Located about five miles east of downtown, the early Union
Miles neighborhood was ripe with orchards
and farms in the early 19th Century before it quickly became Cleveland’s
steelmaking center—attracting Scottish, Irish, and Eastern European immigrants.
The Great Depression and the demise of the steel industry changed the neighborhood
by the mid-20th Century, bringing a new group of people looking for
affordable housing, large lawns and a sense of community. With that change came
small businesses—many still in business today—and one of the highest concentration
of churches in Cleveland. Today, community officials and residents work hard to
connect people, opportunities, and new development to position Union Miles for
a bright future.