a neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio
Our next meeting in May will feature Laura Peskin, author of several historical books, including the Deep Cover Cleveland series. She will talk about the history of Northeast Ohio. The meeting will be on May 10, at 7 p.m. at Pearl Road United Methodist Church, 4200 Pearl Road. Call museum at (216)337-8200 with questions.
"Pearl Memphis intersection has long history"Catch "Pearl Memphis intersection has long history," the first in a series of articles about an important piece of downtown Old Brooklyn by Lynette Filips in the Plain Press, January 2024.
https://bit.ly/4aZPGAM
Continue with part two, "Resident reflects on history of Old Brooklyn corner slated for redevelopment" in the February 2024 issue:
https://bit.ly/42Oe30R
Part
three: "Old Brooklyn corner slated for redevelopment has spooky history," March 2024
https://bit.ly/3uYVmuQ
Part four: "Old Brooklyn residents' research sheds new light on the history of a cherished corner slated for redevelopment," April 2024
https://bit.ly/4aliGSW
Learn about the National Register of Historic Places designation of the South Brooklyn Commercial District. Registration form | Approval 2005. A great resource for the history of the area, its development and its buildings.
Please consider including the Historical Society in your stable of charities. Our membership fees don't cover the cost of "keeping the lights on" so we need to find additional funds each year for our daily operations.
The old neighborhood
Many of you are not currently Old Brooklyn residents but look back to your formative years here. Maybe it was childhood or your early adult years when you first made your way on your own. In any case, Old Brooklyn is a part of what made you who you are. The Historical Society is a homecoming and you're always welcome! We encourage you to keep your memories alive and pay forward to those who will make their own memories here.
A sense of place
A sense of place reflects our history but it also helps imagine a future. When residents develop an identity and form an attachment to a place it informs plans for a sustainable future. A strong historical society helps build community and contributes to the well-being of Old Brooklyn now and for years to come.
Help us provide a bright future by preserving the past.
Old Brooklyn is a roughly 6-square-mile neighborhood on the West Side of Cleveland about 5 miles south of downtown. It is bounded by Big Creek and the Brooklyn Centre neighborhood on the north, the Cuyahoga River and the village of Brooklyn Hts. on the east, the city of Parma on the south, and the city of Brooklyn on the west. Old Brooklyn has its roots in the original Brooklyn Township, organized as a governmental structure in 1818. The first settlers had come from Connecticut in 1812; more settled south of the Big Creek Valley in 1814. Indian trails were the basis for what became Pearl, Broadview and Schaaf Roads. Brighton Village, centered around today’s Pearl-Broadview intersection, was incorporated for one year in 1838. As German farmers moved in, the community grew. Another incorporation in 1889 renamed the village South Brooklyn. Annexation to the City of Cleveland—desirable because of South Brooklyn’s light plant (1902)—occurred in stages, beginning in 1905 and continuing through 1927. Greenhouse gardening began on Schaaf Road in 1887 and in the mid 20th-century gave the area the title of “Greenhouse Capital of the United States.” Old Brooklyn is also home to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (1914).
Watch Events and Facebook for the latest news on HSOB events and whereabouts and be sure to mark your calendars!
YES! Brooklyn Union Burial Ground. Located on Broadview Road near Spring Road. The Historical Society maintains this historic burying ground. ... Learn more.
Old Brooklyn Collage by Jim Ptacek (a unique and lasting gift, but you'll want your own too!)The Historical Society of Old Brooklyn along with Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation have collaborated with photographer Jim Ptacek in creating an Old Brooklyn Collage. They are on sale for $20.00/ea. Jim Ptacek is a noted Cleveland artist, widely known for his sepia-toned images of local landmarks. We are pleased to offer this new print along with Jim Ptacek photos, note cards, magnets and lapel pins at the Museum/Store, 3430 Memphis Ave. The museum is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, from 12 noon till 5 p.m.
Vintage 3' x 5' flags for only $40. Only a few available.
Do you have any photos of the Memphis-Fulton Shopping Center or the shopping district at Pearl and Broadview Roads??? The Historical Society of Old Brooklyn would love to make duplicates of them for our collection. We will return your original photos if you provide your name and full address. Thank you so much.
James Ford Rhodes High School yearbooks: 1972, 1983, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.
We are located at 3430 Memphis Avenue (just west of Pearl Road) and are open Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, 12 Noon - 5 p.m.
We can always use a little help! Here's our wish list:
PVC free protector pages for photos
acid free folders
printer ink
computer paper
tissue,
toilet paper
tape for dispenser
guest/register book
office supplies
folding chairs
shelves and display cases
volunteers to greet visitors
We invite you come along as our organization, our museum, and this website grow. If you share our interest in preserving and sharing the past, we encourage you to join us in our endeavors.
Membership is only $20 a year.
A note on the title: The typeface used in “The Historical Society of Old Brooklyn ” is called "Really Big Shoe NF," based on an offering from the Cleveland Type Foundry, originally named Oxford. It was produced by Nick’s Fonts, a small foundry that seeks to preserve typographic heritage. Cleveland Type Foundry was in business from 1875 to 1892 when they became part of the American Type Founders (ATF). See www.archive.org/details/ATF1893ClevelandSpecimen.
Confused? Old Brooklyn is a neighborhood of 30K+ on the west side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is not the Brooklyn Centre neighborhood (to the north), the suburb of Brooklyn (to the west), nor the suburb of Brooklyn Heights (to the southeast). And we're definitely not in New York! Please see:
"What's in a Name? Cleveland's Brooklyn Centre," Tom Orange, Belt Magazine (Oct. 25, 2016).
"brooklyn 101: unlocking the mysteries of the cleveland brooklyns," Erin O'Brien, Fresh Water (Dec. 08, 2011).
Old Brooklyn district map as defined by Cleveland City Planning Commission.
The Historical Society of Old Brooklyn would like express our appreciation to these organizations for support. With their assistance we were able to re-open.
Ohio History Fund COVID-19 Emergency Grant from the Ohio History Connection. This temporary grant program helped history organizations address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. www.ohiohistory.org/covidgrant
Neighbor Up COVID-19 Rapid Response Grant
Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation – Old Brooklyn Small Business Covid-19 Support for efforts to responsibly reopen and Old Brooklyn Community Development Corporation – Digital Improvement Grant funding digital improvements made as a result of business pivots related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
THANKS TO ALL!
See details in Projects —
Now available online:
–
The Rhodes Review from 1933 to 1979
– 1920 to 1936 issues of The Brooklyn News
–
Frank Libal photographs
Research complete:
War veterans in Brookmere Cemetry
A frequent question visitors have when coming to the Historical Society of Old Brooklyn museum is "How old is my house?" Here are some guides to get you started researching your home's history:
Cleveland Public Library, A Checklist for Property Research in Cleveland and Cuyahoga County.
Cleveland Heights, Your Old House.
Lakewood Historical Society. House History Research.
Cleveland Restoration Society. A Guide to Researching Your Home [presentation].
Ask to see our collection of materials about our historic local designer and manufacturer of games:
- Rhodes Review student newspaper 1966-1969
- The Old Brooklyn News 2006-15
"Speaking of Old Brooklyn... Volume 2"
Presenting the oral histories of 40 more! people of Old Brooklyn—former and current business owners and residents, plus In Memoriam entries.
... Learn more.
"Speaking of Old Brooklyn..."
Oral history project and resulting book (2011), presenting the oral histories of 40 people of Old Brooklyn—seniors in their late seventies and older and current or former business owners.
... Learn more.
Old Brooklyn, an Arcadia "Images of America" Series publication was released in 2014. Vintage images capture slices of our neighborhood history and celebrate the people, places, and events that define our community. Contact HSOB for order information:
info@oldbrooklynhistory.org
The Historical Society of Old Brooklyn is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.
Additional support comes through grant assistance from Neighborhood Connections
