a neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio
Friday, January 10, 2025, at 7 p.m., is our first meeting of the new year, at Pearl Road United Methodist Church. We will present the slides that Carol Lade made of Old Brooklyn in the late 1980's. Carol was a native of Old Brooklyn and member of HSOB.
As we settle into the quiet of winter, the Historical Society of Old Brooklyn extends a heartfelt thank you to all of our supporters. Your generosity—through donations, volunteering, and spreading the word—has been a beacon of warmth and community in this past year. Your efforts help ensure that the rich history of Old Brooklyn remains preserved and alive, even in the coldest months.
Though the year has come to a close, our work continues, and we are deeply grateful for your continued support. Each contribution, no matter the size, makes a lasting impact on the preservation of the stories and heritage that shape our community.
As we turn our attention to the months ahead, we invite you to stay engaged. Consider making a donation or joining us in our efforts to keep history alive. Together, we'll ensure that our community's past continues to inspire future generations.
Wishing you warmth, peace, and a hopeful start to the new year. Thank you for being part of our mission to preserve history, today and always.
Learn about the history and proposed future of our downtown intersection.
Gothic Revival St. Luke Evangelical and Reformed Church building, built in 1903, with a
school addition added in 1922. Features include a crenellated corner tower, lancet window openings on sanctuary building and school, and attached buttresses. A "Good Shepherd" stained glass window is found on the original structure's gable section.
Brookmere Cemetery, established in 1843 and located at 3645 Broadview Rd. (western end), has been referred to as a "disrespected" City of Cleveland cemetery. Over the years, it has suffered from vandalism and significant disrepair. Fortunately, Linda Cameron and her sister, Karen Parks, have taken the initiative to form a volunteer Preservation Coalition to address these challenges.
This year, Brookmere was chosen as Ohio's host for the 48 State Tour, a philanthropic initiative by Atlas Preservation, a leader in monument and building restoration. This nationwide program offers FREE workshops focused on the proper cleaning and repair of headstones and monuments. Many historic cemeteries, including Brookmere, lack the funding for essential repairs and rely on the dedication of volunteers, fundraising, and grants.
On August 5 participants learned how to identify stones, understand carvings, ensure cemetery safety, and master essential repair techniques. This was a unique opportunity to acquire valuable skills from an expert in the field. For more details and other locations, please follow the links below:
MORE INFO:
News 5 Cleveland stories on Brookmere Cemetery
Old Brooklyn's Brookmere Cemetery included in nationwide cemetery tour, Plain Press
5th 48 State Tour News Release
48 State Tour Flyer
Workshop Agenda
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 |
printer paper | tissue,
TP |
clear, adhesive tape |
guest/register book |
office supplies |
folding chairs |
shelves and display cases
Contact us by email or call 216-337-8200 if you are interested in volunteering at the museum.
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.
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
THANK YOU ALSO TO ALL OUR MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS FOR YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT!
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 during that trying time.
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!