Legends of the Land

We all know the story of Superman — the single survivor of a faraway planet, blessed with incredible powers and an equally incredible jawline. But do we all know the story of how we got Superman? If you live in Cleveland, the answer is closer than you might think.

It's no secret that Cleveland gets a bad rap for being a snowy and cloudy destination. But the truth is, the weather in Cleveland, although fickle and – yes – cloudy and snowy at times, can be quite beautiful, sunny and with immaculately perfect temps. So, what's the deal with this perception? And, what does the “Lake Effect” have to do with anything?

Often when people think about notable cities along the Underground Railroad, places like Boston and New York often come to mind. But few people are aware of the significance of Cleveland's role within this movement and how the residents of the city helped to move likely thousands of people to safety in Canada. Join us in exploring The Legend of Station Hope.

Perhaps you've seen the headlines and read the news stories: on April 8, 2024, a Total Solar Eclipse will occur across portions of North America, including Mexico and the United States. It's being called “The Great North American Eclipse.” In Cleveland, we're expecting 10,000+ visitors from around the globe. But what is a total solar eclipse? And why is Cleveland considered “the center of the universe” in 2024? Let's dive into this Legend of The Land.

Everyone knows that rock ‘n' roll is part of Cleveland's DNA. So, you might not be surprised to learn that Cleveland has a rich and storied hip-hop history, as well. But how did hip-hop become a defining factor of the music in Cleveland? What's The Land's defining hip-hop sound? Who's blowing up the scene? And what's next for this genre? Given the 50th anniversary of hip-hop this year, we turned these questions to Cleveland's residents to tell us The Legend of Hip-Hop in The Land.

The city of Cleveland was founded on July 22, 1796, by the very general who surveyed the land for the Connecticut Land Company – General Moses Cleaveland. His job was to survey land that sat on the southern coast of Lake Erie and the mouth of what would eventually be known as the Cuyahoga River. From that point forward, the city was known as “Cleveland.” But, Moses' name is spelled “C-L-E-A-V-E-L-A-N-D,” so, what happened to that first “A,” and why doesn't the city use it in its current spelling? So on today's episode, we're asking, “Where'd that ‘A' go?” To learn more about visiting Cleveland, visit ThisisCleveland.com.

Did you know there was once a band that was banned from performing in Cleveland? And, because of this band, ALL rock concerts were banned in Cleveland? Yes, the very city that coined the term “rock ‘n' roll” once had a ban on all rock concerts. So what's the legend behind such infamy? We're uncovering The Legend of the Banned Band. To learn more about visiting Cleveland, visit ThisisCleveland.com

“What's a Polish Boy,” you ask? This finger-licking phenomenon starts with a grilled Polish kielbasa laid in a thick, white sausage roll. Next, the sandwich is topped with piping-hot french fries and crunchy coleslaw. The fact is, this quintessential Cleveland food is delicious. But the question remains: where in the world did such a concoction come from? Who was the origin of these sandwiches? What Cleveland genius invented such innovation? Today, we're talking about Polish Boys. To learn more about visiting Cleveland, visit ThisisCleveland.com.