Photo: The “Birthplace of Superman,” via Smithsonian Magazine
Traveling around Cleveland, do you ever wonder what the numbered streets used to be named? Or do you ponder how some of our current streets earned their names?
In 1906, as newcomers poured into Cleveland and the city grew rapidly, the City Council adopted a numerical system for streets, changing many street names that had had decades of history and stories behind them. The council enumerated the north/south streets that emanated eastward and westward from Public Square.
Well, the Teaching Cleveland team did some research, and each month during this academic year, we’ll provide some information about Cleveland city streets that you may not have known. We’re here all year to give you some street cred!
Kimberly Ave (A Cleveland Street with Superhuman Ties)
A few miles east of downtown Cleveland lies Kimberly Ave and the Glenville neighborhood, the childhood stomping grounds of Jerry Siegel, co-creator of Superman. During the early 20th century, Glenville was a mix of working-class families and wealthier residents, offering a microcosm of urban life. By the 1930s, it became a Jewish enclave in a fast-growing city. It’s easy to imagine young Jerry, roaming the streets of Glenville, absorbing the sights and sounds that would later influence the fictional Metropolis.
Jerry Siegel, with his friend Joe Shuster, created Superman in 1938. Originally envisioned as a champion of the downtrodden, Superman stood for the working class, a protector of the everyday person. It’s likely that Jerry’s experiences in Glenville, a neighborhood where struggles and aspirations co-existed, played a role in shaping this iconic hero.
While a direct link between Kimberly Avenue and Superman’s world remains elusive, the Cleveland connection is undeniable. Both the street and the superhero represent resilience – Kimberly Ave. as a testament to the city’s growth, and Superman as a symbol of hope and perseverance.
Today, Kimberly Avenue continues its story as a Cleveland street. While details of its early days are scarce, it serves as a reminder of the city’s ever-evolving landscape and the enduring human spirit, both fictional and real.
Speaking of perseverance, you probably by now have heard that filmmakers just wrapped their shooting of a new Superman movie here in Cleveland, due out some time in 2025. Maybe some of you had to persevere in finding your way around town with closed-off streets? Or maybe some of you caught a glimpse of the Man of Steel soaring over Progressive Field, Public Square, and other familiar streets around town?
Read more from the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History here and from Ohio History Connection here.
