Population

2010: 396,815, #45 in U.S., #2 in Ohio

1950: 914,808, #7 in U.S.

2010 Metropolitan Area: 2,077,240, #28 in U.S.

1950 Metropolitan Area: 1,465,511, #10 in U.S.

Setting

Cleveland was founded in 1796 where the Cuyahoga River enters Lake Erie. Today, there are boat tours of the lakefront and river, and the Port of Cleveland is a major Great Lakes port. Cleveland State University is just east of downtown.

Buildings

Tallest building: Key Tower, 947 feet (1991)

List of tallest buildings

The historic Terminal Tower (708 feet, 1930) has an observation deck on the 42nd floor. Terminal Tower was the tallest building in North America, outside of New York City, from 1930 to 1964.

The Arcade (1890, renovated 2001), has been called America's first indoor shopping mall. It has shops, restaurants, and a hotel. The Warehouse District, on the west side of downtown, has shops, restaurants, and entertainment.

Stores

Cleveland has no downtown department stores. Dillards (formerly Higbee’s) was the last one to close, in 2002.

Trains

Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited goes west to Chicago and east to New York City and Boston, and the Capitol Limited  goes west to Chicago and east to Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. The trains, which reach Cleveland late at night, use the Lakefront Station (1976).

Cleveland Union Terminal (1928) is now known as Tower City Center; the former station area is a shopping mall and food court. The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Association (RTA) has three lines serving Tower City station: the 19-mile Red Line route (1955) to the airport and  southwestern suburbs; and 18 miles of light rail on the Blue and Green lines (1913) to the eastern suburb of Shaker Heights. The light rail was extended to the waterfront area in 1996.