It was the dawn of the 20th century, and Cleveland, Ohio, the nation's sixth largest city, was on a roll. Featuring a magnificent downtown with skyscrapers and classic public buildings, a waterfront bristling with shipping, cruises, and industry, thriving neighborhoods of millionaire mansions and suburban bungalows, fine parks linked by scenic boulevards, and unrivaled cultural institutions, this powerhouse city was in the midst of its genesis. Balancing this forward growth were the towns of the Western Reserve, which retained their distinctive New England character and provided a peaceful contrast to the vigorous city that was expanding daily.