Other things only a Clevelander would know/appreciate (Akron, Cleveland Heights: layoffs, neighborhood)

[happyfeet888]

The flood was July 4, 1969.
The most devastating summer flooding in Ohio history struck north-central Ohio during the state’s stormiest Independence Day. Severe thunderstorms moved from Lake Erie into North Coast communities at about 8 PM on July 4 th, 1969. This line of storms became nearly stationary for eight hours from Toledo southeastward through Fremont, Norwalk, Ashland, and Wooster. Flooding, winds up to 100 mph, tornadoes, and lightning caused 41 deaths and injured over 500 people. More than 10,000 homes were damaged and 104 small businesses were destroyed. Severe weather developed over Lake Erie after 6 PM and moved southward toward the Ohio shore with strong winds, heavy rain, and intense lightning. Several people were killed by falling trees. Most of the hundreds of small pleasure boats anchored along Lake Erie made it safely to shore but U.S. Coast Guard ships rescued 100 boaters. Four boaters drowned. Most of the damage from the July Fourth storms resulted from extreme rainfall that fell overnight. Total rainfall was 10 to 14 inches from Ottawa County to Wayne County. On the flat, poorly drained land of Ottawa and Sandusky Counties, fields were flooded as far as the eye could see. Record floods were reached on the Huron River, the Vermilion River, and the Black River. Most sections of Ashland and Wayne Counties were flooded and isolated for two days after the flood. Killbuck Creek in Holmes County rose 20 feet to its highest level known.

http://www.ohiohistory.org/etcetera/exhibits/swio/pages/content/1969_flood.htm (broken link)

[exclevelander]

Originally Posted by Clevelandgal

it is so funny because I hardly recognize anything you all speak of! .....

We still have Dick Goddard and love him.

I suspect that most of the posters on here have been away from Cleveland for a number of years now---that's why there's such nostalgia (and that's why many of the things referenced pre-date what you know about Cleveland today). I've been gone since '91 and probably wouldn't know many of today's things you would reference (except of course, the immortal Dick Goddard, who is a weather god! And anyone who's lived in Cleveland at any point in the past 45 years---yes, 45 years!---knows who he is!) When I go back to visit it's awesome to still see him on the air---he almost "personifies" Cleveland in a way that no other individual has.

[BelieveInCleve]

Oh I was way off with that. I wasnt even alive in 1969 lol. I thought I remembered it because I remember there was a pretty big storm like back in 1994 or somewhere around there. There was a storm in the summer I think (probably not the 4th of July though). I was like 13 or 14 and I was in Lorain at Lakeview Park and it was nice warm and sunny outside and within like 5 minutes the sky over lake erie was completely black and it was coming towards us fast. My cousin got us out of there but on the way the storm caught up with us and hit our car with falling branches many times, I think some of the windows even broke. That was a pretty bad storm but I dont think it did much damage or that any people were killed.

[SoCalClevelander]

Things only a Clevelander loves (and misses!):
MSB
Record Den (nothing like it even here in LA)
Corky and Lenny's
Little Italy
Bernie Kosar
The Buzzard (I can still hear Len Goldberg: The station that reaches the beaches, shakes the lakes and rocks the rivers!)
Great Lakes Brewing Co
M105
Record Theatre
Municipal Stadium
the Flats

Something I do NOT miss: the weather!

[Ctown2VA]

Geez guys! I am all choked up over here. Born and raised, 18 years.

I have been looking to relocate and a college buddy suggested I take a look at this site and I was curious what has been going on in C-Town. I am too young to remember some of the things you all have listed i.e. 'the storm of July 4, 1969', but I will throw some things I will always remember out there.

-Tommy's in Coventry (milkshakes/malts)
-The mansions on Fairmont BLVD
-The natural history museum
-Swimming at Squaw Rock
-Sea World
-Walking through the GateWay to Tribe games
-Severance Hall
-Little Italy
-The Flats
-The original Cleveland Force games
-Our Gang Too (Anybody remember this restaurant in University Heights?)

Its been 8 years since I have been back. I am planning a trip this summer, so if anyone can sugguest some new things to do, please let me know!

HokeJane, are you affiliated with VA Tech?

[complexsimplicity]

I see mostly everything I appreciate is covered. What I will add is that I miss it when the Galleria use to have good stores in there for me to shop in. I use to go in there all the time as a teenager. I haven't been in that place for years now and couldn't even tell you how it looks inside. Is is still open? I don't know if anyone watches Action 19 news, but I love the dirty dining segment. Its amazing to find out some of the violations the restaurants have and then continue to do business.

I miss the old names to our sport arenas such as The Gund and Jacobs Field. the new name Progressive Field for the Indians stadium is going to take a while to grow on me. I think the "nickname" for it is The Pro.

[dmikulec]

Man oh man, it's great to see this thread is still alive. I'm sitting here in Kentucky, missing my old home town and all those things I loved that we all share in common.

On another note, I collect records and tapes (open reel) and get a lot of stuff off eBay. The pride of my reel to reel music collection is a set of 10.5" tapes I picked up that were recorded on New Years eve 1979 off of WMMS and came from a Cleveland music store (their name is on the label but I can't recall it now). It's a real blast from the past.

Then there's my oddball polka Lp collection (thanks to my Grandma and Polka Varieties).

Keeping the thread alive -
Dave

[rugercaptain]

Originally Posted by dmikulec

Then there's my oddball polka Lp collection (thanks to my Grandma and Polka Varieties).

Keeping the thread alive -
Dave

Wasn't Polka Varieties on at 2:00 Sunday afternoons on Channel 5, WEWS?

[dmikulec]

Originally Posted by rugercaptain

Wasn't Polka Varieties on at 2:00 Sunday afternoons on Channel 5, WEWS?

Sounds about right. I seem to recall getting home from church on Sunday afternoons (St. Thomas Lutheran) in time to watch it after dinner.

Was just over on YouTube watching some old Hoolihan & Big Chuck clips and I'm getting home sick. Their stuff is timeless (if you grew up with them I suppose). I hadn't heard that signature laff track of theirs since I was a kid. Still makes me laugh out loud.

[rugercaptain]

Originally Posted by dmikulec

Sounds about right. I seem to recall getting home from church on Sunday afternoons (St. Thomas Lutheran) in time to watch it after dinner.

Was just over on YouTube watching some old Hoolihan & Big Chuck clips and I'm getting home sick. Their stuff is timeless (if you grew up with them I suppose). I hadn't heard that signature laff track of theirs since I was a kid. Still makes me laugh out loud.

Unfortunately, I can say that I'm old enough to remember most of the things mentioned in this thread. I lived in Sandusky, not Cleveland, but we watched Cleveland TV broadcasts on channels 3, 5 and 8 (and sometimes 43 and 61) so Polka Varieties, Hoolihan and Big Chuck, Big Time Wrestling (channel 43 on Saturdays, at 11:00 am, IIRC), Cleveland jingles ("Garfield 1-2323") and other Cleveland-related shows/commercials are familiar to me.

I particularly remember watching Indians baseball on Channel 8. Not like cable today with every game broadcast--we were lucky to see one game a week, usually on Saturdays. Mostly I listened to them on the radio. Mom liked Gaylord Perry and I was a Dick Tidrow fan (1972).