Posted in Cleveland
October 19, 2021
7 Historic Images Of The Cleveland Guardians Overlooking The Best Location In The Nation
For ages, the Guardians of Traffic have diligently overlooked Cleveland. Nowadays, they’re more famous than ever before thanks to MLB-related national spotlight… but they weren’t always so popular. There’s so much to love about these iconic Cleveland landmarks, but their history is arguably as unforgettable as their fascinating Art Deco designs. Step back in time with these charming photos:
Locals had been calling for a new bridge in Cleveland for nearly three decades when construction finally started on what we now know as the Hope Memorial Bridge in 1929. There's much speculation over who created the famous Guardians of Traffic and, fortunately, the Western Reserve Historical Society has compiled a list of names of the workers that helped make them. Many of the sculptors were immigrants from Italy, and the sculptures were actually carved in Little Italy at a business known as the Ohio Cut Stone Company.
The eight Guardians are made of Berea Sandstone, which many locals cite as some of the finest stone in the world. Each Guardian holds a different vehicle in its hands, which must have astonished locals when the bridge was fully completed in 1932. Imagine how beautiful these statues must have looked to early drivers... they're every bit as stunning today, though they're now a familiar sight in the city.
In the summer of 1951, local DJ Alan Freed had first uttered the term "rock and roll" over Cleveland airwaves. However, months before that happened, Clevelanders were recovering from a horrible winter and were, arguably, in need of a little pick-me-up. This photo was taken in March, just months after the previous year had brought a nasty snowstorm over Thanksgiving. As one of the snowiest winters the city had ever seen came to a close, the Lorain Carnegie Bridge stood proudly despite freezing temperatures and traffic jams. Hopefully, locals had a rockin' spring and summer after that unpleasant winter!
Once upon a time, the Guardians actually were used as storage! According to Cleveland Memory Project, a newspaper clipping from the era revealed, "Deputy County Engineer Arthur V. Dollard says there is nothing in the 8 ft. by 10 ft. recesses these days. In the days when the bridge was hand-cleaned the space was used to store brooms and carts and other gear."
Other than routine maintenance, the bridge itself hasn't needed many repairs over the years. Here, however, the dirt and grime from years of pollution are obvious on one of the eight Guardians. This, of course, was years before the bridge was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Being listed on this register often qualifies landmarks for tax incentives, which makes maintaining and preserving the sites more affordable.
The 1970s were a fascinating time in Cleveland... and, arguably, a sad one. The city was full of pollution prior to the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act, and local landmarks suffered as a result. The Guardians were no exception... they were dirty, and some called for their demolition in the tumultuous '70s. Fortunately, locals held off on carrying out that destruction and the statues were ultimately cleaned in the 1980s. Interestingly, this wasn't the only Cleveland landmark that was almost demolished after years of neglect. Playhouse Square has a similar backstory, too!
In the 1980s, the bridge was closed for three whole years for road repairs. When it finally reopened in 1983, the old Lorain-Carnegie Bridge found a new name: The Hope Memorial Bridge. The name was a nod to the father of comedian Bob Hope, who served the city of Cleveland as a stonemason.
The Guardians of Traffic in Cleveland are a fascinating contribution to the local landscape, and they’ve arguably aged like a fine wine. Today, these statues are so iconic that they’ve become a part of the city’s identity.
Love traveling through time? Check out our article on the construction of the Terminal Tower for more historical photos that take you back to a bygone era.
Address: Hope Memorial Bridge, Cleveland, OH 44113, USA
