I’ve long been a fan of the Cleveland Cultural Garden in Rockefeller Park. Started in the early 20th century, the lush, landscaped setting along Doan Brook features a collection of over thirty gardens representing distinct immigrant cultures: Irish, Hebrew, Lithuanian, Greek, Chinese, Armenian, German, and more. To further explore the truly diverse populations that make up the city, a good place to start is on-line, with the website “Cleveland and Its Neighborhoods.”
Or, if you’re living in the Cleveland area, I want to let you in on a series about Cleveland’s immigrant history starting this coming January. The Teaching Cleveland Institute (TCI), which offers sessions on “Cleveland history, economics, public policy, and youth engagement” is holding a series in the first quarter of 2018 called “Home Sweet Home: Cleveland’s Immigration Stories.” The course description is as follows: “This year’s TCI will focus on the immigrant experiences and how massive immigration shaped modern Cleveland. We will explore the history of ethnic communities that were created in Cleveland, their influences on the city, and connect the newcomers’ experiences to modern day immigration and migration issues in Northeast Ohio.” Sessions are held once a month in January, February, and March from 4:30pm-7:30pm. The cost to register is $100. For questions, email teachcleveland@gmail.com.