CH marks centennial with events and tours

Cleveland Heights will continue its centennial celebration throughout 2021. [photo courtesy city of Cleveland Heights]

The city of Cleveland Heights will celebrate its centennial with a series of learning opportunities and events in 2021. Residents and visitors are invited to learn about the city’s history, share their own stories, and explore Cleveland Heights’ many amenities. 

Cleveland Heights officially kicked off its centennial celebration last fall, with the launch of its “All Are Welcome” campaign. It has promoted the campaign throughout the city, with window displays, bus wraps, videos, and discussions on social media.

The city has launched a new microsite, ClevelandHeights100.com, as a hub for centennial information. The site provides a detailed history of the city, accompanied by archival photos. Site visitors can take a virtual tour of city landmarks, learn about iconic businesses and spaces, listen to oral histories, and record their own stories for posterity.   

Mary Trupo, Cleveland Heights’ director of communications and public engagement, noted that much of the city’s appeal is reflected in not only its history, but in the architecture and aesthetic of its neighborhoods and commercial districts.

“Cleveland Heights has proudly maintained its unique characteristics and charm over the last century. Beautiful and diverse home styles on tree-lined streets differentiate us from many cities in Northeast Ohio,” Trupo said. “This year, we invite our residents and visitors to look around at all that has made Cleveland Heights so special.” 

Opportunities to celebrate the city include a mural project, in which Cleveland Heights-based artists are invited to create an enduring mural in the Noble neighborhood. Proposals are now being accepted. The selected artist will receive a $1,000 stipend for the design, and a professional mural artist will execute the selected idea.

Residents and visitors are also invited to take walking tours through Coventry Village, Dugway Brook, Noble Monticello, and Cedar Fairmount, with audio curated by Cleveland State University’s Center for Public History + Digital Humanities.

The apex of the centennial celebration will take place on Monday, Aug. 9, in a commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the city’s incorporation. The milestone will be marked with a six-foot-tall greeting card signing and a time capsule event. For more information, visit www.clevelandheights.com.