|
|
Glenville, Ohio - Childhood Home of Jerry Siegel
Glenville, Ohio was the childhood home of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel. Joe Shuster moved to the area from Toronto, Canada when he was 10. The two would first meet at Glenville High School in 1930 where both were on the staff of the high school newspaper, the Torch. The rest as they say, is history.
For those interested in visiting the community, Siegel's childhood home (which just happens to be painted Superman blue, red and yellow) is at 10622 Kimberly Avenue. It is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
At the time of its incorporation in 1870, the Village of Glenville was a semi-rural area known as the "garden spot of Cuyahoga County" because of its numerous vegetable farms. The community's scenic qualities and lakeshore sites also attracted many of the region's wealthiest residents. Nationally, Glenville was known as a center of horse racing and, later, auto racing. The track was built in 1870 at the Northern Ohio Fairgrounds and operated until 1908, when it was moved North Randall. The Village of Glenville was annexed to Cleveland in 1905.
Community Clock at East Side MarketResidential and commercial development in Glenville was most intense during the period between 1900 and 1930. East 105th Street emerged as the center of business activity, and its many fine stores earned it the title of Cleveland's "gold coast". The street also became a prime address for religious institutions. Among the largest and most architecturally-distinguished buildings on East 105th Street today are those of the Cory United Methodist Church (home of the Park Synagogue congregation between 1922 and 1947) and the Abyssinia Baptist Church (also built as a synagogue in 1920).
By the 1970's, Glenville's fortunes had taken a turn for the worse. Population loss and declining household incomes, together with the nationally-reported racial rioting in 1968, resulted in widespread deterioration and business vacancies along East 105th Street and along adjoining segments of St. Clair and Superior Avenues.
In the late 1980's and early 1990's, however, the neighborhood's prospects brightened with development of the East Side Market, Glenville Plaza and the North Park Place housing subdivision--all in the vicinity of East 105th and St. Clair--as well as the Sebe Young, scattered site housing development in the Superior Avenue area.
Memorial Marker
In 2003, the citizens of the Glenville Community unveiled an Ohio Memorial Marker honoring one time Glenville residents Jerry Seigel and Joe Shuster for their iconic creation Superman.
Text: Side A
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, two Glenville High School students imbued with imagination and talent and passion for science fiction and comics, had dream become reality in 1932. They created Superman, the first of the superheroes ever to see print. The 1932 prototype was of a villainous superhero. Superman then became the hero who has been called the Action Ace, the Man of Steel, and the Man of Tomorrow. (continued on other side)
Text: Side B
Although the success of Superman spawned an entire industry, publishers and newspaper syndicates did not originally accept the creation. Superman did not appear until 1938 when he became a lead feature on the cover of Action Comics No. 1. As co-creators of the most famous of mythical beings, Siegel and Shuster infused popular American culture with one of the most enduring icons of the 20th century. Superman has appeared in animated series, live-action series, major motion pictures, advertisements, and comic books, where his popularity grows with each generation of readers.
