With work and other obligations, my time to get out and take photos and post threads has been curtailed but I finally have enough to throw a thread together. This includes Cleveland, Columbus, Cuyahoga Falls, Leetonia, Lisbon, and Warren - and maybe some spots in between.

 

St. Michael the Archangel church, tallest in Cleveland at 222':

 

Terminal Tower:

 

Key Tower in the morning:

 

Key Tower in the evening:

 

Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood - Arts in August with the Paul Ferguson jazz quintet, featuring Evelyn Wright (if you ever have the chance to see them, do it!)

 

Columbus - beautiful building in need of TLC:

 

Columbus - Short North neighborhood's most iconic mural with bike-share rack:

 

Have to say I was a little shocked to see the 'stars and bars' at a "premium" denim store on High Street. I get the cheeky flasks but the f#cking Confederate flag? :wtf: 

 

It was a short weekend trip, so heading downtown:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up, a weekend trip to my home county, Columbiana County. These pics are from Lisbon, Ohio - specifically Guilford Lake. http://parks.ohiodnr.gov/guilfordlake

 

 

 

Salem, Ohio - my hometown. When I was growing up, the area in this photo and adjacent were home to about half a dozen busy manufacturing plants that employed around 500 each. I think it's now down to one or two that employ 500 total  :|

 

Even so, there's still some money (new and old) in the area:

 

What was once a point of pride became a sad blight - Ponderosa Park was a combo timeshare campground/resort that hosted nationally known country acts and anyone who "was anyone" had a spot there. I remember my working-class family went to a 'tour' (aka sales pitch) and the rep kept saying 'yes, we've been rather good at keeping the 'undesirables' out' (she clearly did NOT know her audience). Fast forward to 2010, the park completely closed and last I heard, it was being divvied up for fracking rights. http://www.vindy.com/news/2012/mar/20/former-music-mecca-ponderosa-park-is-on-/

 

 

On Route 45, passing through Lordstown en route to Warren in Trumbull County:

 

As you get closer to Warren, the scenery gets more and more blighted - I know they were hit hard by the recession but yeesh.

 

 

Even with all the blight, the legendary Hot Dog Shoppe remains, and was hopping when we visited:

 

 

 

 

Warren is home to Covelli Enterprises, who had franchised a lot of McDonald's in the area (they've since moved on to Panera aka St. Louis Bread Company) and built "The World's Most Magnificent McDonalds" which features a skylit atrium, waterfall, piano player, etc:

 

Back to Columbiana County - next up is Leetonia, Ohio (south of Youngstown, ten minute drive from Salem) - if this small burg of less than 2,000 has ever been lively, I haven't seen it. Still, there are some charming homes and buildings there.

 

 

Probably one of my favorites but I remember when it and the landscaping were kept in pristine condition - hope that someone can get it back to that.

 

 

 

Downtown Leetonia in the distance:

 

Like I said...  :-(

 

 

The former library building:

 

The new library, well outside of walking distance of most residents and a healthy ex-urban setback for a rural Appalachian village  :wtf:

 

And I'm the first to admit, my hometown has a great historic downtown but most retail is located on the outskirts of town in repugnant strip plazas.

 

With that, let's head to Cuyahoga Falls - there are plenty of areas that need help, but they've done a really good job of making the riverfront accessible - I wish they had a more built up "downtown":

 

 

 

 

They have a great boardwalk that goes along the Cuyahoga River for quite a stretch:

 

The Sheraton Suites hotel on the right - if you have the chance, the Sunday brunch at Beau's is d@mn good for $20 ($32 if you want a 'bottomless' mimosa or champagne) and the setting is gorgeous:

 

 

 

 

Back to Cleveland via the turnpike:

 

And of course, I have to get a shot of downtown Cleveland, 28 miles away  :-)

 

I have to figure out how to get this shot at night with the Arcelor/Mittal blast furnance flame going to town.

 

You know what, let's head back out to Guilford Lake, I could use some peace and quiet - and mist off the lake in the morning:

 

 

 

 

And of course, some shots of the fauna:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In addition to peace and quiet, the local lakeside restaurant has decent beer on tap - this time around was Sam Adams Octoberfest - $3 for a frosty 16 oz. mug (oh, and less during happy hour)  :-)

 

More of the area scenery:

 

 

 

 

Good times and signing off from Guilford Lake, hope you enjoyed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

you gotta approach warren from the east side--it looks beautiful that way. coming in from the west is just depressing. Thanks for the great pics!

Never heard of Leetonia until now!  Thanks for the tour.

No shots of downtown Salem?  I see the hospital tower is going up pretty fast.  Head eastward towards wally world and melville hill and the strip plazas and sprawl just gets worse.  Leetonia, always a sleepy little town.  Never understood why they built a new highschool with such a rapidly declining enrollment. 

 

Great photos as always

Wow @ that McDonald's...

I was to Leetonia once.

The house right above the "Downtown Leetonia in the distance" shot - did they cover up their door with those horizontal slats? Seems strange to me at least.

 

 

The church at top looks real nice.