Memories of Cleveland's Fairfax neighborhood in the 1950s

Harry Winfield lived in Cleveland's Fairfax neighborhood during the 1950's and 60's. He remembers the people, the places and what life was like in the neighborhood during an interview at the Fairfax Renaissance Development Corporation.
This video was made in partnership with FreshWater Cleveland: www.freshwatercleveland.com/f...
Special thanks to the Cleveland Public Library Photography Collection for the historic pictures.

[@kristenmarie2050]

Thank you! As a lifelong Clevelander I never tire of learning the rich history of our beautiful city!

[@user-ym7vn2lg7f]

Yes❤

[@bgood2me872]

Different values back then, produced different communities.

[@antoniobrooks1113]

More like politicians on both sides not caring about communities of color due to white flight. It’s amazing how Ohio city and tremont didn’t get revitalized until white millennials moved in. Same thing will happen with Cedar, Central, Hough, Lexington and Quincy. Give it til about 2030 and those areas will be completely gentrified due to the opportunity corridor bringing in white people from the western and southern suburbs who’ve never driven thru the city of Cleveland. They’ll need nice gas stations, markets, restaurants, walking trails, etc. it’s not like the current black and brown residents have demanded those things for decades.

[@wyattearpswoman838]

@@antoniobrooks1113 Blah blah blah...same old song. If you want your neighborhood to be nice, do something to improve it. Don't depend on politicians or anyone else to do it for you, because they won't -unless it serves their interests.

[@msmedved_]

Very well said!

[@Old_Sailor85]

Wow! That brought back a lot of memories and I didn't even live in that neighborhood. I think I lived in Shadyside? Between Fulton and West 25th, by the Second District Police Station. I remember before I-71 cut us in half. In any case, Kinney Shoes, Kresgee's, etc., we shopped at all of those. Thank's for the memories.

[@focus414]

I grew up in the area. I missed so much. My era in the neighborhood was full of drugs, crime and negativity. I wish I could chat with this man about the past. If you are alive..GOD bless you.

[@joetterolison4093]

Self Pride is a basic quality We seem to have lost in many cities In the mid 1970's Cedar ave from Downtown Cleveland was like driving through a scary gangster movie When I described what I saw and where I saw it My 40 year old Black Co Workers told Me I was Crazy White Boy for going that way My friend Jimmy Bell told Me He won't even drive in that part of town Jimmy reminds me of Guitarist Matt Murphy from the Blues Brother movie

[@doctorzoloft7587]

I hung with some of my soul brother classmates and partied with them down there too and got the nickname "superfly"!!!!! This was because I was told "you must think your superfly going down in the hood and coming back alive!!! This was in the late 60,s early and mid to late seventies ..........!!

[@ampollard7041]

My family home was on East 79th St. between Cedar & Central Avenues. My family owned & lived in our house from 1938 -2015. I was born in the early 80s. I spent my whole life on Cedar. It was Not a scary movie scene in the 80s ..... So I know it definitely wasn't in the 70s. The elders always talk about how much the neighborhood had going on in terms venues, safety, community & family in the 70s. Maybe it was scary to white ppl (who think all things involving Blackness are ominous) or those who think that everything except the suburbs are horror movies 🙄 That neighborhood did not get bad until the crack epidemic.... which hit the entire nation hard, not just the Fairfax neighborhood

[@nealj3d]

@@ampollard7041 I totally agree with you. Do you know some of the buildings in this video of Cedar is still standing until this day?

[@drpoundsign]

@@ampollard7041 "Cleveland...its jus lyke Compton-Fool."

[@drpoundsign]

@@doctorzoloft7587 Props to East 92nd and St. Clair...Birthplace of Bones, Thugs, and Harmony.

[@BigfistJP]

What an amazing difference between then and now. All those mom and pop businesses that could thrive back then. No Walmart, no Walgreens, no Sam's club. I long for those days.

[@michaeldrennan9932]

God Bless You!! Things So much better back then!! I wish those days could come back Again! (in the words of Stevie Wonder)!! What a Shame of what our society's become!!!

[@wyattearpswoman838]

Amen.

[@pameladrake7547]

Smile 💕

[@kmarie1351]

After Fairfax was redlined in 1939, people couldn't get loans to purchase homes, couldn't borrow on their mortgages to do home repairs, etc. Redlining has had a direct effect on Fairfax and so many other neighborhoods in Cleveland.

[@thejoeyd9207]

Never lose hope, Cleveland. We will rise again!!

[@blossums7]

💖

[@pameladrake7547]

Smile 😎

[@lesliebakos8428]

So sad...

[@BubJeans]

So sad to see the state of the area nowadays it’s shameful to these people’s memories.

[@grandcrappy]

Doh! ain't like 'at now.

[@mikehitzzondabeat]

Don’t look like that at all 🤦🏽