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FERRO CORP. is a worldwide producer of specialty materials using organic and inorganic chemistry. It operates principal manufacturing facilities either directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries or partially owned affiliates in 24 countries on 5 continents.

The FESTIVAL OF FREEDOM has been Cleveland's official 4th of July celebration since 1938. Begun as part of the national convention of the Grottos of the U.S. and Canada, the festival has continued as an event of its own. As part of the Grottos' Mardi Gras on 29 June 1938, entitled "Festival of Beauty and Fire," the first program attracted 250,000.

FETZER, HERMAN (24 June 1899-17 January 1935), better known as "Jake Falstaff" to Akron Times and CLEVELAND PRESS readers, was born in Maple Valley, Ohio, to Levi E. and Lydia Fetzer.

FIGGIE INTERNATIONAL, INC., a diversified operating company, was organized by Clevelander Harry E. Figgie, Jr. in Dec. 1963 when he bought the "Automatic" Sprinkler Corp. of America. Through acquisitions he made Figgie Intl. the 367th-largest corporation in the U.S. "Automatic" Sprinkler originated from the merger of 4 small companies in 1910 and was incorporated in Delaware in 1919.

FILIPINO AMERICANS. Immigrants from the Philippines first settled on the West Coast, and only later began to relocate elsewhere. The Philippine-American community began its Greater Cleveland connection in 1920 when the first known Filipino, Martin Conde, moved to Cleveland from California. Attracted by the promise of plentiful employment opportunities, others were soon to follow.

FINAST. See FIRST NATIONAL SUPERMARKETS.

The FINE ARTS BUILDING, 3228 Euclid Ave., with its studios and living quarters for artists, musicians, and writers, was once considered the center of art community in Cleveland. The Fine Arts Bldg. traces its history to 1921 and 1922, when additions were made to the front and rear, respectively, of the former JOHN H. DEVEREAUX mansion (which had been built in 1873).

FINE ARTS MAGAZINE was one of the few subscription periodicals devoted entirely to the arts and their promotion. It evolved from a Chicago-based FM radio programming guide called Fine Music, which dated back to ca. 1955. The first issue of Fine Arts appeared on 1 Jan. 1961. It was produced by Alla V. Wakefield, editor and publisher; Linda Kraus and James B. Gidney, assoc. editors; Clement A.

FINNS. Immigrants from Finland settled in Cleveland as early as 1885. By 1900 79 Finns lived in Cleveland. Between 1901-10 304 Finns came to Cleveland; 288 more the following decade. By the 1930s approx. 3,000 people of Finnish descent lived in Cleveland. Most Finns came to America from rural areas for economic reasons, while compulsory military service in the Russian Army also prompted many to emigrate.

The FIRMAN FUND was incorporated in 1951 by Pamela Humphrey Hanna Firman. The fund supports annual campaigns, building funds, and general support for hospitals, medical, higher and secondary education, cultural programs, youth agencies, community funds, and land conservation programs. Most grants are made to Greater Cleveland-area charitable organizations. No grants are given to individuals, for research, or for loans.

The FIRST BANK NATIONAL ASSN., a financial institution organized to support local black entrepreneurs, was established in June 1974 by Cleveland lawyer John H. Bustamante and 4 partners. Originally known as the First Bank & Trust, it opened for business at 232 Superior Ave. with $2.5 million in capital, and the following year its assets grew to $15.2 million with a net income of $90,336.

The FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF GREATER CLEVELAND in CLEVELAND HTS. resulted from a union in 1927 of the First Baptist Church of Cleveland and the Cleveland Hts. Baptist Church.

The FIRST CATHOLIC SLOVAK LADIES ASSN., a fraternal benefit society with national headquarters located at 24950 Chagrin Boulevard in BEACHWOOD, was established by Anna Hurban and eight Slovak women with $77 in assets at ST. LADISLAUS CHURCH in 1892.

The FIRST CATHOLIC SLOVAK UNION OF THE USA AND CANADA is a fraternal benefit society, founded in Cleveland on 4 Sept. 1890 by 11 men from 4 states. By 1933 the union had over 100,000 members and more than $9 million in assets. The union was established by Rev.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF EAST CLEVELAND. See EUCLID AVE. CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST.

FIRST CONGREGATIONAL SOCIETY OF BROOKLYN. See ARCHWOOD UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST.

The FIRST CROSS-COUNTRY AUTOMOBILE TRIP was made in 1903 in a Cleveland-made Winton automobile. Dr. H. Nelson Jackson, a physician from Burlington, VT, and his chauffeur, Sewell K. Croker, left San Francisco in a 2-cyl., 20-hp 1903 Winton on 23 May 1903. Rather than challenge the Nevada deserts that had foiled ALEXANDER WINTON and Chas. B.

The FIRST HUNGARIAN LUTHERAN CHURCH, chartered on 23 Apr. 1906 in Cleveland, established the first Hungarian orphanage in America in 1913. Its first pastor was Steven Ruzsa (1907-23). The congregation initially met in a church building on Rawlings Ave., purchased in 1907. Within 6 years, they had founded the orphanage (also on Rawlings) and the Martin Luther Sick & Death Benefit Society.

The FIRST HUNGARIAN REFORMED CHURCH OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, was organized by Rev. Gustav Juranyi and 60 charter members on 3 May 1891. In 1894 a wooden church was built on Madison Ave. (E. 79th St.). Five years later, a stone church was built at the same location by Rev. Alexander Csutoros. In 1925 the congregation purchased 1 acre of land at 2856 Martin Luther King (formerly East) Blvd., at Buckeye Rd.

THE FIRST MAP OF CLEVELAND or “The Spafford Map,” is a manuscript map created on the townsite being surveyed by MOSES CLEAVELAND’s party in September of 1796.

FIRST METHODIST EPISCOPAL SOCIETY. See FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF CLEVELAND.

FIRST NATIONAL SUPERMARKETS, INC. (FINAST) is a leading supermarket chain in the Cleveland area. Its origin can be traced to 1928, when Edward Silverberg opened a small dairy store in CLEVELAND HTS. In the 1930s, Silverberg expanded his company into a chain called Farmview Creamery Stores. He introduced the supermarket to Cleveland in 1938, when he opened a store on E.

FIRST NATIONWIDE BANK of San Francisco was the 8th largest U.S. savings and loan, with $11.9 billion in assets, when it took over Cleveland's STATE SAVINGS AND LOAN CO. in June 1986. The acquisition gave the San Francisco bank representation in Ohio for the first time and State Savings offices immediately assumed the name of their new owner. On 30 Dec.

The FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (OLD STONE) grew from a Plan of Union Sunday school established in 1820, incorporated as the First Presbyterian Society in 1827. The oldest structure on PUBLIC SQUARE it is one of Cleveland's few early churches remaining in its original location.

The FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF EAST CLEVELAND, founded 27 August 1807 as the Church of Christ in Euclid, was one of the first churches in the WESTERN RESERVE. Also known as Historic Presbyterian Church, it has occupied the same plot of land for its entire history, at 16200 EUCLID AVE.

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF EAST CLEVELAND (AT DOAN'S CORNERS). See EUCLID AVE. CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST.

The FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH OF CLEVELAND was established in 1827 as the First Methodist Episcopal Society. The society was formed by 9 hearers on the Cleveland circuit, which included part or all of Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, and Summit counties. Cleveland was made a permanent station in 1830.

FIRST UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF EAST CLEVELAND. See FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF EAST CLEVELAND.

FISCHER AND JIROUCH is a nationally known maker of decorative architectural relief sculpture. The company was established in 1902 and incorporated in 1909 by two sculptors, George J. Fischer (1876-1958) and FRANK L. JIROUCH (1878-1970).

The FISHER BODY DIVISION OF GENERAL MOTORS CORP. operated a Cleveland plant at E. 140th and Coit Rd. and a Euclid plant at 20001 Euclid Ave. The Coit Rd. facility was opened in June 1921 by the Detroit-based Fisher Body Co. to build bodies for the Cleveland Automobile Co. and the Chandler Motor Car Co. (see CHANDLER-CLEVELAND MOTORS) among others.

FISHER FOODS, INC. was one of Cleveland's major food retailers. It began as the Fisher Bros. Co. in Feb. 1907 when 3 New York grocers, Manning F. and Chas. Fisher and Joseph Salmon, opened a grocery store at W. 47th St. and Lorain Ave. The company was incorporated in 1908.

FISHING INDUSTRY. Although Cleveland is situated on a lake that historically ranked among the world's great fisheries, Clevelanders never looked to Lake Erie as a food source in any major sense. After 1796 the fishery was a marginal commerce, overshadowed by the port's role as a transportation hub and industrial depot.

FIVE POINTS is where St. Clair Ave., E. 152nd St. (originally Collamer St.) and Ivanhoe Rd. (originally East Collamer St.) come together to form a star.

The FLAT IRON CAFÉ, located at 1114 Center St, was established in 1910, serving a working-class, largely Irish clientele in the Flats along the Cuyahoga River. In the late 1800s, the building, which was originally a four-story hotel, caught on fire and the top two floors were destroyed creating the two-story structure that exists now.

The FLATS are located along the CUYAHOGA RIVER within the City of Cleveland where the river pursues a sinuous course through a valley about one-half mi. wide.

FLEMING, THOMAS W. (13 May 1874-18 Jan. 1948) was the first African American elected to CLEVELAND CITY COUNCIL and an active Republican politician until his indictment in 1929. Born to Thomas and Lavina (Green) Fleming in Meadville, PA, Fleming arrived in Cleveland in 1893 to work as a barber.

FLEWELLEN, ICABOD (06 July 1916 - 20 July 2001), student, curator, activist, citizen, and community servant was a long-time resident of HOUGH best known for his extensive collection of African-American historical artifacts and memorabilia.