Cleveland Heights, Ohio

Cleveland Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States, and an inner-ring suburb of Cleveland.   The city's population was 46,238 at the 2010 census.  As of the 2010 census, Cleveland Heights was ranked the 8th largest city by population in the Greater Cleveland metropolitan area and ranked 20th in Ohio.  It was founded as a village in 1903 and a city in 1921. 

History

The area that is now Cleveland Heights was settled later than most of Cuyahoga County.   The first road through what is today the city, Mayfield Road, was not built until 1828.   Some of the land was divided into farms, but It also had quarries in the 19th century.   One of the early quarries was established by Duncan McFarland who mined bluestone.   This led to the settlement that grew up around the quarry for the workers to live in to be referred to as Bluestone.   There is still a road of this name in that area. 

In 1873 John D. Rockefeller acquired about 700 acres in what is now the cities of East Cleveland and Cleveland, with the mansion itself in East Cleveland.    Eventually some of the land, straddling both suburbs, was turned into residential developments and, in 1938, the family donated land which is now Forest Hill Park.   There had been quarries within what is today Forest Hill Park previous to Rockefeller donating it to the city. 

Rockefeller was not the only affluent Clevelander to come to what is now Cleveland Heights.   The Euclid Heights development was created by Patrick Calhoun starting in 1892.   It was centered around the Euclid Golf Course and began at the Cleveland city line, covering the area between Mayfield and Cedar roads as far east as Coventry Road.   There was a streetcar line from this location running to the center of Cleveland's business district. 

In 1898 Marcus M. Brown began the development of Mayfield Heights along the south side of Mayfield Road and east of the current Coventry Road - taking advantage of the Mayfield Road streetcar.   Brown had purchased this land from Emil Preyer and his sister Mary Preyer Hellwig.   Emil was operator of a cedar mill. 

By the end of 1899 the streetcar reached out along Mayfield Road to the old village of Fairmount.   In 1903 the village of Cleveland Heights was incorporated.   In 1910 Cleveland Heights had a population about 5,000 people.   It had a population of 15,396 in 1920 and was incorporated as a city on August 9, 1921.   By 1960 it had a population of 61,813. 

Geography

Cleveland Heights is located at  (41.509652, -81.563301). 

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which  is land and  is water.   Cleveland Heights is mostly within the Dugway Brook Watershed. 

Environment

In 1987, the city of Cleveland Heights was declared a nuclear-free zone. 

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 46,238 people, 19,957 households, and 10,834 families residing in the city.  The population density was .  There were 22,465 housing units at an average density of .  The racial makeup of the city was 49.8% White, 42.5% African American, 0.2% Native American, 4.1% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races.  Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population. 

There were 19,957 households of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% were married couples living together, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.7% were non-families.  36.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 3.05. 

The median age in the city was 35.8 years.  22.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.9% were from 25 to 44; 25.9% were from 45 to 64; and 13.5% were 65 years of age or older.  The gender makeup of the city was 46.6% male and 53.4% female. 

The median income for a household in the city was $53,024.  The per capita income for the city was $31,663.  About 19.3% of individuals were below the poverty line. 

Politics and government
Cleveland Heights is governed by a city charter adopted in 1921 and amended in 1972, 1982, and 1986.  The charter specifies a council–manager form of government, with seven members of council elected to four-year terms.  Three councilmen are elected one year before a presidential election, and three one year after a presidential election.  All are elected using plurality at-large non-partisan voting.  The mayor is elected by council from among its members and has additional duties including parliamentary and ceremonial responsibilities. 

Cleveland Heights is reliably Democratic.  Six of the seven current members of Council are Democrats.  In the 2008 presidential election, Barack Obama defeated John McCain 84.2%-15.0% while winning the state, while in the 2004 presidential election, John Kerry defeated George W. Bush 80.8%-18.8% in the city but was unable to win the state.  In 2012, every precinct in the city was carried by Barack Obama.  All of Cleveland Heights is in the 11th congressional district, a seat currently held by Marcia Fudge, elected in a special election following the death of Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones.  In 2003, voters supported a referendum to establish a domestic partnership registry; Cleveland Heights was the first Ohio city to establish one. 

The current city council is composed of Mayor Jason S. Stein, Vice Mayor Kahlil Seren, Mary Dunbar, Melody Joy Hart, Davida Russell, Michael Ungar, and Melissa Yasinow. 

Education

Public education in the city of Cleveland Heights is provided by two school districts.  Most of the city is served by the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District, while a small portion located on the northwest side of the city lies within the East Cleveland City School District. 

Several private schools are located within the city, including Beaumont School, Lutheran High School East, Horizon Montessori, Ruffing Montessori, Hebrew Academy of Cleveland, Saint Ann School, Mosdos Ohr Hatorah, and Yeshiva of Cleveland. 

Notable people

 Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, diplomat
 Albert Ayler, jazz musician
 Hector Boiardi, A.K.A. Chef Boy-Ar-Dee; started his business in the early 1930s while living in Cleveland Heights. 
 Timothy Broglio, Archbishop for the Military Services, USA. 
 Eric Coble, playwright
 Eric Fingerhut, former congressman; president/CEO of Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life
 Margaret Hamilton, actress
 Herman Goldner, mayor of St. Petersburg, Florida, 1961–67 and 1971–73; reared in Cleveland Heights
 Joel Grey, Tony and Oscar winning actor
 Dave Hill (comedian), Comedian, radio host, and musician
 Diana Hyland, actress
 Darrell Issa, congressman (CA-49)
 Barry Cofield, NFL player
 Bill Kennedy, actor, television personality
 Ron Klein, former congressman from Florida, attorney
 Michael Krasny, English professor and talk show host
 Steve LaTourette, former congressman; president/CEO of Republican Main Street Partnership
 Clea Lewis, actress and singer
 Dean Martin, singer, actor
 Harvey Pekar, author, graphic novelist, jazz critic
 Michael Ruhlman, author, cook, entrepreneur
 Viktor Schreckengost, industrial designer, artist
 Justine Siegal, baseball coach
 Dr. Benjamin Spock, pediatrician, anti-Vietnam War activist
 Ivan Stang, film maker, publisher, broadcaster
Robert D. Storey, philanthropist and corporate director
 Debra Winger, actress
 Sean Young, actress
 Jason Kelce, NFL player, Philadelphia Eagles
 Travis Kelce, NFL player, Kansas City Chiefs
Jack Stratton, Vulfpeck Band Leader

See also

 Forest Hill, Ohio

References

External links

Surrounding communities

Category:Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Category:Cities in Ohio
Category:Cities in Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Category:Cleveland metropolitan area
Category:Jewish communities in the United States
Category:Nuclear-free zones in the United States
Category:Populated places established in 1828
Category:Russian-American culture in Ohio