A NATIONAL TREASURE

Cleveland, OH Downtown Skyline

Cleveland, Ohio....on the shores of Lake Erie, is a beautiful city filled with history.  We had heard just the opposite and had let that influence our opinion.  While there are areas that need and will require help and financial assistance, the landscape of the area we visited was full of history and positive change.   For instance, we didn't know the influence of John D. Rockefeller in Cleveland and we'll show you what we mean in a blog to follow.

The area of Berea we called "home" for the next 3 weeks had earned the reputation of having huge sandstone deposits and in turn a lucrative industry eventually earned Berea the title of "Grindstone Capital of the World."  So many work opportunities in the quarry and railroad construction industry attracted many European immigrant families to the area. 

What was once a working sandstone quarry is now the jewel of the town of Berea called Coe Lake Park.  Berea is also the home of Baldwin Wallace University and the National Football League team Cleveland Browns.

Cleveland Browns Training Facility
Berea, OH

Our "home" was in a small neighborhood campground in the convenient Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds that has been in operation since 1893, and would allow us an opportunity to see many of the local sites of the area as well as use the grounds for walking in the vast fairground properties that are maintained by 21 full time employees until the Fair Week increases the staff to 3,000. 

Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds
Berea, OH

While we were at the Cuyahoga County Campground a carnival came through with all their rides, workers and mobile living quarters for their workers and definitely added to the excitement in the campground.

Carnival Food Truck
Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds - Berea, OH

Carnival Dormitory
Cuyohoga County Fairgrounds - Berea, OH

One of the most publicized areas in Cleveland, of course, is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in downtown Cleveland, about 15 miles from where we were staying.  It was a lot of fun and we relived lots of fond memories of the 60's.

Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame
Cleveland, OH

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Cleveland, OH

Another side trip in the Cleveland area was the West Side Market which was opened on November 2, 1912.  The yellow brick building and 137' tall clock tower overlook squat 4-story buildings in the area.  The building is huge, close to the length of a football field, with 44' high arched ceilings.

West Side Market
Cleveland, OH

Inside there are more than 75 food vendors who hawk their wares such as whole suckling pigs and severed goat heads lined alongside glass cases with stacks of artisan breads and expertly crafted Sacher tortes.  I found all the yelling, smells and commotion mesmerizing and would love to return one day.   A word to the wise...don't go when you are hungry!

West Side Market
Cleveland, OH

West Side Market
Cleveland, OH

West Side Market
Cleveland, OH

We love to go places the "locals" recommend.  One of those places was the Honey Hut for ice cream.  Ice cream sweetened with honey since 1974. 

Honey Hut Ice Cream
Cleveland, OH

  Five stars definitely *****!!!!!  It may even be a reason to return to Cleveland one day!  If we had heard about the Honey Hut Ice Cream Creamery earlier, we would have gone there every day.

REMEMBERING "THE TOE"

On many levels we enjoyed a most enlightening and memorable trip to Cleveland, Ohio, and its historical surroundings, and discovered some amazing information.

It happened that we were staying in the same Berea, Ohio, neighborhood of a larger-than-life hometown Cleveland hero, Louis Roy Groza, nicknamed and forever to be remembered in Cleveland as  "The Toe" (1/25/24 - 11/29/2000).

We stayed at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds in our motorhome in the City of Berea, Ohio.  Lou Groza returned to again call this area his family's home after his retirement.  He was honored in numerous ways, almost too many to count!

Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds
Berea, Ohio

Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds
Berea, Ohio

Home of the Cleveland Browns
National Football League

Lou Groza Field
Berea, Ohio

In 2016 Groza was honored with a statue
in front of Lou Groza Field

In 2012, Lou Groza Field was built in Berea, Ohio.  The Lou Groza Field is the home of the Lou Groza Youth Football Program.

Lou Groza Field - No mistake this is a
honored football hero

Lou Groza played his entire career for the Cleveland Browns in the National Football League (NFL).  Groza was professional football's kicking and points leader when he retired after the 1967 season.  Upon retiring from the Browns, Gorza's number 76 was retired.  He played in 21 seasons for the Brown's, helping the team win 8 League championships.  He set numerous records for distance and number of field goals kicked during his career.  He is recognized for the following:

• 4 times AAFC Champion
• 4 times NFL Championship
• Selected 9 times for the Pro Bowl
• NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team
• 1974 Inducted into Professional Football Hall of Fame

#76 is honored on the Lou Garza Field
in Berea, Ohio

Groza set NFL records for field goals made in 1950, 1952 and1953.  Sporting News Magazine
named him the League's "Most Valuable Player" (MVP) in 1954 when the Browns won another championship.  In 1974 he was elected to the Pro Football Hall Of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

Cleveland Browns Training Facility
Berea, Ohio

Lou Groza Boulevard
Berea, Ohio

The street the Cleveland Browns Training Facility is located was renamed "Lou Groza Boulevard".

Groza enrolled at Ohio State University on a football scholarship in 1942, but after 1 year in college, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was sent to serve in World War II.  He was deployed as an army surgical technician in the Pacific theatre, where he stayed until returning in 1946 to play for the Cleveland Browns.  

In 1992, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission, named the Lou Groza Award after him.  The award is given annually to the country's best college place kicker.  

Lou Groza suffered an apparent heart attack on 11/29/2000.  He was survived by his wife, Jackie, 3 sons, Jeff, Jon and Judd, and 1 daughter, Jill.  He is buried in Sunset Memorial Park in North Olmsted, Ohio.