Collinwood (other)
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Collinwood is a historical area in the northeast part of
Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...
,
Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
. Originally a village in Euclid Township, it was annexed by the city in 1910. Collinwood grew around the rail yards of the
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, established in 1833, and sometimes referred to as the Lake Shore, was a major part of the New York Central Railroad's Water Level Route from Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, New York, to Chicago, Illinoi ...
(now
CSX CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Railroad classes, Class I freight railroad company operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Operating about 21,000 route miles () of trac ...
) and is divided by these same tracks into the
neighborhoods A neighbourhood (Commonwealth English) or neighborhood (American English) is a geographically localized community within a larger town, city, suburb or rural area, sometimes consisting of a single street and the buildings lining it. Neighbourh ...
of North Shore Collinwood and Collinwood–Nottingham. Collinwood was identified as one of America's Best Secret Neighborhoods by ''
Travel + Leisure Travel + Leisure Co. (formerly Wyndham Destinations, Inc., and Wyndham Worldwide Corporation) is an American timeshare company headquartered in Orlando, Florida. It develops, sells, and manages timeshare properties under several vacation owners ...
'' in 2008.


History

The neighborhood's most infamous incident antedates its annexation by Cleveland. On Ash Wednesday, March 4, 1908, Collinwood was the site of an event known as the
Collinwood School Fire The Collinwood school fire (also known as the Lake View School fire) was a major disaster that occurred at the Lake View School in Collinwood, Ohio, when a fire erupted on March 4, 1908, killing 172 students, two teachers and one rescuer. It is ...
, at Lakeview Elementary School. One of the deadliest school fires in American history, 172 children, two young teachers, and one rescuer died in the fire after being trapped in stairwell vestibules. Originally, the students were thought to be trapped because doors to the school opened inward, but the coroner's report indicated that the doors did indeed open outward. While some of the children died from burns and smoke inhalation, most were either crushed or suffocated in the frantic attempt to escape the building. Those killed in the fire who could not be identified were buried in a mass grave in Cleveland's
Lakeview Cemetery Lake View Cemetery is a privately owned, nonprofit garden cemetery located in the cities of Cleveland, Cleveland Heights, and East Cleveland in the U.S. state of Ohio. Founded in 1869, the cemetery was favored by wealthy families during the Gil ...
. National building standards requiring that doors in public buildings open outward were already in effect, and the fire did result in a trend towards municipalities nationwide adopting policies of school inspections and enforcing stricter building codes. Annexed by Cleveland in 1912, portions of the Village of
Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located south-east of Sheffield and nor ...
were rolled into Collinwood. For much of the 20th century, Collinwood thrived due in large part to heavy industry. Besides the railroad yards, major corporations such as
General Motors General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. The company is most known for owning and manufacturing f ...
, which operated its
Fisher Body Fisher Body was an automobile coachbuilder founded as the Fisher Body Company by Frederic and Charles Fisher in 1908 in Detroit, Michigan when they absorbed a fledgling autobody maker. By 1916 the concern had grown into one of the world's large ...
plant on Coit Road and
General Electric General Electric Company (GE) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1892, incorporated in the New York (state), state of New York and headquartered in Boston. Over the year ...
with its Pitney Glass Works on E. 152nd., employed thousands of workers. By the eve of
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Collinwood's economic vitality had drawn large numbers of both ethnic white Europeans and Southern Appalachians. The 1960s had an influx of African Americans, who are today the majority population both in North and South Collinwood. Collinwood took national center stage in the 1970s during a gang war when the Cleveland Mafia, centered in the Collinwood and Murray Hill neighborhoods, fought a territorial war with the Celtic Club led by Irish gangster
Danny Greene Daniel John Patrick Greene (November 14, 1933 – October 6, 1977) was an American mobster in Cleveland, Ohio, whose conflicts with the Cleveland crime family of the Italian-American Mafia ended in Greene's murder in 1977. Greene would build ...
. The eventual bombing death of Greene brought the federal organized-crime task force to Cleveland, which after many trials, is said to have crippled the Mafia in Cleveland. In the 21st century, Collinwood has become a place of interest for artists seeking low-cost urban places to live and work. The housing and foreclosure crisis, though somewhat detrimental to the urban fabric of the neighborhood, has provided opportunities for artists to acquire properties very inexpensively. A collective known as Arts Collinwood has been instrumental in helping to revitalize the Waterloo Road business district on the north side of the neighborhood.


North Shore Collinwood

Begun mainly as the residential section, North Shore Collinwood, commonly known as North Collinwood, is bounded roughly between E. 133rd Street to the west and E. 185th Street to the northeast (E.200th street due east), and between Lake Erie to the north and the Collinwood Railroad Yards and tracks (currently operated by CSX to the south, Woodworth Avenue to the southwest, and roughly Roseland Avenue to the southeast. North Collinwood is the location of several parks, including Wildwood Park and Marina, East Shore Park, and Beachland Park, and was the site of historic
Euclid Beach Park Euclid Beach Park was an amusement park located on the southern shore of Lake Erie in the Collinwood neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, which operated from 1895 to 1969. Originally incorporated by investors from Cleveland and patterned after N ...
. The Roman Catholic
Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School is a private Roman Catholic college-preparatory high school located in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The school's name is commonly abbreviated VASJ. It was formed by the 1990 merger of Villa Angela Academy ...
is located at E. 185th and Lakeshore Boulevard.


Collinwood–Nottingham

What was once the industry-heavy of the two sections, Collinwood–Nottingham, commonly known as South Collinwood, is roughly bounded between E. 134th Street on the west and
Euclid Creek Euclid Creek is a long stream located in Cuyahoga and Lake counties in the state of Ohio in the United States. The long main branch runs from the Euclid Creek Reservation of the Cleveland Metroparks to Lake Erie. The west (also known as south) ...
on the east, the Collinwood Railroad Yards and tracks to the north, Woodworth Avenue to the southwest, and roughly Roseland Avenue to the southeast. The location of the Five Points, where Ivanhoe Road, St. Clair Avenue, and E. 152nd Street intersect, is the central business district of the neighborhood, and is also the location of Collinwood High School, whose sports teams are aptly named the Railroaders. Although today it is largely
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, South Collinwood has historically been an enclave of European immigrants, as well as migrants from the
Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, Dixieland, or simply the South) is List of regions of the United States, census regions defined by the United States Cens ...
. South Collinwood at one time was home to large concentrations of Eastern Europeans, and in particular, a large
Slovenian Slovene or Slovenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Slovenia, a country in Central Europe * Slovene language, a South Slavic language mainly spoken in Slovenia * Slovenes, an ethno-linguistic group mainly living in Slovenia * Sl ...
community. The boyhood home to eventual Cleveland mayor and Ohio governor and senator,
George Voinovich George Victor Voinovich (July 15, 1936June 12, 2016) was an American politician who served as a United States senator from Ohio from 1999 to 2011. He previously served as the 65th governor of Ohio from 1991 to 1998 and as the 54th mayor of Clev ...
, the Slovenian neighborhood was centered on St. Mary of the Assumption Church, and the Slovenian Home, both located on Holmes Avenue. America's Polka King
Frankie Yankovic Frank John Yankovic (July 28, 1915 – October 14, 1998) was an American accordion player and polka musician. Known as "America's Polka King", Yankovic was considered the premier artist to play in the Slovenian style during his long career. He ...
, a South Collinwood native, played live polka music in many of the taverns and dance halls in the area and owned a music bar.
Italians Italians (, ) are a European peoples, European ethnic group native to the Italian geographical region. Italians share a common Italian culture, culture, History of Italy, history, Cultural heritage, ancestry and Italian language, language. ...
, many of whom had settled the neighborhood after relocating from the Central neighborhood's Big Italy district, also settled heavily in the area, mainly along its southern border. The Italian Village, with a population of Italian descendants greater than that of Cleveland's
Little Italy Little Italy is the catch-all name for an ethnic enclave populated primarily by Italians or people of Italian ancestry, usually in an Urban area, urban neighborhood. The concept of "Little Italy" holds many different aspects of the Italian cul ...
neighborhood, became well known for its Feast of St. Anthony, held every June and the
Feast of the Assumption The Assumption of Mary is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII defined it on 1 November 1950 in his apostolic constitution as follows: It leaves open the question of whether Mary died or whether she was ra ...
, held every August at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church on Kipling Avenue. Its American immigrants, many relocated Southerners – mostly from Tennessee, West Virginia, and Kentucky – began arriving in the 1940s to work in the factories. Mainly they settled along the western edge of the neighborhood, especially along the E. 140th section; many bars in that area featured live country music and Southern food. South Collinwood was once the headquarters for the
Jordan Motor Car Company The Jordan Motor Car Company was founded in 1916 in Cleveland, Ohio by Edward S. "Ned" Jordan, a former advertising executive from Thomas B. Jeffery Company of Kenosha, Wisconsin. The factory produced what were known as "assembled cars" until ...
when it produced cars from 1916–1931. The plant was located at 1070 E. 152 St. Cleveland, where the Collinwood athletic complex stands today.


Notable residents

* Tony Adamle (1924–2000) – professional football player with the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. The Browns compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The team is named after ...
in the
All-America Football Conference The All-America Football Conference (AAFC) was a major professional American football league that challenged the established National Football League (NFL) from 1946 to 1949. One of the NFL's most formidable challengers, the AAFC attracted many ...
and the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...
(NFL) * Eppie Barney (1944– ) – professional football player with the Cleveland Browns *
James Cotton James Henry Cotton (July 1, 1935 – March 16, 2017) was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, who performed and recorded with many fellow blues artists and with his own band. He also played drums early in his career. ...
(1976– ) - professional football player *
Wes Craven Wesley Earl Craven (August 2, 1939 – August 30, 2015) was an American film director, screenwriter and producer. Amongst his Wes Craven filmography, prolific filmography, Craven worked primarily in the Horror film, horror genre, particularly sla ...
(1939-2015) – film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and editor *
Jerry Dybzinski Jerome Matthew "Jerry" Dybzinski (born July 7, 1955) is an American former professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, and Pittsburgh Pirates. In 468 career games, Dybzi ...
(1955– ) –
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
player *
George Fett George Leonard Fett (July 7, 1920 - November 6, 1989) was an American cartoonist best known for his comic strips ''Sniffy'' and ''Norbert''. Life and career George Fett was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the only child of Hungarian immigrants Frank ...
(1920–1989) – cartoonist * Alexis Floyd (1993– ) – stage and television actress *
Danny Greene Daniel John Patrick Greene (November 14, 1933 – October 6, 1977) was an American mobster in Cleveland, Ohio, whose conflicts with the Cleveland crime family of the Italian-American Mafia ended in Greene's murder in 1977. Greene would build ...
(1933–1977) – gangster, mob boss, founded the Celtic Club, an Irish-American organized-crime syndicate, subject of the 2011 biopic ''
Kill the Irishman ''Kill the Irishman'' is a 2011 American biographical crime film directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, and starring Ray Stevenson, Vincent D'Onofrio, Christopher Walken, and Val Kilmer. Written by Hensleigh and Jeremy Walters, it is based on the ...
'' *John Claude Gummoe (1938– ) – singer-songwriter, lead singer of The Cascades, wrote and recorded "
Rhythm of the Rain "Rhythm of the Rain" is a song performed by the Cascades, released in November 1962 in the US and on January 25, 1963 in the UK. It was written by Cascades band member John Claude Gummoe. On March 9, 1963, it rose to number 3 on the ''Billboar ...
" * Jeff Johnson
Cleveland City Council Cleveland City Council is the legislature, legislative branch of Local government in the United States, government for the Cleveland, City of Cleveland, Ohio. Its chambers are located at Cleveland City Hall at 601 Lakeside Avenue, across the str ...
member and former Ohio state senator *
Dick Latessa Richard Robert Latessa (September 15, 1929 – December 19, 2016) was an American stage, film, and television actor. Early life Latessa was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1929. After serving in the Army in maybe 1952, he began performing in Clevela ...
(1929–2016) – stage, film, and television actor *
Joey Maxim Giuseppe Antonio Berardinelli (March 28, 1922 – June 2, 2001) was an American professional boxer. He was the World Light Heavyweight Champion from 1950 to 1952. He took the ring-name Joey Maxim from the Maxim gun, the world's first self-acti ...
(1922–2001) – professional boxer and World Light Heavyweight Champion *
Andre Norton Andre Alice Norton (born Alice Mary Norton, February 17, 1912 – March 17, 2005) was an American writer of science fiction and fantasy, who also wrote works of historical and contemporary fiction. She wrote primarily under the pen na ...
(1912–2005) – author *
Sam Palumbo Sam Palumbo (born June 7, 1932) is a former linebacker in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fourth round of the 1955 NFL draft and played two seasons with the team. During the 1957 NFL season he pl ...
(1932– ) – professional football player *
Michael D. Polensek Michael D. Polensek (born November 16, 1949) is a City Council member in Cleveland, Ohio, representing Ward 8. He has served in Cleveland City Council since 1977. He lives in the North Shore Collinwood area of Cleveland with his wife, Kathy, and ...
(1949– ) – Cleveland City Council member *
Monica Potter Monica Potter (June 30, 1971) is an American actress. She is known for her starring roles in the films ''Con Air'' (1997), ''Patch Adams (film), Patch Adams'' (1998), and ''Along Came a Spider (film), Along Came a Spider'' (2001). She also appear ...
(1971– ) – film and television actress * Cecil Shorts III (1987– ) – NFL player *
Stephanie Tubbs Jones Stephanie Tubbs Jones (September 10, 1949 – August 20, 2008)US Congresswoman The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of the ...
from 1999-2008 * The Vadnals (1937–1995) – Cleveland-style polka band and recording artists *
George Voinovich George Victor Voinovich (July 15, 1936June 12, 2016) was an American politician who served as a United States senator from Ohio from 1999 to 2011. He previously served as the 65th governor of Ohio from 1991 to 1998 and as the 54th mayor of Clev ...
(1936–2016) – 54th
Mayor of Cleveland The mayor of Cleveland is the head of the executive branch of Local government in the United States, government of the Cleveland, City of Cleveland, Ohio. As the chief executive in Cleveland's Mayor–council government#Strong-mayor government fo ...
, 65th
governor of Ohio A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the type of political region or polity, a ''governor'' ma ...
, and two-term
U.S. Senator The United States Senate is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and House have the authority under Article One of the ...
. *
Ray Zeh Raymond Fredrick Zeh (October 22, 1914 – December 23, 2003) was an American football quarterback and kicker who played college football for Western Reserve University—now known as Case Western Reserve University—from 1934 to 1936. During t ...
(1914–2003) – football player for
Western Reserve The Connecticut Western Reserve was a portion of land claimed by the Colony of Connecticut and later by the state of Connecticut in what is now mostly the northeastern region of Ohio. Warren, Ohio was the Historic Capital in Trumbull County. T ...
, as a fullback led
college football College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
in scoring during the 1935 season


See also

*''
Welcome to Collinwood ''Welcome to Collinwood'' is a 2002 American caper comedy film written and directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and starring William H. Macy, Isaiah Washington, Sam Rockwell, Michael Jeter, Luis Guzmán, Patricia Clarkson, Andrew Davoli, George Cl ...
'' *
Ginn Academy Ginn Academy is an all-boys' public high school located in Cleveland, Ohio. A part of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Ginn began instruction in 2007 opening in the building previously occupied by Spellacy Middle School in the city's ...


References


External links


Northeast Shores Development Corporation

Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry
* {{Coord, 41.558, -81.569, display=title, region:US-OH_type:city Italian-American culture in Cleveland Neighborhoods in Cleveland Slovene-American culture in Cleveland