Cuyahoga
In 1837, a twenty-four-year old young man known as Big Son is primarily known for the development of the small town of Ohio City, across the Cuyahoga River from the larger town of Cleveland. Meed, also nicknamed Medium Son, tells the tale of how Big Son cut down the trees and opened the area for development.
According to Meed, Big Son “whipped a lake, hogtied panthers, drained jugs, was stung by one thousand hornets, cut roads, drained twenty swamps, and rescued one hundred widows” in accomplishing his feat. As Meed relates in his tale, Big was not satisfied with his accomplishments, but wished for the hand in marriage of Cloe, who has rejected his advances. So Big Son tries to earn enough money to propose marriage. Meanwhile, Clark’s Bridge is built between the towns of Ohio City and Cleveland. Owned by Cleveland, it is a toll bridge, and its existence is threatened.
As Meed attempts to write his almanac about his brother’s accomplishments, misdeeds and unrequited love interest as a folk tale, the story about the rivalry between the two growing cities is really the focal point. As we know, Cleveland is much larger and has become a major city, while Ohio City is one of many neighborhoods of Cleveland. I found the tale well-written; it included several minor characters with unusual habits, including the bridge between the towns that several wished to destroy (and made several attempts to accomplish this task). I cannot say I found the characters either sympathetic or likeable, but if you are from this part of the United States, you may find the novel funny and enjoyable.
