Syrian & Lebanese

Neighborhoods They Settled In:  Downtown, Central, Tremont.

First Immigrants arrived 1890's

At the turn of the century there were about three hundred Syrian and Lebanese immigrants in Cleveland.  The immigrants originally settled in the inner city from E. 9th to E. 21st.  Some also settled on the near west side.  Originally the Melite Church was the first floor of a building at 2237 E. 9th.  A new building was completed in 1958.  The three churches that serve the Syrian-Lebanese community are:

St. Maron’s Marionite Catholic Church – 1245 Carnegie Ave.

St. Elias Byzantine Melkite Catholic Church – 8023 Memphis Avenue

St. George Syrian Orthodox Church – 2587 W. 14th

1942 Report by the WPA:

Most of the Syrians in Cleveland live in distinct settlements.  The largest colony is on W. 14th Street, from Central Viaduct to Clark Avenue.  Others live in the vicinity of E. 9th Street and Webster Avenue and around E. 21st.  Almost all of the Cleveland Syrians came from Lebanon, and the majority are Christians.  St. Elias Roman Catholic Church at 1231 Webster Avenue, is the oldest of the three Syrian Churches.  It was built in 1908.  Arabic services are held at St. Maron’s Roman Catholic Church, 2214 E. 21st Street, founded in 1915.  St. George’s Orthodox Church, founded in 1928, is in the heart of the largest Syrian colony on West 14th Street.