A Walk through Little Italy

To me, Cleveland's Little Italy, at the intersection of Mayfield and Murray Hill Roads, just south of University Circle, is one of the most colorful and interesting of the city's ethnic neighborhoods. The area was once populated with mostly Northern Italian immigrants and their families who came to Northeast Ohio to work as stonecutters for the monuments at nearby Lake View Cemetery or who worked in the textile factories, such as Joseph & Feiss.

Today, Little Italy has a mixed group of residents--some of Italian descent, others professionals who work at the nearby hospital and university. The area is also home to dozens of art galleries, several excellent restaurants, and delicious and enticing food stores.

It's a compact neighborhood, ideal for a late fall stroll. Join me for a walk around Cleveland's Little Italy.

^{(photo © Terry Michelle/Platinum Photography)}