Nostalgia for a Place We Never Knew

Ever since Moses Cleaveland and his surveying crew created a public square for his settlement by Lake Erie, it was common for Northeast Ohioans to design city centers to foster a sense of community. But, in an age of suburbanization, the idea of a central gathering place for government, stores, worship, and meetings started to fade. In recent years, the New Urbanist movement has spurred some cities to recreate themselves. Several local communities have developed so-called "lifestyle centers" to promote a small town feel.