Cleveland Chronology

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1796
Jul 22Moses Cleaveland and survey party arrive at the site of modern Cleveland. (XDG, p 4A, 7/22/2000)Ref: 83
1814
Dec 23Village of Cleaveland is chartered. 
1818
Jul 31Cleveland's first newspaper, the Cleaveland Gazette and Commercial Register, is published. 
1819
Oct 19The Cleveland Herald and Gazette publishes its first issue. 
1827
Jul 04Ohio and Erie Canal opens between Akron and Cleveland. 
1842
Jan 07Cleveland's Plain Dealer begins publication. 
1847
Apr 23A Catholic Diocese is created in Cleveland. 
1848
Oct 22The cornerstone for St. John's Cathedral in Cleveland is laid. 
1854
Jun 05Cleveland and Ohio City merge. 
Jul 25Cleveland's first formal opera, Lucia di Lammermoor, is performed. 
1863
Jul 01First home delivery of mail takes place in Cleveland. 
1868
Sep 06First "blow" of Bessemer Steel made at the Cleveland Rolling Mills. 
1870
Feb 03The Sherwin-Williams Co. is founded in Cleveland.Ref: 10
1871
Oct 15The Cleveland Sunday Times, the first successful Sunday paper, is published. 
1879
Apr 29Electric arc lights were used for the first time -- in Cleveland, OH.Ref: 4
May 3092º F highest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland OH in May.Ref: 5
1882
Nov 13The Cleveland School of Art is established. 
1884
Jul 26First electric streetcar run in Cleveland. 
1886
Sep 06St. Ignatius College opens in Cleveland. 
1889
Jul 05The 1st edition of the Hebrew Observer published in Cleveland. 
Aug 29The Cleveland World begins publication. 
1893
Apr 05Cleveland passes Park Act (forerunner of Metroparks).Ref: 5
Apr 26First Cleveland Board of Park Commissioners forms.Ref: 5
1909
Jun 07Cleveland Industrial Exposition opens.Ref: 5
1910
Mar 2483ºF highest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland in March.Ref: 5
1913
Mar 15Cleveland establishes the first small claims court.Ref: 5
Sep 10Cleveland Call & Post established.Ref: 5
1914
Aug 05Euclid Avenue and East 105th Street in Cleveland, Ohio became the first intersection in the US to be equipped with an electric traffic light. The lighting ceremony occurred on this day.Ref: 4
1916
Jul 25Explosion at Lake Erie & Cleveland Waterworks.Ref: 5
1918
Dec 11First concert of the Cleveland Orchestra. 
1919
Apr 07First parcel of land is purchased for Cleveland Metroparks.Ref: 5
1921
May 05First ranger for Cleveland Metroparks hired.Ref: 5
1922
Feb 21WHK-AM in Cleveland OH begins radio transmissions.Ref: 5
Nov 06Cleveland's Palace Theater opens. 
1926
Dec 02The first aluminum streetcars were put in service in Cleveland, Ohio.Ref: 4
1929
May 09WJW-AM in Cleveland OH begins radio transmissions.Ref: 5
May 15Fire in X-ray film stock kills 125 at Crile Clinic (Cleveland OH).Ref: 5
1930
Jan 26Cleveland's Terminal Tower opens (52 stories).Ref: 5
1932
Feb 1173ºF highest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland in February.Ref: 5
1939
Dec 07William Walton's violinist concert premieres in Cleveland.Ref: 5
1944
Oct 20East Ohio Gas Explosion claims 130 lives. 30 blocks of Cleveland OH burn. (TWA, 1997)Ref: 95
1947
Dec 17WEWS TV channel 5 in Cleveland OH (ABC) begins broadcasting.Ref: 5
1949
Dec 19WJW TV channel 8 in Cleveland OH (CBS) begins broadcasting.Ref: 5
1950
Jan 2573ºF (23ºC) highest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland in January.Ref: 5
1954
Jan 24The last streetcars run in Cleveland. 
1956
Feb 13KYW-AM in Philadelphia PA gives calls to WTAM (now WWWE) Cleveland.Ref: 5
May 13Pachyderm Building at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo opens.Ref: 5
1959
May 21Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Children's Petting Farm opens.Ref: 5
1960
Jan 23The final issue of the Cleveland News is published. 
1962
Apr 25Lion & Tiger Veldt at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is dedicated.Ref: 5
1964
Apr 0110ºF lowest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland OH in April.Ref: 5
Dec 18Cleveland State University is established. 
1965
Jun 19KYW-AM in Cleveland Ohio returns call letters to Philadelphia.Ref: 5
1966
May 1025ºF lowest temperature ever recorded in Cleveland in May.Ref: 5
Dec 31Toboggan Chutes begin operation in Cleveland Metroparks.Ref: 5
1967
Nov 13Carl B Stokes sworn-in as first major city black mayor (Cleveland Oh).Ref: 5
1968
Jan 19WKBF TV channel 61 in Cleveland OH (IND) begins broadcasting.Ref: 5
1969
Jun 22A burning oil slick on the Cuyahoga River attracts national attention. 
1974
Dec 30Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority is established. 
1978
Dec 16Cleveland becomes the first U.S. city to default since the depression.Ref: 2
1979
Feb 22Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's Primate & Cat Building is dedicated.Ref: 5
1981
Oct 29William O Walker publisher of the Cleveland Call Post, dies at 85.Ref: 5
Dec 28Cleveland Metroparks Administrative offices move from downtown to Zoo.Ref: 5
1982
Jun 17The last issue of the Cleveland Press is published. 
1985
Jun 11WJW-AM/TV in Cleveland Ohio change call letters to WRMR.Ref: 5
Jul 22Bruce Springsteen became the hottest ticket in the rock concert biz as 70,000 Cleveland fans lined up (in less than three hours) to grab tickets to see the ‘Boss’.Ref: 4
1986
May 05Hall of Fame & Museum announced to be built in Cleveland.Ref: 5
1990
May 08Cuyahoga County voters approve sin tax to build Cleveland GatewayRef: 2
1992
Jan 12Last building in Gateway area in Cleveland is demolished.Ref: 5
1993
Apr 05Construction begins on Cleveland's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.Ref: 5
1994
Jan 19-20ºF (-29ºC) (5 32 AM) coldest day ever recorded in Cleveland OH.Ref: 5
May 18Tropical Butterfly Garden at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo opensRef: 5
2003
Apr 23The Xenia Daily Gazette reports on page 23 that DNA evidence sent to Eliot Ness (Cleveland's Safety Directory in the mid-1930s) will provide clues to solve the "Torso Murders" that terrorized Cleveland from 1934 to 1938. (XDG, p 23, 4/23/2003)Ref: 83
Last Update: October 27th, 2005
© 2000-2005   Kenneth Fussichen