I was in Slavic Village for the first time tonight (besides when I was young), and it really was a sad and mysterious place in the same way.  Although I only saw it at nighttime for a holiday concert, these were my impressions:

 

1)  So much history still remains -- there really is a lot to see, (We got a little lost and we pretty much gave ourselves the self-guided tour of much of the area)

2)  St. Stanislaus is a GEM.  It honestly takes your breath away when you walk in, but I did get to see it by candle light at nighttime.

3)  The prayer books are still half Polish, and mass is said in Polish once a week.  How much a populace do they still have to support this?

4)  That funeral home must have been rebuilt.  There's an ad in the church bulletin for 3675 E. 65th st (from the pope's pictures below).

5) E.55 and Broadway is a neat intersection with old (quasay abandoned) buildings.

6) Cleveland Central Catholic has a gorgeous 3-story brick addition (sorry, no pictures)

7)  There is so much evidence of the neighborhood trying to stay alive.  A majority of the foreclosed homes had their boards artistically painted with flowers, christmas lights and decorations, etc.

 

Bottom line...there is still so much to save there.  I really wish some more of the "suburban" Polish decendants would rally up some support to save the remaining heritage before it slips anymore.  There were many Polish-Americans (suburbanites??) at the holiday concert who had never even seen the Cathedral before tonight, but they were talking about returning to show some of their other relatives.  Cool experience all the way.

 

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the pope's picture links: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=386.0

Slavic Village in national news:  http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php?topic=14232.0

Re: 3) I don't know how many still attend Mass in Polish, but I know they also have weekly Polish Masses at St. John Cantius in Tremont, Immaculate Heart of Mary on Lansing Ave, and St Casimir on Ansel in St.Clair-Superior.

I'm suprised that they still have Mass in polish in Cleveland.  I knew there was a Polish immigration there, but am a bit suprised to hear there are still enough Polish speakers left for that many churches to still hold Polish Mass.

 

 

 

 

I really wish some more of the "suburban" Polish decendants would rally up some support to save the remaining heritage before it slips anymore.

 

In the way of churches, I know that this happens in Detroit, with two old Polish parishes east/northeast of downtown. Basically its suburbanites attending mass, and, in one case, trying to preserve an old church, the first Polish parish in the city.

 

In Chicago,in my old neighborhood, there are a lot of suburbanites who come back in town on Sunday for Mass (though I think this is an english Mass), though the neighborhood is mostly Mexican now (in a way I have issues with this, as I think the parish should move more to serve the new residents)

 

Add two more to the list of Polish Masses - St Barbara on Denison by the Jennings Fwy, and St Peter and Paul on Turney Rd in Garfield Hts.

 

http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/CatholicLinks.html

Curious if Cleveland recieved a large post WWII immigration from Poland? 

 

Or it must have fairly large second and maybe third generation bilingual Polish ancestry community.

 

My grandparents were originally from the "Little Warszaw" area near St. Hyacinth's church (E. 65th and Francis).  We lived in their old house when I was born and they moved back to the neighborhood around 1980 or so, so I can comment some here.

 

The Polish language masses are largely tradition.  Families will go once in awhile.  I think the collections also subsidize other activities of the churches.

 

There was a brief "move back" trend during the late 70s and early 80s.  I don't see it happening soon because the people who kept or bought houses as rental properties had bad experiences with tenants, and eviction in Cleveland is extremely tough to accomplish.

I'm suprised that they still have Mass in polish in Cleveland.  I knew there was a Polish immigration there, but am a bit suprised to hear there are still enough Polish speakers left for that many churches to still hold Polish Mass.

 

I think you can also still find regular (if not weekly) Mass in Italian, Slovenian, Hungarian, Croatian and even German in Cleveland churches- probably other languages as well.  Not to mention Mass in the languages of more recent groups (Spanish, Korean).  There is also still a large number of local weekly radio shows in Central/Eastern European languages.  Not sure how long all these will hang around though.

 

EDIT: thanks Flyr- meant "Slovenian", not "Slovene".

^Definitely.  Off the top of my head:

 

St. Paul's (St. Clair) - Croatian

St. Mary's (Collinwood) - Slovenian

St. Vitus (St. Clair) - Slovenian

 

 

Remember that until Vatican II, Mass was celebrated in Latin, so it's really not unheard of for attendees to not understand all the words.  It's a cultural thing as much as anything else.

And the homily/sermon can often be done in English, or the whole mass might be a hybrid (foreign language)/English mass.

*Hungarian - St. Emeric behind the West Side Market, St Elizabeth of Hungary on Buckeye, St Margaret in Orange Village

 

*Lithuanian - St. George, 6527 Superior Ave.  www.saintgeorgeparish.org

 

You guys must be getting a lot of polkas and ethnic music on the radio up there!  Do any of you listen to those shows?

Whoever posted the great description about St. Stanislaus that went to that Polish mass, could post it again?? .....Was it Eparabola?

OHhhh. I see what happened. If you're talking about my post, I can think about it tonight and rewrite it :)

 

Great for the neighborhood. I wouldn't mind going to this, and if any other UOer is going, let me know.

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Polish-American Congress plans parade in Slavic Village

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

 

In celebration of the 217th anniversary of the signing of the Polish Constitution, the Ohio division of the Polish-American Congress will hold a parade and program at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, May 4, in Slavic Village.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1208939699325080.xml&coll=2

 

^

It would be even more cool if someone took pix of this. 

 

Polish Constitution Day was the occasion for a big parade in Chicago, not sure if they still do that.

 

 

^

It would be even more cool if someone took pix of this. 

 

Polish Constitution Day was the occasion for a big parade in Chicago, not sure if they still do that.

 

 

 

I put it on my calendar, hopefully i can remember.

I remember reading about plans to build a multipurpose sports complex at Morgana Park for Central Catholic HS. It would be a football/track facility. Does anyone else remember this and is it still going to happen?

 

Thanks for any info.

Mentioned in the Crain's story about the Convention Center today:

 

Goodrich donates land to Cleveland

Charlotte Business Journal

 

Goodrich Corp. has donated 3 acres to the city of Cleveland for community-redevelopment efforts.

 

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/stories/2009/04/27/daily58.html

 

 

Cleveland area to step it up May 2 as communities plan rival Polish Constitution Day parades

 

CLEVELAND (AP) — Anyone who loves a parade will be treated to a pair of dueling ones May 2 in the Cleveland area. Rival parades marking Polish Constitution Day will be held in the city and its biggest suburb, Parma.

 

Polish-Americans in Cleveland's Slavic Village are upset that the annual parade was moved to Parma, so they're planning they're own celebration.

 

The Cleveland parade gets the blessing of the mother church of the Polish Catholic community, the Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus. The Parma parade two hours later will feature the Parma, Valley Forge and Normandy high school bands and TV personality "Big Chuck" Schodowski.

 

http://www.fox59.com/news/sns-ap-oh--duelingparades,0,2622720.story

Oh man, it's going to be tough to compete with Big Chuck...

There aren't many black people in Poland... certainly not in the idealized Poland they're having parades for.  This was inevitable.  Slavic Village needs to stand its ground here, and Parma should be ashamed.  Parma barely existed when most of the Polish immigration to Cleveland took place.

There aren't many black people in Poland... certainly not in the idealized Poland they're having parades for. This was inevitable. Slavic Village needs to stand its ground here, and Parma should be ashamed. Parma barely existed when most of the Polish immigration to Cleveland took place.

 

So are you saying it should or shouldnt be in Slavic Village???

Should... I probably needed a sarcasm indicator for the first sentence there.

Very unique art:

 

Cleveland: Slavic Village sculpture changes the 'landscape'

Kim  Wendel    Updated: 6/24/2010 8:31:56 PM  Posted: 6/24/2010 5:43:02 PM

 

 

CLEVELAND -- It's a piece of art that's really changing the landscape in the Slavic Village neighborhood. You can see it from I-77 or even from a nearby bike trail. It's the work of local artist Jake Beckman.

 

Here in Slavic Village, the seeds of an idea have grown into a public display of beauty and creativity.

 

The 40-foot-tall Morgana Run Trailhead marker is definitely going to turn some heads. It resembles a giant garlic flower, with its purple petals pointing the way to the bike trail.

 

http://www.wkyc.com/news/local/news_article.aspx?storyid=138484&catid=3

 

 

MetroHealth Medical Center opens Cleveland's first urgent care facility

CLEVELAND - Cleveland got its first urgent care facility on Thursday in the Slavic Village neighborhood. Residents now have an alternative to the costly emergency rooms that they have depended on all these years.

 

Residents who need to see a physician for non-emergency care can simply walk into the facility or schedule a same-day appointment during the daytime, evening and on weekends.

 

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/metrohealth-medical-center-opens-clevelands-first-urgent-care-facility

Arson fire in Slavic Village:

 

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/cleveland_metro/three-homes-burn-in-slavic-village-fire

Some big news in Slavic Village:

 

Slavic Village welcomes the president of Poland Thursday

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/12/slavic_village_welcomes_the_pr.html

That is really cool

 

 

I was down in Slavic Village yesterday and visited the Seven Roses Deli - it's a great place with a nice sampling of Polish imported food and the back has tables for a lunchtime buffet.  The ceilings and interior were nicely restored, and it was full of people picking up food for Christmas.  I got a quart of czarnina (duck blood soup) and some Polish chocolates, but didn't have time to sit and sample the buffet.

(disclaimer: not my photo - too crowded inside for pix)

 

On a sad note, the Gertrude Bakery, which I think was the last bakery in Slavic Village, is now boarded up and closed.  http://cleveland.about.com/od/neighborhoods/ss/slavicvillage_9.htm

 

I had to go to Turney Road to pick up nut and poppyseed rolls, chruschiki, and kolaczki at Charles Peters Bake Shop instead.

Sad about Gertrude.  I try to make sure everyone I know patronizes the old bakeries there, and do my best to buy up and bring stuff back to DC on my visits (in hopes of holding on to Clevelands special past), but theres only so much I can bring back and give away!  (After all, all your going to find in DC is cupcake shops.) 

7 Roses is great. I was there yesterday. On the bakery...Shame how so many have traded this type of bakery scene for this  "Giant Eagle" bakery environment, where nothing is baked there, rather, all frozen, shipped, then heated. Every store is the same as the other as well. Few know what really good baked goods are anymore. I would also suspect crime issues in or near this neighborhood to be a factor when such places close (don't know about this particular one, though), but I know some will deny there are any problems with that in the neighborhood, and that everything is just fine, so I won't say anymore about that.

So sad for St. Stanislaus...this may be the end of Polish Mass in Cleveland as we know it.  This beautiful cathedral is the last lifeblood of the remaining Polish community....

 

Franciscans leaving Cleveland's Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus after century of service

 

Published: Thursday, December 15, 2011, 6:00 AM   

By Michael O'Malley, The Plain Dealer The Plain Dealer

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After 105 years of service, the Franciscan order of priests is leaving the Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus, a historically Polish parish in Cleveland's Slavic Village neighborhood.

 

"Our numbers are diminishing and we're aging," said the Rev. Michael Surufka, 53, pastor of the parish for the last nine years. "The bottom line is we just don't have the men."

 

The Assumption Province of the Franciscan order, based in Wisconsin, is transferring Surufka to Chicago where he will serve as a director of vocations, recruiting men to the priesthood.

 

Four friars -- three priests and a brother -- will continue running St. Stanislaus until July, at which time the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland will take over.

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/12/franciscans_leaving_st_stanisl.html

Sounds like a good time today!

 

Paczki-lovers crowd Slavic Village cafe on Fat Tuesday

Published: Tuesday, February 21, 2012, 9:00 PM

Michael O'Malley, The Plain Dealer

 

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- At 5 a.m. Tuesday the sweet-tooth crowd was already lined up at an Old World Polish deli and bakery in Slavic Village, waiting for fist-size belly-busters hot out of the kitchen.

 

It was the annual "Paczki Day" at Siedem Roz Cafe on Fleet Avenue and Anastasiya Avrora, working the cash register and boxing orders, was doing her best to keep up.

 

By mid-day, she had rung up 4,000 paczki and there was no sign of a let-up.

 

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2012/02/paczki-lovers_crowd_slavic_vil.html

Paczkis rule.  Stan's Bakery in Northfield Center (best known for their pierogis) makes some good ones too.

Cleveland Orchestra selects Slavic Village for 2015 neighborhood residency

 

By  Zachary Lewis, The Plain Dealer 

November 10, 2014 at 2:02 PM, updated November 10, 2014 at 2:28 PM

 

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Orchestra will move slightly to the south for its 2015 neighborhood residency.

 

After occupying West Side neighborhoods the last two years, the Gordon Square Arts District and Lakewood, respectively, the group announced on Monday that next year's edition will take place in Cleveland's Broadway Slavic Village area.

 

"The diverse neighborhoods of Broadway Slavic Village are ideal settings for music and celebration," wrote Chris Alvarado, executive director of Slavic Village Development.

 

http://www.cleveland.com/musicdance/index.ssf/2014/11/cleveland_orchestra_selects_sl_1.html#incart_river

Fantastic!

 

Cleveland Orchestra concert in Slavic Village ranks as memorable occasion

 

By  Zachary Lewis, The Plain Dealer 

Email the author

 

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Great performances, at the Cleveland Orchestra, are common. The treats, then, are those that are meaningful.

 

Broadway Slavic Village enjoyed just such an event last week. Impactful, vibrant, tailored to the community: The orchestra's appearance Friday at Our Lady of Lourdes church, the most prominent element of an ongoing neighborhood residency, was memorable in just about every way.

 

Even the setting was remarkable. Before anyone sounded a note, the very sight of the orchestra in an ornate church packed with 700 locals, most of whom had gone to great lengths for their free tickets, was one any lover of classical music in Cleveland could have savored. Atmospheres don't come more charged.

 

 

http://www.cleveland.com/musicdance/index.ssf/2015/04/cleveland_orchestra_concert_in.html

Great, but is Zachary Lewis, paid, by the, comma?

Great, but is Zachary Lewis, paid, by the, comma?

 

Wow. How could you not read that in the voice of William Shatner?

 

Wow. How could you not read that in the voice of William Shatner?

 

 

William Shatner. William Shakespeare. Yeah I get confused sometimes. :)

.@Marketplace takes another dip into #CLE, this time with a look at @CHNhousing’s lease-purchase program.

 

Rebuilding a neighborhood, one house at a time

https://www.marketplace.org/amp/2018/08/20/wealth-poverty/divided-decade/rebuilding-neighborhood-one-house-time