In the post-Revolutionary War period, settlers began to move into the Old Northwest. The Ohio Valley area was settled in the 1790s, but the land of northern Ohio remained relatively uninhabited by white men. The northeastern corner of the State of Ohio was known as the Connecticut Western Reserve and comprised approximately 5,000 square miles in the northeastern corner of the State of Ohio (see map on next page) . The State of Connecticut claimed title to these lands, located "between the 41st parallel and Erie, westward 120 miles from the western boundary of Pennsylvania." About 500,000 acres in the western area of this reserve were set aside as "Fire Lands," to be sold to compensate various cities in Conne

The federal census of 1800 reveals that there were 1,500 people living in the Western Reserve. In 1810, that number had grown to 17,000, but only ten families lived in Cleveland. Even though the federal government designated the town as a port of entry in 1805, the area was virtually uninhabited. The problems with the harbor continued to inhibit shipment into the area. It was not until the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 that the township would grow into a commercial center.

The following year, $10,000 was spent to cut a more direct channel into the lake, west of where the Cuyahoga flowed into Lake Erie at a point where the bend of the river carried it closest to the lake shore. This straight channel allowed the river to flow swiftly to the lake, eliminating the sandbars that had always blocked the harbor. This also resulted in the removal of the miasmic swamps from the mouth, cutting down on the disease that had plagued the village over the years. By 1840, over $75,000 had been spent; Cleveland had a good harbor and could benefit from the advantages of its situation.

The first segment of the new canal between Cleveland and Akron was completed in the summer of 1827, with completion of the entire canal by 1832. One question to be addressed was whether the terminus of the canal should be placed on the east bank of the Cuyahoga at Cleveland, or on the west bank. The final decision in favor of the east bank "sealed the relationship between the two sides of the river: retarding west side development and insuring supremacy of the village of Cleveland." The rivalry between the east and west sides of Cleveland created by this decision still exists today.

cticut for losses by fire during the Revolution.

This spot was not unknown to Americans. George Washington had envisioned connecting the Cuyahoga to the Muskingum River with a short portage route, thereby gaining access to the Ohio River. This would provide an outlet to markets for the inland areas of Ohio. Cleaveland apparently agreed, stating "it must command the greatest communication by either land or Water of any River on the purchase or in any ceded lands from the head of the Mohawk to the western extent."

Some topics in this essay:
Land Company, Western Reserve, Lake Erie, Hambden Montville, Erie Canal, Ohio Canal, Windham Cleaveland, Cuyahoga River, Chamber Commerce, Cuyahoga Cleveland, erie canal, western reserve, lake erie, moses cleaveland, ohio river, ohio erie canal, land company, survey party, cuyahoga river, ohio canal, ohio erie, shore lake erie, northeastern corner ohio, miles ohio canal, cleveland ohio river,