This perhaps belongs on Urban Bar, but I just thought I would throw this out for discussion and opinion. The thought/question is: In Greater Cleveland....from your personal experiences.....Who do you feel is generally more knowledgeable about their core city and region? (metro area)... Are suburbanites more familiar with knowing a lot about the core and region and its art, history, culture, entertainment, etc  OR...do you think that those who live in the core or inner ring are more familiar with all this sort of thing?

Considering the median level of education, low incomes and high poverty in the city, I would bet good money that core city residents typically know less about the "region and its art, history, culture, entertainment" and about many other things than typical suburbanites.  But I don't think that's what you were looking for.

Impossible to verify, but my money would be on the inner-ring folks as a whole.  Too many people in the City proper don't know and too many people in the outer-ring don't care to know.  But there are pockets of the core which make up the most passionate of our residents, such as Tremont, OC, Asiatown, UC, Waterloo, etc.

A Lakewood friend of mine, Craig Bobby, who is a Cleveland architectural and history nut, can find or tell you almost anything about the these topics in the Forest City. (he's also a local rock & roll trivia/history buff) He was born and raised in the Cleveland area and has helped a lot of the local historical and preservation organizations with obscure tidbits of information. A couple of days ago, he sent me an 1889 Plain Dealer article listing all of the millionaires in Cleveland. Since Lakewood is an "inner" suburb, I'd go with suburbanites overall mainly because they tend to be better off financially and educated. (I'm certainly not saying some of the inner city folks aren't highly educated and knowledgeable, just generalizing, as you initially asked)

On the flip side, how many of us have heard the following (inaccurate) comments from suburbanites - "no one goes downtown", "downtown is dead", "there's nothing to do in Cleveland", etc.

There are, generally, two classes of "suburbanites" in Cleveland.... which is why my answer was qualified the way it was.

True, and I would have to agree with you that it's impossible to verify.  I think it's too broad of a question.  I know people in the city, inner-ring burbs, and outer-ring burbs that are both knowledgeable and not knowledgeable.

I agree, impossible to verify.

 

@John S, I might like to meet your friend. I am always interested in a fellow rock trivia hound. Could you convince him to join UO?

I agree, impossible to verify.

 

@John S, I might like to meet your friend. I am always interested in a fellow rock trivia hound. Could you convince him to join UO?

 

Wish I could,(I've tried) but Craig refuses to spend much time on the internet. He lays claim to taking the Scorpions during their very first American gig (1970's?) over to a local Rock radio talk show to be interviewed using their (then) limited command of English. Any hard rock or metal band that has ever played in the Cleveland area he could tell you something about them and probably name all of the band members and most of their songs. He knows about all the 1950's-60's oldies local stuff as well. But I digress off topic...my apologies.

Considering the median level of education, low incomes and high poverty in the city, I would bet good money that core city residents typically know less about the "region and its art, history, culture, entertainment" and about many other things than typical suburbanites.  But I don't think that's what you were looking for.

 

I disagree with that.  My ex skank-in-laws family was in know way "rich" but there mother, made sure that they visited and were culturally inclinded.  Same thing with some relatives, they went to more things in the city than we did.

I dont know, this is a toss up.  Although I've lived here my entire life, I have no idea what goes on, on the westside. ant o an extent, many eastside neighborhoods. 

 

I know what goes on downtown and select neighborhoods.  I have no idea what goes on in riverside, kamms corner, puritas, jefferson Brooklyn/Old Brooklyn Collinwood, Euclid-Green.

 

I get the sense people know about their neighborhood and adjacent neighborhoods and citywide initiatives.

 

Really how much can someone who lives in Collinwood tell me about Shaker Square.  Or someone in Brooklyn, tell someone in Lee-Miles about their neighborhood?  Outside of this forum?

 

Think about it.  There are plenty of people in the burbs that think Cleveland is just a burned out shell of itself, while at the same time thinking their neighborhood is some utopia.  Or saying something like, "i didn't even know we had a Chinatown"

Cleveland has always been a city of neighborhoods.  People would work, then go home to their neighborhood.  It is one of the things that makes Cleveland special, but at the same time, it has created a city that does not fit the current "national" city mold. The modern city has all of its amenities downtown and nothing else outside of the downtown area.

Eh... not sure about that.  I guess it depends on what you mean by "modern city".

There are many good observations in all the above posts. Many summed up pretty much how I would summarize. I guess there is really no hard core lines and answers as to who may be more aware/knowledgeable of their area in some of the ways I mentioned. Some in the core know a lot about the core and region..... and some in the outside know a lot. There is a mix. I think HTS had a good and concise assessment. I know that there are many suburban people who are well aware of their core city and region, but then again there are those who haven't got a clue. The same can be said for those in the core, some know, some don't. I guess I am just amazed about how many people in or out are not as aware as they could be about their city/metro area,....or the fact that they are a part of one big metro area.

Grew up in the suburbs but parents were born in inner ring suburbs. Know a lot more about Cleveland than many of my friends growing up. Doesn't hurt that dad was an architect.

when i was little (pre-driving age) i knew a lot more about the entire area than my friends, in part due to having divorced parents, one east side, one west (south). also, being into the "indie scene" helped, because i went to shows (once i started driving) at the euc, speak in tongues, grog, pat's, peabody's, odeon... that kind of thing forces you into the city.

 

when the internet happened i ended up meeting a bunch of people my age from strongsville (wickliffe was my home base). hanging out with me forced them into knowing more about the east side.