This article is a timeline of the history of the city of Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
18th century 1796 – Moses Cleaveland and survey party arrive at the location that would later become Cleveland. 1797 – Lorenzo Carter, a prominent early settler, arrives.
19th century 1800 – Trumbull County created, encompassing Cleveland. 1803 – Ohio becomes the 17th State admitted to the Union. 1805 – Geauga County created, encompassing Cleveland. 1808 – Lorenzo Carter builds the Zephyr, the first ship to be launched in Cleveland. 1810 – Cuyahoga County organized; Cleveland selected as county seat. 1813 – Oliver Hazard Perry wins the Battle of Lake Erie at Put-in-Bay in the War of 1812. 1814 Cleveland receives its charter as a village. Newburgh Township created. 1815 Alfred Kelley is elected the first president of the village of Cleveland. Euclid Avenue commissioned, subsequently known as Millionaires' Row. 1818 – The Cleveland Gazette and Commercial Register, Cleveland's first newspaper is published. 1822 – a free bridge is opened across the Cuyahoga River. 1827 – opening of the Ohio canal as far as Akron. 1830 – population: 1,076. 1831 The Cleveland Advertiser alters the spelling of the community's name to Cleveland. James A. Garfield, 20th United States President, born in Orange Township. 1832 – Ohio and Erie Canal completed to the Ohio River. 1836 Cleveland and Ohio City are incorporated as cities. John W. Willey is elected the first mayor of Cleveland. Bridge War between Cleveland and Ohio City takes place. 1837 – Cleveland City Council votes to create City Hospital, now MetroHealth. 1840 – population: 6,071. 1842 – The Plain Dealer begins publication. 1844 – Samuel Starkweather elected mayor. 1845 – City Bank of Cleveland (forerunner of National City Corp.) founded. 1847 The Weddell House opens. The first telegraph line (from Cleveland to Pittsburgh) is completed. 1848 – Colored National Convention held in city. 1850 William Case elected mayor. Population: 17,034. 1851 – Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad completed. 1852 – The Aliened American newspaper begins publication. 1853 National Hall (later known as the Cleveland Theater and Academy of Music) opens National Women's Rights Convention held. Woodland Cemetery established. 1854 Ohio City annexed to Cleveland. William B. Castle elected mayor. The Cleveland Leader begins publication. 1860 Perry Monument on Public Square dedicated. Population: 43,417. 1861 Abraham Lincoln visits Cleveland. The American Civil War begins. 1865 The American Civil War ends. Thousands of Clevelanders mourn the death of Lincoln. 1866 – Cleveland Police Department established. 1869 Cleveland Public Library established. Lake View Cemetery opens. 1870 Standard Oil Company in business. Population: 92,829. 1873 Cleveland Bar Association established. Newburgh annexed to Cleveland. 1874 – First Woman's National Temperance Convention held in Cleveland, establishing the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. 1875 – Euclid Avenue Opera House opens. 1876 Charles F. Brush patents an electric generator. Riverside Cemetery Chapel & Riverside Cemetery Gatehouse built. 1878 – Penny Press, predecessor to the Cleveland Press, begins publication. 1880 James A. Garfield, from Cleveland, elected 20th President of the United States. Case School of Applied Science established. Population: 160,146. 1881 Garfield lies in state on Public Square after being assassinated, July 2. Adelbert Hall built. 1882 Western Reserve College moves to Cleveland. Cleveland School of Art established. 1883 – John H. Farley elected mayor. 1884 First electric streetcar run in the city; the first such installation in the country. Cleveland Electric Light Co. formed. 1887 – Michelson–Morley experiment conducted at Western Reserve University. 1890 The Arcade opens. Garfield Monument dedicated in Lake View Cemetery. Population: 261,353. 1894 May Day Riots of 1894 Soldiers and Sailors Monument dedicated. 1895 – Robert E. McKisson elected mayor. 1896 – Cleveland celebrates its centennial.
1897 – Bohemian National Hall built. 1899 Cleveland streetcar strike. John H. Farley re-elected mayor. 1900 – population: 381,768.
20th century
1900s–1940s 1901 Tom L. Johnson elected mayor. The Cleveland Blues (predecessor to the Cleveland Guardians) are established as one of the first teams in the new American League. Cleveland worker and avowed anarchist, Leon Czolgosz assassinates U.S. President William McKinley in Buffalo, New York. 1905 The Cleveland News begins publication Glenville and South Brooklyn annexed to Cleveland. 1908 Collinwood School Fire More Streetcar strikes but less violent and unsuccessful. 1909 Tom L. Johnson loses mayoral race to Herman C. Baehr. Corlett Village annexed to Cleveland. 1910 Collinwood annexed to Cleveland. Cleveland Railway Company operated from 1910 to 1942. Population: 560,663. 1911 Tom L. Johnson dies. Church of the Covenant established. 1912 – Village of Nottingham annexed to Cleveland. 1913 The Great Lakes Storm of 1913 hits Cleveland. Home Rule City Charter approved by Cleveland voters. Cleveland Museum of Art established. Metropolitan Theatre opened. The first Community Chest, "Community Fund", founded in Cleveland. 1914 Cleveland chosen as the Fourth District headquarters of the Federal Reserve Bank. Cleveland Municipal Light Plant goes into operation. 1915 – Cleveland Play House and Western Reserve University's School of Applied Social Science established. 1916 Cleveland Museum of Art opens. Cleveland City Hall dedicated. 1917 – Cleveland Metroparks organized. 1918 Federal Court trial of Eugene V. Debs held in Cleveland. Detroit–Superior Bridge construction completed. The first Cleveland Cripple Survey was published; one of the first accurate disability censuses, that measured the social and economic conditions of individuals considered. 1919 May Day Riots of 1919 State Prohibition is enacted in Cleveland Voters approve placement of a new railroad terminal on Public Square. 1920 Cleveland Institute of Music founded. Cleveland becomes the fifth-largest city in the nation. The Volstead Act and the Eighteenth Amendment become law. Cleveland Indians win the World Series. Cleveland Museum of Natural History established. Population: 796,841. 1921 Cleveland Clinic and Playhouse Square established. KeyBank State Theatre built. Mimi Ohio Theatre opened. Hanna Theatre opened. 1922 – demolition for the Terminal Tower site begins 1923 Federal Reserve bank building completed. Alcazar Hotel completed. 1924 Republican National Convention held in Cleveland. Mayor/Council form of government replaced by City Manager plan. 1925 New Public Library building opens. Cleveland Airport (now Hopkins International) opens. University Hospitals incorporated. 1929 Cleveland Clinic disaster occurs. National Air Race first held in Cleveland. The Stock Market crashes 1930 – The Tower City Center is dedicated. 1931 Severance Hall dedicated. City Manager system reverts to the Mayor/Council form of government. Ray T. Miller elected mayor. 1932 – Hope Memorial Bridge construction completed. 1933 Harry L. Davis returns as mayor. Depression-era unemployment peaks in Cleveland: nearly one-third of the city's citizens are out of work. Prohibition is repealed on December 23 – nearly eight months longer than the Eighteenth Amendment. 1935 Harold Hitz Burton elected mayor. Eliot Ness becomes Safety Director of Cleveland. 1936 – Republican National Convention held in Cleveland. 1937 Cleveland Barons hockey team established. Cleveland Arena opens. Cleveland Rams begin to play professional football. John D. Rockefeller dies. 1938 Cleveland Memorial Shoreway opens between East 9th Street and Gordon Park. Clevelander Jesse Owens wins four gold medals at Berlin Olympic Games. Great Lakes Exposition opens. Cleveland Torso Murderer with up to 20 victims. 1939 – Main Avenue Bridge opened. 1940 – NACA, forerunner of NASA, established at the Cleveland airport. 1941 Frank Lausche elected mayor. Western Reserve Red Cats win the Sun Bowl, the city's first college football bowl game. 1942 – Cleveland Bomber Plant (now the I-X Center) opens at Municipal Airport. 1944 – Cleveland East Ohio Gas Explosion claims 130 lives. 1945 Thomas A. Burke elected mayor. Cleveland Rams win NFL football title then move to Los Angeles. 1946 Cleveland Browns are founded and begin play in All-America Football Conference. Cleveland Browns win the All-America Football Conference championship. 1947 Operations begin at the lakefront airport. First telecast by WEWS, Ohio's first television station. Eliot Ness runs for mayor of Cleveland but is defeated by incumbent Thomas A. Burke. Cleveland Browns win the All-America Football Conference championship. 1948 Cleveland Indians win World Series. Cleveland Browns win the All-America Football Conference championship. 1949 Cleveland named an All-America City for first time. Cleveland Browns win the All-America Football Conference championship.
1950s-1990s 1950 Cleveland Browns begin play in National Football League. Cleveland Browns win the National Football League championship. 1953 – Anthony J. Celebrezze elected mayor. 1954 Last streetcars run. Cleveland Browns win the National Football League championship. 1955 Rapid Transit begins operation. Cleveland Browns win the National Football League championship. 1959 – Boddie Recording Company in business. 1960 Erieview urban renewal plan unveiled. Final issue of the Cleveland News published. 1961 - Mapp v. Ohio 1962 Ralph S. Locher elected mayor. Innerbelt Freeway opens for its full length. 1964 Erieview Tower completed. Cleveland State University established. Cleveland Browns win the National Football League championship. 1965 – WVIZ, an educational television station, begins broadcasting. 1966 Hough Riots Cuyahoga Community College opens its Metro Campus. 1967 Carl B. Stokes elected the first African American mayor of a major American city. Case Western Reserve University established. 1968 Glenville Shootout Terry v. Ohio 1969 A burning oil slick on the Cuyahoga River attracts national attention regarding pollution. Euclid Beach Park closes. 1970 – Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team organized. 1972 – Cleveland Magazine begins publication. 1973 – Cleveland Barons play their last hockey game. 1974 – Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority established. 1976 – desegregation of the Cleveland Public Schools ordered by U.S. District Judge Frank J. Battisti. 1977 – Dennis Kucinich elected mayor. 1978 Cleveland is hit by the Great Blizzard of 1978 1978 recall election December 15, Cleveland becomes the first American city to go into default since the Depression. 1979 George Voinovich elected mayor. Cleveland Foodbank established. 1980 – presidential debate between candidates Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan held in Cleveland. 1981 Cleveland Public Theatre opened. City Council reduced from 33 to 21 members. Term of office for mayor and council members increased from two to four years. 1982 Ground broken for the Sohio (BP) Building on Public Square. The Cleveland Press ceases publication. Cleveland named an All-America City for second time. 1984 – Cleveland named an All-America City for third time. 1986 Cleveland named an All-America City for fourth time. Cleveland selected as site for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 1987 – Cleveland emerges from default. 1988 – Cleveland Neighborhood Progress and Case Western Reserve University's Center on Urban Poverty and Social Change established. 1989 – Michael R. White elected mayor. 1991 – Key Tower "topped off" at 947 ft (289 m). 1993 – Cleveland named an All-America City for fifth time. 1995