Timeline of Cleveland history

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 Cleaveland.

1803

Ohio becomes the 17th State admitted to the Union.

1805

Geauga County created, encompassing Cleaveland.

1808

Lorenzo Carter builds the Zephyr, the first ship to be launched in Cleaveland.

1810

Cuyahoga County organized; Cleaveland selected as county seat.

1813

Oliver Hazard Perry wins the Battle of Lake Erie at Put-in-Bay.

1814

Cleaveland receives its charter as a village. Newburgh Township created.

1815

Alfred Kelley is elected the first president of the village of Cleaveland.

1818

The Cleaveland Gazette and Commercial Register, Cleaveland's first newspaper is published.

1822

A free bridge is opened across the Cuyahoga River.

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.

1842

The Plain Dealer begins publication.

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.

1851

Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad completed.

1852

Alienated American newspaper begins publication.

1853

The Cleveland Theater opens. National Women's Rights Convention held.

1854

Ohio City annexed to Cleveland. The Cleveland Leader begins publication.

1860

Perry Monument on Public Square dedicated.

1861

The American Civil War begins.

1865

The American Civil War ends.

1866

Cleveland Police Department established.

1869

Cleveland Public Library established. Lake View Cemetery opens.

1870

Standard Oil Company in business.

1873

Cleveland Bar Association established. Newburgh annexed to Cleveland.

1875

Euclid Avenue Opera House opens.

1878

Penny Press, predecessor to the Cleveland Press, begins publication.

1880

James A. Garfield, from Cleveland, elected 20th President of the United States.

1881

Garfield lies in state on Public Square after being assassinated, July 2.

1882

Western Reserve College moves to Cleveland. Cleveland School of Art established.

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.

1896

Cleveland celebrates its centennial.

1899

Tom L. Johnson is elected mayor of Cleveland.

1900s-1940s

1901

The Cleveland Blues (predecessor to the Cleveland Indians) 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 City and South Brooklyn annexed to Cleveland.

1908

Collinwood School Fire

1909

Tom L. Johnson loses mayoral race to Hermann Baehr. Corlett Village annexed to Cleveland.

1910

Collinwood annexed to Cleveland.

William Lowe Rice murdered as he walks home from Euclid Golf Club

1911

Tom L. Johnson dies.

1912

Village of Nottingham annexed to Cleveland.

1913

The Great Lakes Storm of 1913 hits Cleveland. Home Rule City Charter approved by Cleveland voters.

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[1] 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.

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 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.

1921

Cleveland Clinic and Playhouse Square established.

1922

Demolition for the Terminal Tower site begins

1923

Federal Reserve bank building 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.

1932

City Manager plan is reversed to the Mayor/Council form of government.

1933

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

Eliot Ness becomes Safety Director of Cleveland. Cleveland Torso Murder mystery begins.

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.

1940

NACA, forerunner of NASA, established at the Cleveland airport.

1941

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

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.

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

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.

1978

Cleveland is hit by the Great Blizzard of 1978 1978 recall election On December 15, Cleveland becomes the first American city to go into default since the Depression.

1979

Greater Cleveland Food Bank established.

1980

Presidential debate between candidates Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan held in Cleveland. Cleveland emerges from default.

1981

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.

1988

Cleveland Neighborhood Progress and Case Western Reserve University's Center on Urban Poverty and Social Change established.

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 council member to be elected mayor of Cleveland 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 in the state.

2007

Cleveland is hit with a major winter storm in February, leaving the city covered with 15 inches of snow. On October 20th, Cleveland became the first television market in the United States to have all of its local television stations to broadcast in high definition.

2009

The Ohio Supreme Court upholds the 2006 law prohibiting residency requirements. Anthony Sowell, a rapist is charged with the murder of 5 women, but Cleveland Police find more bodies bringing the count to 10 even more could be found. This case is making international news from all over the world. Frank Jackson wins a second term as Mayor of Cleveland. 11/3/2009 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

Castro kidnappings discovered.

2014

Hosts the international 2014 Gay Games, also known as Gay Games 9

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.