Special Report: Reflections on a success story

50 years after the notorious 1969 Cuyahoga River fire, Northeast Ohio’s economy and environment are both better off.

When the Brecksville Dam, the last remaining dam in Cuyahoga County is removed this year, the river will flow the length of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park unobstructed.
This week's special report focuses on the rebirth of the Cuyahoga River after the devastating 1969 fire. We examine how events 50 years ago sparked an environmental movement that reshaped one of Northeast Ohio's vital waterways. 

How a burning river fired up environmentalism -- The blaze 50 years ago barely made a ripple here at first, but it soon shook the entire country.

The Cuyahoga: a phoenix among rivers -- When it caught on fire for the last time in 1969, it made Cleveland the butt of national jokes. But a cleaned-up river full of wildlife and paddlers may be having the last laugh. 

The river again reshapes the land -- Just as the winding Crooked River shaped Cleveland's central valley geologically, development momentum is now heading south from the mouth of the Cuyahoga, a result many credit to the river and the air no longer stinking.

Cleveland Foundation projects celebrate the art of rebirth -- Cleveland Fusion: Waterways to Waterways pairs local and global artists to honor the Cuyahoga's past, present and future.