News from CSU Special Collections

Poster by Bill Rieter and Tracy Kemp, CSU

The new University Archives room is shaping up on the other side of the library's third floor from Special Collections. When Archives moves into its new home in a few week, the 1,800 square feet of space it now occupies, deep back in the corner of Special Collections, will become available for our use. University Archivist Bill Becker will still be very much a partner with Special Collections programs, as he'll only be the width of the elevator lobby from us.

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The Greater Cleveland History Digital Library Consortium has been conducting a series of subcommittee meetings to create a survey of local history materials on the web and to begin investigating best practices for digitizing materials and creating cataloging standards. We are also conducting a quick review of our agenda, to be sure we aren't neglecting anything else we should be doing, and we very much welcome suggestions. For more information, contact Bill Barrow.

Recent items in the Plain Dealer of local history interest:

• Early in the month (March 8th), PD columnist Tom Feran wrote about attempts by folks at the Western Reserve Historical Society to preserve vanishing sounds of the city, with the release of a CD recording a variety of lost urban sounds. (page E-1)

• Reporter Karen Farkas covered a project at Sill Middle School in Cuyahoga Falls, telling about a student project centering on a horrible train wreck in 1940. The seventh-graders had raised most of a $8,900 goal needed to create a monument commemorating the crash of the Doodlebug train, which killed 43 of its 46 passengers. The dedication of the monument is slated for July 31st. (page B-1)

• Many Clevelanders may not have realized that prolific sci fi author Andre Norton was a woman and a Cleveland native until it was reported in her PD obituary on March 18, 2005. Author of the "Witch World" series and many other novels, Ms. Norton was born Alice Mary Norton in Cleveland on February 17, 1912, and spent most of her life here, including work as a librarian, until moving away in 1966.

• In a March 14th front page story, PD Reporter Rich Exner anticipated the 50th anniversary the following day of the Red Line, the GCRTA rapid transit line connecting Public Square with the Windermere station in East Cleveland (the Windermere Rapid was subsequently extended to the airport on the west).

• Speaking of the GCRTA, we overlooked the sympathetic January 26th review by Steve Litt, of their Euclid Corridor project plans (page E-1). This is a massive project that will greatly impact the historically significant Euclid Avenue through downtown Cleveland and planners hope it will provide an economic stimulus to our former "Millionaire's Row."

• We didn't, however, overlook his recent Plain Dealer column (March 20th, page J-1) about the planning for the Innerbelt Freeway, particularly the choice between rehabilitation the present structure or commissioning a "signature bridge" that would draw more attention to the city. He led off with a criticism of the Ohio Department of Transportation for proposing an ugly new freeway interchange right opposite Gateway, which he feels would spoil the amenities of Jacobs Field and Gund Arena. He complained that ODOT's "primary goal seems to be to push highway traffic through the city, not to strengthen Cleveland economically and make it a better place to live."

• Steve Weinberg reviewed the latest book by Michael Ruhlman, House: A Memoir, just released by Viking's Penguin Group (PD, March 18th, page E-1). The story of his family's trials and rewards rehabilitating an early twentieth century home in Cleveland Heights, House follows another work of local interest by Ruhlman, last year's Walk on Water, about the pediatric heart surgical unit at the Cleveland Clinic. (Note that Ruhlman will be talking about House before the Cleveland Heights Historical Society, on April 13th, details below)

• Another Heights structure that doesn't seem to be slated for loving rehabilitation is the former Case Western Reserve observatory, which sits vacant on Taylor Road. A Michael O'Malley story in the PD on the Easter Sunday front page (March 27th), recounts the attempts of a trio of commercial artists to drum up interest in preserving this old astronomical observatory which was so important to Cleveland's famous industrial duo of Worcester Warner and Ambrose Swasey, 85 years ago.

• Similarly, the old, abandoned Humphrey mansion, surviving from its Euclid Beach Park days, is under pressure to be demolished. According to Olivera Perkins' March 29th article (PD, page B-1), the owner of the mansion and the surrounding trailer park is eyeing the mansion's 20 acre grounds as the site for more homes and wants the Cleveland Landmarks Commission and Cleveland Housing Court to allow them to tear it down.

• Columnist Connie Shultz then did a follow-up piece on the Euclid Beach Mobile Home Park and people's attitudes towards trailer parks (PD, March 31st, page F-1).

• Finally, on the front page of the March 29th issue of the Plain Dealer, Reporter Christopher Montgomery reminded us that it's been fifteen years since Tower City was launched with much fanfare. While the bloom has faded somewhat, the Center remains a viable and important hub for downtown renaissance. Happy Birthday, Tower City! And remember that the 75th birthday of the Terminal Tower is coming this summer.

We should also note that Cleveland Magazine ran a profile of the Rowfant Club, Cleveland's venerable literary club, in this February's issue (page 20). We should also wish a Happy Birthday to the magazine, which turns 33 in April.

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People on the Move

We learned recently that Anne Salsich had left the Western Reserve Historical Society Library last fall and is now employed at Ursuline College's library, as a cataloger*. There she joins Brian Craig, who made the same move in September. Both are, or have been active in the Greater Cleveland History Digital Library Consortium.

Speaking of catalogers at the WRHS Library, we were sorry to hear that long-time cataloger Marian Sweton took a fall on the ice this winter and broke both wrists! It is very difficult to accomplish anything with both hands in casts and she gets our full sympathy and wishes for a complete recovery.

The ice also laid low Stephen Titchenal, the Program Specialist for Technology at the Cleveland Hts University Hts. school system, who's also involved with our digital library consortium. End-of-season "black ice" accounted for a broken ankle and some unexpected time off.

Joining the library at Case Western Reserve University recently are Amy Vander Schrier and Brian Gray. Amy will be Manager of their GIS Systems and Numeric Data Services, while Brian, who was recently in the library program at Kent State, will be their Engineering subject librarian.

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Did You Know?

The Ohio Historical Society, in cooperation with more than 300 Ohio libraries, museums, historical societies, and archives, used the occasion of the state's bicentennial to create a database that will continue to grow in size and to engage Ohioans. The Ohio Memory Online Scrapbook brings historical treasures in all corners of the state together into a huge searchable database that provides access to the state's heritage and involves its citizens in building the scrapbook.

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Recent Books, Current Exhibits, etc.

	Herbert E. Strawbridge. Remembering Higbee's. Western Reserve Historical Society Publication No. 192. 2004. These are the long-awaited reminiscences of Herbert E. Strawbridge, former President of Higbee Company department store in the Cleveland Union Terminal group and a tireless champion of Cleveland during its darkest hours. The book was published in a limited edition, with a Western Reserve Historical Society number, but none are currently available for sale. We hope that will be changed, if enough people want copies.
Cleveland State University Library. Fenn College. Arcadia Publishing. 2005. The publisher says "Cleveland State University Library used its own impressive resources to document and celebrate Fenn College’s esteemed history. Rare photographs and accompanying text commemorate Fenn’s students, faculty, and administration and their many accomplishments over more than 40 years." This book was created by William G. Becker, Cleveland State University Archivist.

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This Month in History

1865 - A wake for President Lincoln was held in Public Square when his funeral train paused in Cleveland, carrying the slain president's body home to Illinois. (4/28)

1879 - Local inventor Charles F. Brush turns on his new arc light, bringing daylight to Public Square. The Brush Electric Company later became one of the components of General Electric when it was formed. (4/29)

1905 - The New York Central Railroad began construction in April of the Cleveland Short Line, a double-tracked "belt line" that skirted the central city, connected with all the major railroads coming into town, and opened new areas for industrial expansion. This was one of those unglamerous infrastructure measures taken to insure that congestions and bottlenecks didn't stifle the city's growth and it was heavily promoted by W.F. Hopkins.100th Anniversary

1922 - Dedication ceremonies for the new Public Auditorium, the fourth building in the Group Plan of Public Buildings, now called The Mall. A thoroughly modern facility in its day, it is deemed antiquated today and we cannot wait to replace or rebuild it. (4/15)

1945 - Arthur "Mickey" McBride incorporates the Cleveland Browns. (4/20) 60th Anniversary [Do we have any Press shots of McBride and the event?]

1960 - In addition to being Frank Robinson's debut as the Cleveland Indians' manager (see "Endnotes," below), this month marks the 45th anniversary of Frank "Trader" Lane's shocking move of sending Rocky Colavito to the Detroit Tigers, thus starting the Curse of the Rock. (4/17) 45th Anniversary

1972 - Cleveland Magazine begins publication. (4/5)

1980 - Funeral for Louis B. Seltzer, dynamic, long-time and powerful editor of the Cleveland Press. (4/5)

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April Calendar

Saturday, April 2nd, 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.
The Cleveland Restoration Society is having "A Conversation with Stanly Lowe," from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Saturday, April 10th
The Bedford Historical Society's "A Tour of Historical Centers in Old Bedford Township", which is a part of their Museum's 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Wednesday, April 13th, 7:00 p.m.
The Cleveland Heights Historical Society and the City of Cleveland Heights Landmark Commission are hosting a talk by Michael Ruhlman, acclaimed author and Cleveland Heights resident, who will discuss his new book HOUSE: A Memoir, at the Cleveland Heights Historical Center - Superior Schoolhouse (corner of Euclid Hts. Blvd. & Superior Rd.). For more information, contact (216) 291-4878. Free, but limited seating

Saturday, April 23rd, 1:00 p.m. The Northern Ohio Chapter of the Society for Industrial Archeology and the Northern Ohio Bibliophilic Society are co-sponsoring a luncheon lecture by David Brown, author of White Hurricane : A Great Lakes November Gale and America's Deadliest Maritime Disaster. reviews For reservations, contact Nancy Hachtel, at nanwm@sbcglobal.net, or (440) 951-6069.

IF YOU HAVE CALENDAR OR NEWS ITEMS FOR MAY, PLEASE LET US KNOW

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Endnotes

(from the Cleveland Press Collection Paul Tepley, photographer)

With the coming of Opening Day for the Cleveland Indians, we're reminded that we're also celebrating the 30th anniversary of Frank Robinson taking the field as Major League Baseball's first black manager. He said at his first press conference in 1974: "If I had one wish in the world today, it would be that Jackie Robinson could be here to see this happen." On the other hand, he also is quoted as saying "It's nice to come into a town and be referred to as the manager of the Cleveland Indians instead of as the first black manager." Here he is greeted at the plate by John Lowenstein, following his debut home run, on April 8, 1975.

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^*ERRATA:
One of the potential pitfalls of electronic publishing is that with the click of the mouse, one can disseminate information that hasn't been properly reviewed for error. I did that here, having "graduated" Anne Salsich to cataloger status, when she's still in the library school program at Kent State and employed at Urusline as their part-time College Archivist. I apologize for this deadline-pressured mistake in the version that was emailed. -- Bill Barrow

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News from Cleveland Memory is a monthly e-newsletter to announce new on-line products in our Cleveland Memory Project, (www.ClevelandMemory.org) and to share other news about events and people relevant to local history and resources in the Western Reserve region of northeastern Ohio. A largely extracurricular effort, NCM goes out free to a list of approximately 1,000 librarians, historians, educators, media professionals and members of the general public. You may subscribe below for free. As always, we thank the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History for allowing us to link to their articles, where relevant.

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