** Newburgh Township created.
* 1815
** Alfred Kelley is elected the first president of the village of Cleveland.
** Euclid Avenue commissioned, subsequently known as Millionaires' Row.
* 1818 – The Cleveland Gazette and Commercial Register, Cleveland's first newspaper is published.
* 1822 – a free bridge is opened across the Cuyahoga River.
* 1827 – opening of the Ohio canal as far as Akron.
* 1830 – population: 1,076.
* 1831
** The Cleveland Advertiser alters the spelling of the community's name to Cleveland.
** James A. Garfield, 20th United States President, born in Orange Township.
* 1832 – Ohio and Erie Canal completed to the Ohio River.
* 1836
** Cleveland and Ohio City are incorporated as cities.
** John W. Willey is elected the first mayor of Cleveland.
** Bridge War between Cleveland and Ohio City takes place.
* 1837 – Cleveland City Council votes to create City Hospital, now MetroHealth.
* 1840 – population: 6,071.
* 1842 – The Plain Dealer begins publication.
* 1844 – Samuel Starkweather elected mayor.
* 1845 – City Bank of Cleveland (forerunner of National City Corp.) founded.
* 1847
** The Weddell House opens.
** The first telegraph line (from Cleveland to Pittsburgh) is completed.
* 1848 – Colored National Convention held in city.
* 1850
** William Case elected mayor.
** Population: 17,034.
* 1851 – Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad completed.
* 1852 – The Aliened American newspaper begins publication.
* 1853
** The Cleveland Theater opens.
** National Women's Rights Convention held.
** Woodland Cemetery established.
* 1854
** Ohio City annexed to Cleveland.
** William B. Castle elected mayor.
** The Cleveland Leader begins publication.
* 1860
** Perry Monument on Public Square dedicated.
** Population: 43,417.
* 1861
** Abraham Lincoln visits Cleveland.
** The American Civil War begins.
* 1865
** The American Civil War ends.
** Thousands of Clevelanders mourn the death of Lincoln.
* 1866 – Cleveland Police Department established.
* 1869
** Cleveland Public Library established.
** Lake View Cemetery opens.
* 1870
** Standard Oil Company in business.
** Population: 92,829.
* 1873
** Cleveland Bar Association established.
** Newburgh annexed to Cleveland.
* 1874 – First Woman's National Temperance Convention held in Cleveland, establishing the Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
* 1875 – Euclid Avenue Opera House opens.
* 1876
** Charles F. Brush patents an electric generator.
** Riverside Cemetery Chapel & Riverside Cemetery Gatehouse built.
* 1878 – Penny Press, predecessor to the Cleveland Press, begins publication.
* 1880
** James A. Garfield, from Cleveland, elected 20th President of the United States.
** Case School of Applied Science established.
** Population: 160,146.
* 1881
** Garfield lies in state on Public Square after being assassinated, July 2.
** Adelbert Hall built.
* 1882
** Western Reserve College moves to Cleveland.
** Cleveland School of Art established.
* 1883 – John H. Farley elected mayor.
* 1884
** First electric streetcar run in the city.
** Cleveland Electric Light Co. formed.
* 1887 – Michelson–Morley experiment conducted at Western Reserve University.
* 1890
** The Arcade opens.
** Garfield Monument dedicated in Lake View Cemetery.
** Population: 261,353.
* 1894
** May Day Riots of 1894
** Soldiers and Sailors Monument dedicated.
* 1895 – Robert E. McKisson elected mayor.
* 1896 – Cleveland celebrates its centennial.
* 1897 – Bohemian National Hall built.
* 1899
** Cleveland streetcar strike.
** John H. Farley re-elected mayor.
* 1900 – population: 381,768.

## 20th century
### 1900s–1940s

* 1901
** Tom L. Johnson elected mayor.
** The Cleveland Blues (predecessor to the Cleveland Guardians) are established as one of the first teams in the new American League.
** Cleveland worker and avowed anarchist, Leon Czolgosz assassinates U.S. President William McKinley in Buffalo, New York.
* 1905
** The Cleveland News begins publication
** Glenville and South Brooklyn annexed to Cleveland.
* 1908
** Collinwood School Fire
** More Streetcar strikes but less violent and unsuccessful.
* 1909
** Tom L. Johnson loses mayoral race to Herman C. Baehr.
** Corlett Village annexed to Cleveland.
* 1910
** Collinwood annexed to Cleveland.
** Cleveland Railway Company operated from 1910 to 1942.
** Population: 560,663.
* 1911
** Tom L. Johnson dies.
** Church of the Covenant established.
* 1912 – Village of Nottingham annexed to Cleveland.
* 1913
** The Great Lakes Storm of 1913 hits Cleveland.
** Home Rule City Charter approved by Cleveland voters.
** Cleveland Museum of Art established.
** Metropolitan Theatre opened.
** The first Community Chest, "Community Fund", founded in Cleveland.
* 1914
** Cleveland chosen as the Fourth District headquarters of the Federal Reserve Bank.
** Cleveland Municipal Light Plant goes into operation.
* 1915 – Cleveland Play House and Western Reserve University's School of Applied Social Science established.
* 1916
** Cleveland Museum of Art opens.
** Cleveland City Hall dedicated.
* 1917 – Cleveland Metroparks organized.
* 1918
** Federal Court trial of Eugene V. Debs held in Cleveland.
** Detroit–Superior Bridge construction completed.
** The first Cleveland Cripple Survey was published; one of the first accurate disability censuses, that measured the social and economic conditions of individuals considered.
* 1919
** May Day Riots of 1919
** State Prohibition is enacted in Cleveland
** Voters approve placement of a new railroad terminal on Public Square.
* 1920
** Cleveland Institute of Music founded.
** Cleveland becomes the fifth-largest city in the nation.
** The Volstead Act and the Eighteenth Amendment become law.
** Cleveland Indians win the World Series.
** Cleveland Museum of Natural History established.
** Population: 796,841.
* 1921
** Cleveland Clinic and Playhouse Square established.
** KeyBank State Theatre built.
** Mimi Ohio Theatre opened.
** Hanna Theatre opened.
* 1922 – demolition for the Terminal Tower site begins
* 1923
** Federal Reserve bank building completed.
** Alcazar Hotel completed.
* 1924
** Republican National Convention held in Cleveland.
** Mayor/Council form of government replaced by City Manager plan.
* 1925
** New Public Library building opens.
** Cleveland Airport (now Hopkins International) opens.
** University Hospitals incorporated.
* 1929
** Cleveland Clinic disaster occurs.
** National Air Race first held in Cleveland.
** The Stock Market crashes
* 1930 – The Tower City Center is dedicated.
* 1931
** Severance Hall dedicated.
** City Manager system reverts to the Mayor/Council form of government.
** Ray T. Miller elected mayor.
* 1932 – Hope Memorial Bridge construction completed.
* 1933
** Harry L. Davis returns as mayor.
** Depression-era unemployment peaks in Cleveland: nearly one-third of the city's citizens are out of work.
** Prohibition is repealed on December 23 – nearly eight months longer than the Eighteenth Amendment.
* 1935
** Harold Hitz Burton elected mayor.
** Eliot Ness becomes Safety Director of Cleveland.
* 1936 – Republican National Convention held in Cleveland.
* 1937
** Cleveland Barons hockey team established.
** Cleveland Arena opens.
** Cleveland Rams begin to play professional football.
** John D. Rockefeller dies.
* 1938
** Cleveland Memorial Shoreway opens between East 9th Street and Gordon Park.
** Clevelander Jesse Owens wins four gold medals at Berlin Olympic Games.
** Great Lakes Exposition opens.
** Cleveland Torso Murderer with up to 20 victims.
* 1939 – Main Avenue Bridge opened.
* 1940 – NACA, forerunner of NASA, established at the Cleveland airport.
* 1941
** Frank Lausche elected mayor.
** Western Reserve Red Cats win the Sun Bowl, the city's first college football bowl game.
* 1942 – Cleveland Bomber Plant (now the I-X Center) opens at Municipal Airport.
* 1944 – Cleveland East Ohio Gas Explosion claims 130 lives.
* 1945
** Thomas A. Burke elected mayor.
** Cleveland Rams win NFL football title then move to Los Angeles.
* 1946
** Cleveland Browns are founded and begin play in All-America Football Conference.
** Cleveland Browns win the All-America Football Conference championship.
* 1947
** Operations begin at the lakefront airport.
** First telecast by WEWS, Ohio's first television station.
** Eliot Ness runs for mayor of Cleveland but is defeated by incumbent Thomas A. Burke.
** Cleveland Browns win the All-America Football Conference championship.
* 1948
** Cleveland Indians win World Series.
** Cleveland Browns win the All-America Football Conference championship.
* 1949
** Cleveland named an All-America City for first time.
** Cleveland Browns win the All-America Football Conference championship.

### 1950s-1990s

* 1950
** Cleveland Browns begin play in National Football League.
** Cleveland Browns win the National Football League championship.
* 1953 – Anthony J. Celebrezze elected mayor.
* 1954
** Last streetcars run.
** Cleveland Browns win the National Football League championship.
* 1955
** Rapid Transit begins operation.
** Cleveland Browns win the National Football League championship.
* 1959 – Boddie Recording Company in business.
* 1960
** Erieview urban renewal plan unveiled.
** Final issue of the Cleveland News published.
* 1961 - Mapp v. Ohio
* 1962
** Ralph S. Locher elected mayor.
** Innerbelt Freeway opens for its full length.
* 1964
** Erieview Tower completed.
** Cleveland State University established.
** Cleveland Browns win the National Football League championship.
* 1965 – WVIZ, an educational television station, begins broadcasting.
* 1966
** Hough Riots
** Cuyahoga Community College opens its Metro Campus.
* 1967
** Carl B. Stokes elected the first African American mayor of a major American city.
** Case Western Reserve University established.
* 1968
** Glenville Shootout
** Terry v. Ohio
* 1969
** A burning oil slick on the Cuyahoga River attracts national attention regarding pollution.
** Euclid Beach Park closes.
* 1970 – Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team organized.
* 1972 – Cleveland Magazine begins publication.
* 1973 – Cleveland Barons play their last hockey game.
* 1974 – Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority established.
* 1976 – desegregation of the Cleveland Public Schools ordered by U.S. District Judge Frank J. Battisti.
* 1977 – Dennis Kucinich elected mayor.
* 1978
** Cleveland is hit by the Great Blizzard of 1978
** 1978 recall election
** December 15, Cleveland becomes the first American city to go into default since the Depression.
* 1979
** George Voinovich elected mayor.
** Cleveland Foodbank established.
* 1980 – presidential debate between candidates Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan held in Cleveland.
* 1981
** Cleveland Public Theatre opened.
** City Council reduced from 33 to 21 members.
** Term of office for mayor and council members increased from two to four years.
* 1982
** Ground broken for the Sohio (BP) Building on Public Square.
** The Cleveland Press ceases publication.
** Cleveland named an All-America City for second time.
* 1984 – Cleveland named an All-America City for third time.
* 1986
** Cleveland named an All-America City for fourth time.
** Cleveland selected as site for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
* 1987 – Cleveland emerges from default.
* 1988 – Cleveland Neighborhood Progress and Case Western Reserve University's Center on Urban Poverty and Social Change established.
* 1989 – Michael R. White elected mayor.
* 1991 – Key Tower "topped off" at 947 ft (289 m).
* 1993 – Cleveland named an All-America City for fifth time.
* 1995
** Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opens.
** Indians win American League championship.
** Bishop Anthony Pilla is elected to the presidency of USCCB
* 1996
** Cleveland celebrates its bicentennial.
** Cleveland rap group Bone Thugs-n-Harmony win a Grammy for "Tha Crossroads"
* 1997 – Cleveland Indians win the American League pennant and return to the World Series.
* 1999 – the new Cleveland Browns Stadium opens with the return of the Cleveland Browns.

## 21st century

* 2001 – Cleveland Barons are revived.
* 2002 – Cleveland citizens elect Jane L. Campbell as the first female mayor of Cleveland.
* 2003 – 2003 North America blackout
* 2004 – vice-presidential candidates Dick Cheney and John Edwards debate at Case Western Reserve University.
* 2005 – Frank G. Jackson is the first sitting city councillor to be elected mayor since Stephen Buhrer in 1867.
* 2006
** Barons leave Cleveland for the second time.
** Cleveland, Columbus, and other Ohio cities argue against a bill passed by the Ohio House legislature that will eliminate residency rules.
* 2007
** Cleveland is hit with a major winter storm in February, leaving 15 inches of snow.
** October 20, Cleveland became the first television market in the United States to have all of its local television stations to broadcast in high definition.
* 2008 – Cuyahoga County federal corruption investigation.
* 2009
** The Ohio Supreme Court upholds the 2006 law prohibiting residency requirements.
** Frank Jackson wins a second term as Mayor of Cleveland.
** November, Ohio Voters open Ohio to casino gambling and Cleveland will have a casino by 2013.
** Cleveland is selected by the International Gay Games committee to host the 2014 Gay Games. Cleveland beat out Boston, Washington DC, and Hamburg Germany.
* 2010 – population: 396,815.
* 2011 – construction begins on the Medical Mart and new convention center, scheduled to open late 2013.
* 2013 – Frank Jackson wins a third term as Mayor of Cleveland against Kenneth Lanci.
* 2014
** Shooting of Tamir Rice
** Hosts the international 2014 Gay Games, also known as Gay Games 9
* 2015 – Chief U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. signs consent decree for the Cleveland Division of Police.
* 2016
** Cleveland Cavaliers win the NBA Championship.
** Lake Erie Monsters win the Calder Cup and then are renamed Cleveland Monsters.
** Republican National Convention held in Cleveland.
** The Cleveland Indians face the Chicago Cubs in the 2016 World Series.
* 2017 – Frank Jackson wins a fourth term as Mayor of Cleveland, becoming the city's longest-serving mayor.
* 2018 – Cleveland's population begins to flatten as Downtown population increases.
* 2019
** The Beacon completed in Downtown Cleveland.
** Cuyahoga River named "River of the Year" by the American Rivers conservation association.
* 2020
** Population: 372,624.
** The COVID-19 pandemic in Ohio begins when Ohio Governor Mike DeWine reports the earliest cases of the virus to be in Cuyahoga County.
** George Floyd protests take place in Cleveland and most major U.S. cities.
** The Lumen tower completed in Downtown Cleveland.
** Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic host the first 2020 U.S. presidential debate at the Health Education Campus (HEC).
* 2021
** 2021 NFL draft held in Cleveland at FirstEnergy Stadium.
** Frank Jackson announces that he will not pursue a fifth term as mayor.
** The Cleveland Indians assume the name the Cleveland Guardians.
** Justin Bibb elected mayor.