The Kinsman neighborhood was originally part of Newburgh township (1814) until the City annexed the area in the late 1800s. With many steel mills and oil refineries nearby, the neighborhood became a busy location for train traffic. However, after WWII, the neighborhood began a steep economic decline. Kinsman's demographics shifted from a progressive Jewish population in the early 20th century to largely African-American during the Second Great Migration. Kinsman also has a long history with public housing (Garden Valley was one of the city's first developments and CMHA is headquartered there today). Today, the neighborhood has become a leader in Cleveland's sustainability efforts. More on all of this below.

Originally settled in 1799 as part of Newburgh Township , the Slavic Village neighborhood evolved from a rural settlement into a dense industrial hub during the late 19th century as steel mills and the Ohio and Erie Canal drew thousands of immigrant workers . The area became a famous "ethnic enclave," primarily split between the Polish district of Warszawa (centered around the Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus ) and the Czech district of Karlin . While the neighborhood flourished as a retail and cultural center through the 1920s, it faced significant deindustrialization and suburban flight after World War II, eventually gaining national attention in 2007 as the "epicenter" of the American foreclosure crisis . Today, the community is defined by its r esilience and revitalization efforts , blending its deep Eastern European roots with new green spaces, public art, and a diverse population.

The  Mount Pleasant  neighborhood has been home to numerous ethnic groups, first Manx immigrants beginning in 1826, then Germans, Czechs, Russians, Jews, and Italians. Today, it is a predominantly African American neighborhood. In fact, Mt. Pleasant counts blacks among its earliest citizens. According to the  Encyclopedia of Cleveland History , in 1893 a contractor who employed a large number of Black workers was unable to pay wages in cash, so he gave them title to lots in the section north of Kinsman Rd. between E. 126th and E. 130th Streets (a house still sanding from that era is featured in this post). The title holders soon built homes there and by 1907 Mt. Pleasant had 100 Black families. Unheard in those parts of Cleveland at that time. The neighborhood has been home to numerous notable Clevelander celebrities over the years such as Jim Brown, Don King and Mayor Carl Stokes and was also the temporary home to a then up-and-coming rap and pop mega star Machine G...

This was my fourth and final section run of the   Union Miles   neighborhood. Map:   Run 1 , Run 2 , Run 3 , Run 4 , Run 5 , Run 6 Distance This Section: 21.9 miles Distance So Far: 822.7 miles The Cermak Building  is located on the southeast corner of  E. 93rd Street and Union Avenue. It  was constructed in 1909 and designed by local architect James Love Cameron for Fred J. Cermak, a local pharmacist (Cermak Drug was a cornerstone business for many decades). The building served as the center of the emerging Czech-Slovak-Polish-Italian-Irish community for years. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 18, 1984. Across the street at the SW corner of E. 93rd & Union Ave is the  E. Prep & Village Prep Woodland Hills elementary school  which serves 675 students. The location has been home to a neighborhood elementary school since 1897. This church directly east of the Cermak Building at 9210 Union Ave is t...