9 Moments Everyone Born In Cleveland Will Always Remember

If you've ever found yourself saying, "You should have seen winters back when I was a kid," this is probably the exact moment that has solidified itself in your memory. On January 26, 1978, a blizzard rolled in over Cleveland, and it brought with it a barometric pressure that's lower than that of typical hurricanes. Strong winds brought wind chills of nearly -100 degrees, and locals went into a state of emergency. 51 people died throughout the state, and the incredible blizzard has gone down in history as one of the state's most memorable.

They say the path to Hell is paved with good intentions, and that is particularly true when it comes to this unfortunate event. After six months of preparations, Clevelanders intended to release over a million balloons into the sky at once in hopes of breaking a world record. It started to rain, and as the wind blew, complete disaster ensued. You can find the full story in our previous article here.

Clevelanders held their breath as 2017 transitioned into 2018, as the Browns had locals feeling pretty frustrated. After a season of zero wins, thousands gathered around FirstEnergy Stadium to remind the Browns to show some pride and to fight for The Land. When all was said and done, the tongue-in-cheek Perfect Season Parade raised a whopping $17,157 for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank.

Not every moment in Cleveland sports history is a letdown. In fact, when the Cavs made history in 2016, locals couldn't help but celebrate. On June 22, 2016, over a million people gathered downtown to show their love for Cleveland and the Cavaliers. Can you imagine cleaning up the confetti afterward?!

When Cleveland was selected to host the 2016 Republican National Convention, tensions were running high. In fact, one could even argue that tensions hadn't been so taut since the Kennedy-Nixon debates. However, regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, the RNC's visit to Cleveland was a big deal for our city. We hosted the RNC in 1924 and it made history as the first national convention to give women equal representation... so why was this one recent one unique? As officials anticipated the event, the town underwent a huge restoration and Public Square was completely renovated. The event generated $180 million in direct spending, and in a time where violence was making international headlines, Clevelanders maintained a peaceful environment.

If you were alive between September 1965 and September 2016, you probably know of Dick Goddard. During those years, Richard D. "Dick" Goddard was a familiar face on the local news and around Greater Cleveland. He also, as you may know, set a record for the longest career as a weather forecaster. Throughout his career, Goddard was an advocate for animals and helped many pets find their fur-ever homes.

Playhouse Square has always been overflowing with beauty, but this beauty was endlessly enhanced when Cleveland installed a ginormous chandelier in 2014. The chandelier, though seemingly light and airy, weighs in at an impressive 8,500 pounds! It is suspended 44 feet above the street, and the chandelier itself is 20 feet tall and dripping with a stunning 4,200 crystals. You can find the full story on this stunning structure in our previous article here.

If you are old enough to remember what the 1960s were like in Cleveland, you must remember the Hough Riots. Tensions of the era boiled over in one predominantly black neighborhood and riots broke out. Four people were killed, 50 were injured, and nearly 300 people were arrested in connection with arson and bombings that took place. Poverty and racism rocked the neighborhood, and it was largely destroyed during the rioting. Damages totaled at nearly $2 million, equivalent to roughly $15.1 million in today's currency.

While none of us were alive for Moses Cleaveland's discovery of the plot of land that would become this great city, we'll never forget his influence. The city still bears his name... minus one letter. Why that letter was dropped is a bit of a mystery, but local lore maintains that our first newspaper, Cleveland Advertiser, dropped the extra vowel when they found that the original spelling created a headline that was one letter too long to fit across a page.