Cleveland in HDR – The 6th City Collection

Today’s Photo: Welcome to the Ohio Theater!

Standing on the stage of the Ohio Theater and looking out into the seats. Here is what Wikipedia has to say about the Ohio Theater:

“The Ohio Theatre is a theater on Euclid Avenue in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, part of Playhouse Square. The theater was built by Marcus Loew’s Loew’s Ohio Theatres company. It was designed by Thomas W. Lamb in the Italian Renaissance style, and was intended to present legitimate plays. The theater opened on February 14, 1921, with 1,338 seats. The foyer featured three murals depicting the story of Venus, and the balcony contained paintings of Arcadia. Throughout the 1920s, the Ohio had a stock company and hosted traveling Broadway plays.

In 1935, the theater was redecorated in an Art Deco style and transformed into a supper club called the Mayfair Casino. The owners hoped to turn the establishment into an actual casino, but since gambling was not allowed in Ohio, the Mayfair closed in 1936. The Loew’s Theatres chain (then the parent of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer) acquired the building, and in 1943 the Ohio reopened as a movie theater. A 1964 lobby fire damaged the interior, which was painted red to hide the smoke damage. Decreasing patronage caused the theater to close in early February 1969, along with the rest of the Playhouse Square theaters. Twice the Ohio and State Theatres were threatened with razing in order to build a parking lot; in 1972, when the buildings were saved by public outcry, and again in 1977. The Playhouse Square Foundation responded by obtaining a long-term lease for the theaters, and the Loew’s Building was purchased by Cuyahoga County. In 1978, the Ohio was added to the National Register of Historic Places, along with the rest of the Playhouse Square group.

Because of the extent of the building’s fire damage, the Ohio was originally slated to be the last of the group to undergo renovation, but plans were accelerated so that the theater could become the home of the Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival. The $4 million restoration took less than nine months, and on July 9, 1982, the Ohio Theatre became the first Playhouse Square theater to reopen, with 1,000 seats, showing Shakespeare’s As You Like It.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio_Theatre_(Cleveland,_Ohio)

Today’s Quote:

If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. It’s the hard that makes it great – Tom Hanks

Fore more info: http://www.playhousesquare.org/

Today’s Photo: The Old Stone Church

The Old Stone Church on Public Square is one of my favorite buildings to photograph. The staff at the church was kind enough to take me on a tour of the building and I was able to learn a lot about one of Cleveland’s coolest landmarks. (see http://brentdurken.com/inside-the-tower) Here is some more information about the Church from their website:

“The Old Stone Church, long a downtown Cleveland landmark, has a congregation dating back to 1820. Officially known as The First Presbyterian Society, it was founded at a time when Cleveland was just a village of a few hundred people. As Cleveland has grown in size and importance, The Old Stone Church has kept pace, becoming a symbol of spiritual leadership, community involvement and stability in the heart of the city.

The sixteen Christian men and women who met on September 19, 1820, to sign the charter formally establishing the First Presbyterian Church were members of a Bible class which had met for a year under the direction of Elisha Taylor. Among them was Rebecca Carter who with her husband, Lorenzo, had been the first permanent white settlers in Cleveland. A variety of sites, including a one-room schoolhouse and the log courthouse, served as meeting places for the fledgling church. Finally, in 1827, The First Presbyterian Society was incorporated, with the primary purpose of building a permanent home for the congregation.

The first church building was dedicated on February 26, 1834, on the northwest corner of Public Square, the historical center of downtown Cleveland. The building, of Tuscan-style architecture, was built of gray sandstone. It was the first stone church in Cleveland and was known as “The Stone Church.” Later, as the sandstone darkened, the name became The Old Stone Church.

Dedicating the Church was the Rev. John Keep, the last of six home missionaries recruited by the Connecticut Missionary Service for “frontier service” to Congregational and Presbyterian groups. The year following the dedication, the first Pastor, Samuel Aiken, was called. He served more than 25 years, establishing a precedent for exceptionally long pastoral tenure throughout the history of The Old Stone Church.

In 1853, reflecting the rapid growth of Cleveland, the congregation was outgrowing the sanctuary which had been erected just 20 years earlier. A new church, built on the site of the original structure, was dedicated on August 12, 1855. The massive foundation and walls were constructed of sandstone, lined with brick, at a cost of $60,000.

Nineteen months later, on March 7, 1857, a disastrous fire hit The Old Stone Church and spread from the roof to the 250-ft. steeple, which swayed and crashed across Ontario Street. Amasa Stone led the successful struggle to rebuild on the original property, and the renovated church was dedicated on January 17, 1858. Later, galleries and another graceful spire were completed.

During the following twenty-five years many social service organizations were formed by Old Stone members, directed toward moral and social problems. These included the YMCA, the YWCA, Children’s Aid Society, Western Seamen’s Society, Lakeside Hospital, The Goodrich Society, and the first Cleveland medical school.

A Service of Thanksgiving was held at the end of the Civil War, and a new Peace Bell raised in the belfry. As Abraham Lincoln’s funeral cortege stopped at Public Square, people were called to his memorial service at the church by the tolling of the massive bell (now installed in front of the church, facing Public Square).

Old Stone is the only remaining building to have been in existence during the lighting of Public Square with Charles Brush’s arc light in 1879.

The building was struck by another severe fire on January 5, 1884. John Foote, Samuel E. Williamson and Col. John Hay convinced the congregation that the historic site was worth preserving. Work began immediately, with architect Charles Schweinfurth employed to guide the restoration. Mr. Schweinfurth was new to Cleveland and Old Stone’s renovation was the first of many important commercial architectural contributions he was to make to the city.

While Old Stone’s walls required few repairs, the interior needed to be completely reconstructed. The steeple was declared unsafe and removed. The restored church, dedicated on October 19, 1884, is essentially the church you see today. A recent capital campaign resulted in cleaning and repairing the church, re-landscaping, and restoring the steeple. The Sanctuary was also renovated”.

http://www.oldstonechurch.org/

Today’s Quote: What we are is God’s gift to us. What we become is our gift to God. ~Eleanor Powell

Today’s Photo: Cleveland’s Frozen Lighthouse

Today’s photo of the West Pier Lighthouse that’s encased in ice was taken last winter from Whiskey Island.  It reminds me of something out of a Dr. Seuss book. Constructed in 1911, the lighthouse was automated in 1965 and still flashes its beacon to alert ships every five seconds. The original Fresnel lens in now on exhibit at the nearby Great Lakes Science Center.

For more info: http://cleveland.about.com/od/clevelandattractions/ss/lighthouses_7.htm

Today’s Quote: Inside my empty bottle I was constructing a lighthouse while all the others were making ships.- Charles Simic

Today’s Photo: Merry Christmas Cleveland

Given that this is my last blog post of the week I wanted to take this opportunity to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and happy holiday season. This is one of my favorite photos of downtown at night so I thought I would share it with you.

Today’s Quote:

Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childhood days, recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth, and transport the traveler back to his own fireside and quiet home! – Charles Dickens

Today’s Photo: Tower City Christmas

Today’s Photo is of the large Christmas tree located in Tower City Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

Today’s Quote: Christmas is a season for kindling the fire for hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart – Washington Irving

Today’s Photo: The Scary Monkey

Today’s Photo is of a rather scary looking monkey at the Cleveland Zoo. Although it looks like this monkey is ready to attack it is really only yawning.

Today’s Quote:

Democracy is the art and science of running the circus from the monkey cage.- H. L. Mencken

Today’s Photo: Enter the tower

Today’s photo is of the entrance doors of the Terminal Tower. You can see the reflection of the key tower in the glass.

Today’s quote: “It has been my observation that most people get ahead during the time that others waste” – Henry Ford

Today’s Photo: Edgewater Park

Edgewater Park is located on Cleveland’s west side and has beautiful views of the city. This park is divided into upper and lower areas that are connected by a paved bicycle path and fitness course.

For more info on this park:

http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/clevelkf/tabid/721/Default.aspx

Today’s Quote:

“There is no black-and-white situation. It’s all part of life. Highs, lows, middles” -Van Morrison

Today’s Photo: The Haserot Angel

One of Lake View Cemetery’s most famous piece of graveside sculpture has to be the Haserot Angel. The Angel sits over Francis Haserot and his family. The angel is holding a snuffed out torch upside down and because of weathering it appears to be crying. For more information on the Haserot Angel and The Haserot family click here:

http://www.forgottenoh.com/LakeView/haserot.html

Today’s Quote:

“If we do not help a man in trouble, it is as if we caused the trouble.”   Nachman of Bratslav

Today’s Photo: A Leopard

This photo of a Persian leopard was taken this summer at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. This is a pretty cool cat. Here is some more information from the zoo website:

“Persian leopards are more densely haired, with finer hair, and are more cold-tolerant than Panthera pardus of Africa and India. The hind-limbs are larger than the forelimbs to facilitate jumping. Forward-looking eyes allow for depth perception and the ability to isolate and capture prey. The forepaws are equipped with long, retractile claws to grab and hold prey. The rough tongue is designed to peel the skin of the prey animal away from the flesh, and the flesh from the bone. This is a solitary animal, seeking a mate only during the breeding season. They are nocturnal, doing their hunting at night, and rest during the day. Leopards are considered the best stalkers among the big cats. They close in silently, attack swiftly, then usually drag their catch into a tree for safekeeping. They are strong swimmers, but are not as fond of water as the tiger. Their eyesight is keen, and their sense of smell is better developed than that of the tiger. They are territorial, marking primarily with urine or calls. Their roar sounds like a saw rasping on coarse wood. They are good climbers”.

For more info:

http://www.clemetzoo.com/animals/index.asp?action=details&camefrom=alpha&animals_id=1062&strQuery=

Today’s Quote: “A leopard does not change his spots, or change his feeling that spots are rather a credit”. – Ivy Compton-Burnett