Mar 16 2016

Sunset on the Cuyahoga River

Brent

Burning River

Info on the Cuyahoga River from Wikipedia: “The Cuyahoga River is famous for being “the river that caught fire,” helping to spur the environmental movement in the late 1960s. The name “Cuyahoga” is believed to mean “crooked river” from the Mohawk Indian name “Cayagaga,” although the Senecas called it “Cuyohaga,” or “place of the jawbone.” At least 13 fires have been reported on the Cuyahoga River, the first occurring in 1868. The largest river fire in 1952 caused over $1 million in damage to boats, a bridge, and a riverfront office building. On June 22, 1969, a river fire captured the attention of Time magazine, which described the Cuyahoga as the river that “oozes rather than flows”.

The 1969 Cuyahoga River fire helped spur an avalanche of water pollution control activities, resulting in the Clean Water Act, Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, and the creation of the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA). As a result, large point sources of pollution on the Cuyahoga have received significant attention from the OEPA in recent decades. These events are referred to in Randy Newman’s 1972 song “Burn On,” R.E.M.’s 1986 song “Cuyahoga,” and Adam Again’s 1992 song “River on Fire.” Great Lakes Brewing Company of Cleveland named its Burning River Pale Ale after the event. Water quality has greatly improved and, partially in recognition of this improvement, the Cuyahoga was designated one of 14 American Heritage Rivers in 1998″.

More info:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuyahoga_River

All photos are copyright of  Brent Durken – www.brentdurken.com

To purchase a digital download of this photo for your website or blog please visit: https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-zRG6xB/

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Mar 9 2016

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland

Brent

 

Rock and roll Hall of fame clevelandThe Rock and Roll hall of Fame has become one of Cleveland’s most recognizable landmarks and a must see for out of town visitors. Here is a little information about the history of the Rock hall from the official website:

More than 25 years ago, leaders in the music industry joined together to establish the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation in New York City to celebrate the music and musicians that changed the world. With that, one of the Foundation’s many functions is to recognize the contributions of those who have had a significant impact on the evolution, development and perpetuation of rock and roll by inducting them into the Hall of Fame.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opened its doors in 1995 on the shores of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that exists to engage, teach and inspire through the power of rock and roll. It carries out this mission through its operation of a world-class museum that collects, preserves, exhibits and interprets this art form and through its library and archives as well as its educational programs.

Officials from Cleveland and the state of Ohio approached the Foundation in 1985 and suggested the construction of a major museum. “We originally planned to purchase a brownstone in New York City in which to house the Hall of Fame, as well as an archive, library and museum,” said Suzan Evans. In November, the city sent a delegation to New York.

“They had these wonderful diagrams for a museum that would be much larger than any town house we had originally thought of,” said Evans. “Our eyebrows were raised, and somebody at the meeting actually passed me a note that said, ‘Pack your bags.’”

As the Foundation considered the offer, several other cities, including New York, Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Francisco, Memphis and Chicago, also made offers. The board members visited each city and were greeted with police escorts, public rallies and marching bands.

The first induction dinner was held at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in January 1986. Inductees include Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley and Little Richard. Robert Johnson, Jimmie Rodgers and Jimmy Yancey were honored as early influences. The first non-performers honored were producer Sam Phillips and disc jockey Alan Freed. Talent scout/producer John Hammond was recognized with a Lifetime Achievement award.

Meanwhile, Cleveland ranked first in a public poll conducted by USA Today asking where the Hall of Fame should be located. After much competition and many visits to potential sites by Foundation members, Cleveland is chosen as the permanent home for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in May of 1986.

Following an extensive search throughout 1987, world-renowned architect I.M. Pei was chosen to design the Museum. Pei had a lot of learning to do. “I didn’t know a thing about rock and roll,” he confessed.

Not to be discouraged the board members took Pei on trips to Memphis and New Orleans and to concerts in New York. “We heard a lot of music, and I finally got it: rock and roll is about energy,” said Pei. He accepted the challenge of designing the world’s first museum dedicated to rock and roll.

On June 7, 1993, ground was broken for the Museum in Cleveland. On hand were I.M. Pei and various board members, including Ahmet Ertegun, Suzan Evans and Jann Wenner. Inductees and other artists present at the ceremony included Pete Townshend, Chuck Berry, Billy Joel, Sam Phillips, Ruth Brown, Sam Moore of Sam and Dave, Carl Gardner of the Coasters and Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum.

Townshend made one of the museum’s significant donations on this occasion – the Gibson J-200 guitar used to compose Tommy, including the classic “Pinball Wizard.”

A year later, under a hot summer sun and Ruby, a larger-than-life inflatable from the Rolling Stones’ Steel Wheels tour, the Museum was topped off with the last steel beam in its structure. First-year inductee Jerry Lee Lewis, as well as several Cleveland musicians, performed for a crowd that includes Pei, Wenner, Evans and Ertegun.

On October 13, 1994, Yoko Ono presented a major collection of John Lennon artifacts to the Museum. The collection included lyrics, Lennon’s guitar from the 1965 Beatles concert at Shea Stadium, a pair of eyeglasses and the leather jacket Lennon wore while in Hamburg.

In September of 1995 and after 12 years in the making, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opened with a full schedule of events.

On the first day, September 1, the celebration began with a playful parade through the streets of Cleveland, followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of the Museum. Present for the ceremony were Pei, Ertegun, Wenner, Evans, Ohio Governor George Voinovich, Cleveland Mayor Michael White, Little Richard and Yoko Ono, as well as press from around the world. A gala private dinner attended by board members, celebrities and many Cleveland residents ended the evening in grand style.

The Museum officially opened to the public on Saturday, September 2, which kicked off with a ceremony presenting the Ahmet M. Ertegun Exhibition Hall, the Museum’s main exhibit space named in recognition of the founder of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The evening culminated with a benefit concert at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. An incredible roster of the rock and roll greats performed– Chuck Berry, Bob Dylan, Al Green, Jerry Lee Lewis, Aretha Franklin, Johnny Cash, the Pretenders, John Fogerty, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, George Clinton, the Kinks, John Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, Booker T. and the MGs, Eric Burdon and Martha Reeves.

Since the Museum’s opening, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum has welcomed nearly eight million visitors from around the world and reaches more than 50,000 students and educators each year through its education programs on site and at great distances.

– Take a moment to find out more about this cool museum: http://www.rockhall.com/

All photos are copyright of  Brent Durken – www.brentdurken.com

To purchase a digital download of this photo for your website or blog please visit: https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-zRG6xB/

Purchase a print of this photo: Brent Durken Print Sales

http://brent-durken.pixels.com/


Feb 3 2016

Flats East Bank

Brent

Flats East Bank Cleveland

The Flats East Bank Project is quickly becoming a hotspot along the river in Downtown Cleveland. Here is some more information about this project from the Flats East Bank website: Flats East Bank redevelopment is a partnership between The Wolstein Group and Fairmount Properties driving $750 million in waterfront redevelopment with an 18 story office tower, trendy hotel, state of the art fitness club, and a range of local restaurants.  Fall 2015 marked the completion of Phase II with even more amenities to the growing riverfront district as it added 241 unit high-end residential, restaurants, entertainment venues, and extensive riverfront boardwalk. The late Bert L. Wolstein and his wife, Iris S. Wolstein, started Developers Diversified Realty, which grew into a successful national real estate development company. They later opened Heritage Development. Bert and Iris have long been generous to Cleveland – having donated more than $40 million to local hospitals, colleges and other institutions. Mr. Wolstein worked for more than 25 years to transform the rundown Flats East Bank into a first-class, vibrant, accessible riverfront. After he passed, Iris, along with her son Scott, executive chairman at Developers Diversified Realty, as partners in The Wolstein Group, continued to pursue Bert’s vision. In 2005, after they rigorously worked with multiple parties to assemble land and financing, Iris and Scott unveiled their ambitious plans for this landmark development and even after the project was precipitously slowed by the Great Recession, Iris remained determined to see the development occur. The future of The Flats East Bank is looking very bright. “This isn’t just another entertainment district – it’s a catalytic neighborhood that’s going to place this city on the map as an urban waterfront destination,” Scott Wolstein said of the revitalization of the area. “The redevelopment of the Flats East Bank was my father’s dream but he never got to see it materialize. We knew the potential was vast, but now to see the blood, sweat and tears of the last few decades come to fruition is very gratifying,” said Scott. Driving more people to live, work and play, downtown, will only benefit the city.  “I want Greater Clevelanders to be excited about this project and what it means for the future of Cleveland.”

For more information on the Flats East Bank please visit: http://www.flatseastbank.com/

All photos are copyright of  Brent Durken – www.brentdurken.com

To purchase a digital download of this photo for your website or blog please visit: https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-zRG6xB/

Purchase a print of this photo: Brent Durken Print Sales

http://brent-durken.pixels.com/


May 15 2013

Mapleside Farms in Brunswick

Brent

 

mapleside Farms brunswick

From the Mapleside Farms website: “Mapleside Farms is a 100-acre fully functioning apple orchard located in Brunswick, OH. Mapleside Farms has long been a destination for families and friends to get together to enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal, fresh homegrown produce, piping hot home baked pies and an amazing view of the Northeast Ohio countryside. It’s the kind of place where children who once came to Mapleside with their grandparents now bring their own grandchildren to share the same traditions”.

Check them out at http://www.mapleside.com/index.php

Today’s Quote:

“Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men”. – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


Mar 9 2013

Shipping on the Cuyahoga River

Brent

cuyahoga river

“The Cuyahoga River was a retreat from the last glaciers ever seen in the United States. It is called an “infant glacial river”, because it is young compared to all of the other rivers formed by glaciers. The river was formed about 13,000 years ago, but the Cuyahoga Valley has been there even longer. The Cuyahoga River also had a great influence on the Native Americans. The Native Americans named it “Cuyahoga” meaning “crooked river”. The Cuyahoga River also had a great influence on the Native Americans. They came as early as 200 B.C. to the Northeastern part of what is now the Ohio Valley. The Indians used the river mainly for food and transportation. They built canoes and fished along the river. The river had an abundant supply of fish as well as plants. Also, large game settled near the river. These resources made it very easy for the Native Americans to live. As the War of 1812 ended, Western settlers displaced the Indians off the Cuyahoga Valley. The Cuyahoga River was becoming a place which was rich and plentiful. Moses Cleveland founded the township of Euclid at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River in 1796. Benjamin Franklin and George Washington thought that the Northern part of what is now the Ohio would be of great importance. They knew that the Cuyahoga was the prime spot for the continental divide passing directly through and for the mouth coming out at the Lake Erie”.

For more info:

http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/k-12/fenlewis/History.html

Today’s Quote: Concentration is my motto – first honesty, then industry, then concentration. – Andrew Carnegie


Jan 19 2013

Clevelands Wade Park

Brent

Cleveland wade Lagoon

Today’s Photo: Wade Park in Cleveland, Oh

From Wikipedia: “Wade Park is a park in the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. An idyllic swath of land in one of Cleveland’s busiest neighborhoods, the park was built on land donated by Jeptha Wade with the intention of using part of the property building for an art museum. Its most prominent feature is the Cleveland Museum of Art and the adjacent Wade Park Lagoon. While not technically a historical landmark on its own, the park falls within the eponymous Wade Park historical district and essentially serves the landscape for most of the buildings included in the registry entry.

Established on the land donated to the city by Jeptha Wade in 1882, Wade Park today largely serves as a museum campus for the Cleveland Museum of Art, as well as several other Cleveland cultural institutions. One of the most prominent features of the park — and of University Circle — is the Wade Lagoon. The lagoon is situated on the south end of Wade Park, in front of the museum. Bounded by East Boulevard on the west, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive on the east and Euclid Avenue on the south, the lagoon provides a tranquil retreat as well as a home for fish, which are mainly ornamental koi.”

For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wade_Park_(Cleveland_park)

Today’s Quote: “Light makes photography. Embrace it. Admire it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know photography.” – George Eastman


Dec 31 2012

Fountain of Waters

Brent

 

"Fountain of Waters" by Chester Beach 

“Fountain of Waters” by Chester Beach in the Cleveland Museum of Art Fine Arts Garden

From the Cleveland museum of Art website : ” I know of no other example of landscape art as beautiful as this where such a large part of the population pass daily and enjoy it.” Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., of the Olmsted Brothers landscape architecture firm, is of course referring to the Fine Arts Garden. The garden fills the approach to the Cleveland Museum of Art from Euclid Avenue, and is bordered on the east and west by East Boulevard and Martin Luther King Boulevard, respectively. The Fine Arts Garden was formally presented to the city of Cleveland by the Garden Club at a dedication ceremony on July 23, 1928.

The Cleveland Museum of Art was built on land donated by industrialist Jeptha Homer Wade II. This land is located in Wade Park, which was donated to the city in the nineteenth century by Wade’s grandfather, Jeptha Homer Wade I. Prior to the construction of the museum, Wade Park was a popular recreation area that included a lake for boating and skating, walking paths, and picnic areas.

Construction of the museum decimated the landscape surrounding the building. For several years after the museum opened in 1916 the park was minimally maintained by the city. The unsightly bit of land between the museum and Euclid Avenue was the subject of much criticism during this time. In 1923 the Garden Club of Cleveland, whose library was housed at the art museum, appointed a committee to study the problem of beautifying the area.

Through various fund raisers garden club members were able to hire the firm of landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, the designer of Central Park in New York City, to design the Fine Arts Garden. These images represent the firm’s vision for the Fine Arts Garden.

In addition, members of the club, the art museum, and community at large donated funds to commission artist Chester Beach to sculpt the “Fountain of Waters” and signs of the zodiac statues. Funds also were donated for the purchase of marble benches, terraces, and other pieces of statuary for the garden. All of the funds to establish the garden, over $400,000, came from private donations. Maintenance of the garden is funded through an endowment established by Mrs. John Sherwin, president of the Garden Club at the time the garden was planned.

The Museum Archives houses records related to the planning and construction of the Fine Arts Garden including records of the Fine Arts Garden Commission, records from the Olmsted Brothers firm, planting plans and blueprints, and photographs. For more information, see the Records of Fine Arts Garden finding aid.”

For more info: www.clevelandart.org/collection-focus-article/fine-arts-garden

Today’s Quote: The best thing about the future is that it comes only one day at a time.” – Abraham Lincoln


Dec 29 2012

The Alta House

Brent

Alta House Cleveland

Today’s Cleveland photo is of the Alta House. Here is some of the history of the Alta House from their website:

The Alta House Social Settlement, founded in 1895 by John D. Rockefeller, began as a support organization for Italian immigrants to the Mayfield-Murray Hill area, known today as Little Italy, of Cleveland, OH. The Alta House initially provided a nursery and kindergarten for the community, adding a library, youth campus and playground in the early 1920s. The goal was to provide services to families in the area, giving the youth of the community a place to learn and socialize while their parents worked.

By 1970, many renovations had taken place including addition of a banquet room, kitchen facilities, lounge area, lobby and preschool. In the 1980s, as the Little Italy population grew older, the Alta House expanded its Elderly Services Program that included: Meals-On-Wheels, homemaking support, transportation, shopping and field trips. In the 1990s, the Alta House focused on diversifying funding, community outreach and program expansion beyond Little Italy into the greater Cleveland area. These expansions included comprehensive senior services, youth services, community services and recreational programs.

In 2000, the Alta House created a five-year, organizational plan. The Alta House dedicated itself to be an established leader, partner and advocate among community organizations, and provide high quality programs to all community members.

Today, the Alta House continues its commitment toward social, educational, recreational and supportive services and development, for all ages, in the greater Cleveland area.

For more info please visit: http://www.altahouse.org/index.html

Today’s Quote: “If your only goal is to become rich, you will never achieve it”. – John D. Rockefeller


Dec 22 2012

University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center

Brent

university hospitals seidman cancer center

The History of UH Cancer Program from its website: University Hospitals has had a renowned cancer program throughout its history. Since the 1940s when it was part of Cleveland Cancer Consortium, UH has contributed major clinical and scientific cancer treatment advancements. In 1981, the UH cancer program received substantial support from the State of Ohio through Robert Livingston Ireland Jr.’s (Feb. 1, 1895-April 21, 1981) efforts, a prominent Cleveland business executive who had a long and distinguished career with the M.A. Hanna Company and the Pittsburgh Consolidation Coal Company. He was a member of University Hospitals Board of Directors for more than 40 years and Chairman of the Finance Committee. Mr. Ireland, who was ill with bone cancer, wrote a letter to his good friend Governor James Rhodes to support funding for a cancer center at UH. In response, Governor Rhodes requested the Ohio Legislature approve $14 million for the cancer center. This government earmark partially funded construction of outpatient cancer facilities in University Hospitals Bolwell Health Center and new state-of-the art cancer technology. In 1982, hospital leadership recognized Mr. Ireland’s efforts by naming the cancer program University Hospitals Ireland Cancer Center. That same year, University Hospitals Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University merged their respective clinical and laboratory research resources to form a broader-based cancer center. National Recognition In 1987, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) named UH Ireland Cancer Center the first clinical cancer center in Northern Ohio. The center’s partnership with Case Western Reserve University attracted recognition and funding for innovative research. From its beginning, UH Ireland Cancer Center has strived to provide the highest standards of care for cancer patients, to make new discoveries about treating the disease through clinical research and to reach out to the community through educational efforts and information on the effectiveness of early screening. As a result of the outstanding work of its faculty and staff, UH Ireland Cancer Center attained the National Cancer Institute’s highest designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Care Center in 1998 – it retains that distinction today. Through the years, UH cancer services grew to seven sites on UH Case Medical Center campus. New Era The cancer program embarked on a new era of patient care with the opening of UH Seidman Cancer Center in 2011. This 120-bed hospital consolidated all UH Ireland Cancer Center’s services under one roof. The center is named in honor of Jane and Lee Seidman who generously donated $42 million in support of Vision 2010: The UH Difference strategic initiative. UH has always thrived because of the community’s generosity. Through philanthropic leadership and continued support, we move forward strengthening our fight against cancer and honoring the individuals who have helped us build that foundation. For more information: http://www.uhhospitals.org/seidman

Today’s Quote: Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. – Henry David Thoreau

 

 


Dec 17 2012

St. Theodosius Orthodox Cathedral

Brent

st. theodosius russian orthodox cathedral cleveland oh

Today’s photo is of St. Theodosius Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Cleveland, Oh. St. Theodosius is located on Starkweather Ave in the citys historic Tremont area. Tremont is one of the most accessible neighborhoods in the city of Cleveland. It is considered one of the finest examples of Russian church architecture in the U.S and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For more info on this fabulous church please visit: http://sttheodosius.org/home_1.html

Today’s Quote: “All men are by nature equal, made all of the same earth by one Workman; and however we deceive ourselves, as dear unto God is the poor peasant as the mighty prince”.-
Plato