Discover Cleveland: Top 11 Fun Facts That Will Make You Fall in Love with The Forest City

1. Superman's Cleveland Origins

It's a bird, it's a plane, no – it's just two guys from Cleveland! Hailing from the land of rock and roll, these dapper lads concocted a heroic masterpiece that changed the comic world forever: As creators of the world-famous Man of Steel, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster developed the iconic Superman character right in their hometown of Cleveland before selling their rights to DC Comics in 1939, paving the way for one of the most successful and adored superheroes of all time.
Source => ohiohistorycentral.org

2. The Rejected "Free Stamp" Sculpture

If only BP had a stamp of approval for art: after their acquisition of Sohio, they tossed aside a commissioned "Free Stamp" pop art sculpture, which was later accepted by Cleveland and placed in Willard Park. However, the word "FREE" on the sculpture is ironically positioned to run backward toward BP's tower—intentionally calling out their artistic snub as it now stands liberated from corporate ties and controversy.
Source => sculpturecenter.org

Did you know Miami University in Ohio is older than you think? Established in 1809, it's the 10th oldest public university in the US with a campus even in Luxembourg! Discover more fascinating history...

=> Fun Facts about Ohio

3. Cleveland-style Polka Music

If Oktoberfest and Rock 'n Roll had a love child, it would surely be dancing to Cleveland-style polka: This quirky genre, deeply rooted in Slovenian culture, gained massive popularity in Cleveland due to the influx of Slovenian immigrants in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with legends like Frankie Yankovic leading the way to polka-stardom. Today, the National Cleveland-Style Polka Hall of Fame Museum in Euclid, Ohio, showcases the genre's eclectic history and the toe-tapping, accordion-filled tunes that made it a nationwide hit.
Source => clevelandhistorical.org

4. The Potato Chip Debate

Say "chip chip hooray" for the accidental culinary delight: The potato chip's origin story is still up for debate, with some crediting George Crum, a chef at Moon's Lake House in Saratoga Lake, New York, while others believe the crispy snack was a happy accident by his sister, Kate Speck Wicks, who also worked at the establishment. Nevertheless, their scrumptious creation quickly became popular among the 1800s elite, including the Vanderbilts, Jay Gould, and Henry Hilton!
Source => brooksidemuseum.org

5. Cuyahoga River Transformation

From fire-watered flops to eco-friendly fests: Cleveland's Cuyahoga River, once a scandalously polluted waterway known to spontaneously combust from time to time, has since cleaned up its act and transformed into a lively hub, hosting events like River Expo and Flatsfest that attract up to 250,000 merrymakers.
Source => case.edu

6. Life Savers Candy Birthplace

When life gives you slow chocolate sales, make Life Savers: Cleveland is the surprising birthplace of Life Savers candy, with chocolate manufacturer Clarence A. Crane inventing the summer sensation in 1891 as a way to save his sinking business, eventually turning them into the popular, minty beacons of hope we know today.
Source => case.edu

7. Cleveland's Garlic Festival

Whoever said "too much garlic" clearly never visited the Stinking Rose of the Midwest: Cleveland is home to an annual Garlic Festival, not only honoring the divine drive of Dracula away, but also raising funds for North Union Farmers Market, a noble non-profit providing fresh, healthy foods to those less fortunate. Prepare for a fragrant mix of Top Chef Grill Offs, the crowning of Miss Garlic 2023, groovy tunes, riveting entertainment, and the finest Ohio craft beers to wash down all that garlicky goodness.
Source => clevelandgarlicfestival.org

8. Chalet's Stormwater Management

Cleveland's Chalet is no "run of the mill" establishment, nor a typical watering hole – in fact, it's quite good at keeping water at bay: The Mill Stream Run Recreation Area in Cleveland Metroparks added over 9,000 square feet of bioswales to their parking lot, significantly reducing the volume of stormwater that reaches the nearby East Branch Rocky River by over 1.2 million gallons each year, and filtering pollutants, all thanks to a grant from the State of Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Environmental Protection Agency under the Clean Water Act.
Source => clevelandmetroparks.com

9. NASA Glenn Research Center

Blasting off to a good time: Did you know that Cleveland's own NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field has a direct line to space super stardom? Named after John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, this out-of-this-world attraction was established in 1942 as the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory. Today, its 1,650 civil servants and 1,850 support contractors work tirelessly to develop science and technology for use in aeronautics and space, all while offering public tours on the first Saturday of each month.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. Terminal Tower Observation Deck

If Superman's home was the city of Cleveland, he wouldn't need to worry about visiting the Terminal Tower Observation Deck, but for us mere mortals, it is an absolute must-see: Perched 668 feet up on the 42nd floor, this vertiginous vantage point has been giving mere earthlings a bird's eye view of Cleveland and Lake Erie since 1928, with visibility up to 30 miles on a clear day. Just make sure to grab your timed tickets online in advance and arrive early, so you feel more like a VIP than a hostage to time!
Source => clevelandtraveler.com

11. Lake Erie's Weather Wonders

When Mother Nature decides to blow off steam, she creates one heck of a party in the city by the lake: Lake Erie's cooling breezes encourage the development of resort towns and lakeside getaways during the summer months, while in the winter, the same winds whip up a white wonderland of lake-effect snow, wreaking havoc on traffic and bringing cities to a standstill.
Source => spectrumnews1.com