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The COLLINWOOD RAILROAD YARDS & Diesel Terminal, one of the principal repair facilities and freight transfer points of the NEW YORK CENTRAL RAILROAD, originated in 1874 when its new subsidiary, the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern RR established a rail center in the village of COLLINWOOD.

COLONIAL DAMES OF AMERICA. See PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES.

COLONIAL DAMES OF THE XVII CENTURY. See PATRIOTIC SOCIETIES.

The COLONIAL THEATER opened on 16 Mar. 1903. It was located at Superior Ave. near E. 9th St. (until 1905 known as Erie St.) Built by the McMillans of Detroit, the 1,472-seat theater was a distinguished house for almost 30 years. Shortly after it opened, it was leased by Drew & Campbell of the Star Theater and for several years was used for vaudeville productions. Among its subsequent managers were F.

The COLONY THEATER, located on SHAKER SQUARE, is one of Cleveland's major movie houses and one of the square's most notable architectural features. Completed in Dec. 1937, the Colony was designed for Warner Bros.

Coltman, Ora (3 Dec. 1858 - 2 Jul. 1940), was a noted painter, sculptor, muralist, woodblock printer, and writer.  Born in Shelby, Ohio to John W. Coltman and Margaret E. Coltman. Coltman came to Cleveland in 1880 to attend law school but soon dropped out to become an artist.

The COLUMBIA THEATER, 2071 E. 9th St., opened on 26 Oct. 1913 as the Miles Theater under the direction of president and general manager Charles H. Miles. The 2,000-seat theater cost nearly $500,000.

The COLUMBUS STREET BRIDGE was the first permanent bridge over the CUYAHOGA RIVER. Constructed in the spring of 1836, it promoted commercial development of Cleveland at the expense of OHIO CITY, leading to the "Bridge War" between the cities in that same year. The Columbus St.

COMAN, JOHN C. (6 Mar. 1926 - 14 April 1997) was a banker, lawyer, and Romanian community leader. He was born in Cleveland to Anna (Zula) and John Coman, both of whom came from Romania. As a child he delivered groceries from his parents' store on W. 49th St. and Detroit Ave. He graduated B.S.

The COMMERCIAL BANK OF LAKE ERIE was the first bank in Cleveland and briefly played an active role in the town's early economic life. Incorporated by 8 Clevelanders with $45,000 in capital and a 25-year state charter, the bank opened for business on 6 Aug. 1816 in a house at the corner of Superior and Bank (W. 6th) streets.

The COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCER was a Whig daily introduced by Benjamin Andrews, formerly publisher of the Cleveland Herald. Cleveland's 4th daily, it appeared in Jan. 1838, after the merger of the Daily Gazette into the Herald and shortly before the reversion of the Advertiser to weekly status.

The COMMISSION ON CATHOLIC COMMUNITY ACTION, established in June 1969, is the social-justice arm of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. It was begun by Bp. CLARENCE G. ISSENMANN to respond to racism, discrimination, and poverty. Auxiliary Bp. William M. Cosgrove and George A.

The COMMUNIST PARTY in Cleveland was a small, disciplined group of men and women involved in both political and labor activities who promoted the overthrow of American capitalism by revolutionary means in order to establish proletarian rule. The local Communist party was founded by Ohio and Cuyahoga County socialists belonging to the left-wing section of the national Socialist Party.

COMMUNITY CHEST. See UNITED WAY SERVICES.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS (CDCs) are nonprofit, community-focused entities whose mission is to support their affiliated city neighborhoods with a range of programs such as affordable housing, economic development, safety and social services. CDCs also provide an important bridge for connecting residents to city governments.

COMMUNITY FUND. See UNITED WAY SERVICES.

COMMUNITY GARDENING in Cleveland - cultivating gardens for a civic purpose – dates back to the first years of the twentieth century.

COMMUNITY HOSPITAL OF BEDFORD (also known as BEDFORD MUNICIPAL HOSPITAL). See UNIV. HOSPITALS HEALTH SYSTEM BEDFORD MEDICAL CENTER.

CONDON, GEORGE E. (November 6, 1916 - October 7, 2011)  was a journalist for the PLAIN DEALER and a teller of Cleveland tales. One of eight siblings, he was born in Fall River, MA, to immigrants John J.

The CONDUCTORS' STRIKES OF 1918-1919 was a series of both threatened and actual labor strikes that pitted organized women – the female streetcar conductors’ union, the Women’s Trade Union League (WTUL), and leading suffragists – against the powerful

The CONFERENCE FOR PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL ACTION (CPPA) was held at Cleveland's Public Hall 4-5 July 1924 and endorsed the candidacy of Sen. Robt. M. LaFollette for president. The 800 conference delegates, largely made up of farmers and trade unionists, felt the senator represented their interests better than Republican and Democratic parties, who, in their view, had failed in their obligations to the American people.

CONGREGATIONALISTS. Congregationalist churches, part of the United Church of Christ (UCC) since 1957, were among Cleveland's first and most influential religious institutions. The UCC was the first major denomination to place its national headquarters in Cleveland (1990).

The CONNECTICUT LAND CO. (1795-1809) was an investment group that obtained title from the State of Connecticut to a major portion of the WESTERN RESERVE lands for resale to settlers. On 3 Aug.

CONRAIL (the Consolidated Rail Corp.), a privately owned company primarily in the freight business, was established by Congress in 1975 to reorganize and consolidate 5 of 7 bankrupt northeastern railroads. It began operation April 1976 with 17,000 miles of track stretching from Boston to Chicago and St. Louis, armed with $2.1 billion of federal funding.

The CONSUMERS LEAGUE OF OHIO, founded in 1900 in Cleveland as a women's organization, has contributed to the welfare of workers of both sexes nationwide through education, direct action, and legislative reform. With state headquarters in Cleveland's Statler Office Tower (1993), the league is affiliated with the National Consumers League.

CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER OF CLEVELAND. See MUSEUM OF CONTEPORARY ART CLEVELAND.

CONTINENTAL, A DIVISION OF DOLLAR SAVINGS BANK, began operation as the South Side German Bldg. & Loan Assn. 18 Jan. 1892 with Phil Voelke as president. The Association, serving Cleveland's German population, met weekly in quarters at the corner of Clark Ave. and W. 25th St. until 1910, when it built its own offices at 3112 W. 25th St. In 1920, with assets totaling $1.5 million, the bldg.

CONTRACTOR'S ASSISTANCE CORP. See FAIR HOUSING PROGRAMS.

see: DESTINATION CLEVELAND.

CONWAY, THOMAS DANIEL “TIM” (15 December 1933 – 14 May 2019) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. He was the winner of six Emmy Awards. He won his first Emmy for his work on McHale’s Navy, three Emmys for his work on the Carol Burnett Show, a fifth Emmy for a guest appearance on ABC’s Coach, and a sixth Emmy for an episode of NBC's 30 Rock.

COOK UNITED, INC. was at one time one of the country's leading home-service route supermarket and discount department store chains. Max Freeman and Hyman C. Broder started the firm as the Cook Coffee Co. in 1921 and incorporated it 4 years later. For its first 30 years, Cook grew by operating retail truck routes that sold coffee, tea, and other grocery and household items in 15 states.

COOK, THOMAS A. (7 January 1912 - 25 Nov. 1996) was a businessman and civic activist. He was born in Montgomery, Alabama, to Montry and Daisy Cook. The family moved to Chicago, where Cook's mother died, then to Cleveland in 1917. He graduated from Central High School, then joined a side show band with the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey Circus, working summers as a trumpeter.

COOLEY FARMS. See OLD AGE/NURSING HOMES.

COPE, BETTY (20 Dec. 1925 – 14 Sep. 2013), a Cleveland native, was a woman director in the male-dominated early days of television. She led the way to found WVIZ TV (Channel 25) and bring educational television to Northeast Ohio. She was the first woman to become the president and general manager of a major market TV station in the US.  

CORDES, WILLIAM P. (11 June 1929 - 5 April 1997) was a historic restorationist who helped oversee numerous local and national building restorations. Born in Brooklyn, NY, to William Cordes and Elena Casazza, who divorced two years later, Cordes was raised by his mother and her second husband, Herman Butze.

CORRIGAN, HON. JOHN V. (April 3, 1920 -December 21, 2004) served 42 years as a judge on the Cleveland Municipal Court, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, and Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals, exercising leadership within the judicial profession and in the community-at-large, to improve the administration of justice and to aid the delivery of health and social services by Cleveland and national organizations.

CORRIGAN, HON. WILLIAM H. (November 29, 1923 - February 1, 2017) was a lawyer, community activist, and judge in the Housing Division of the Cleveland Municipal Court.