Widely known as a “City of Homes,” Lakewood offers both the amenities of city living and the charm of a small town. Located along Lake Erie’s shore, just west of Cleveland, Lakewood is an older, inner-ring suburb. As a mature community with high-density development, it has not contributed to the broader, regional problems attributed to urban sprawl.

Tree lined streets and solidly built one- and two-family homes, many with comfortable front porches, are Lakewood’s charm. The construction of a municipal light plant in 1896 and a streetcar line in 1903 facilitated the village’s growth. In 1917 the Detroit-Superior Bridge opened connecting Lakewood and Cleveland, causing a real-estate boom that brought the city close to its current population.

The Cleveland metro area boasts leading cultural and educational centers, internationally acclaimed health institutions, and world-class sports and entertainment facilities combined with the community’s rich traditions and unique, ethnic flavor. Lakewood remains a stable, welcoming community with a rich past, a vibrant present, and a promising future.

Reprinted, with permission of the publisher, from 50 FABULOUS GAY-FRIENDLY PLACES TO LIVE (www.FabCities.com) © 2005 Gregory A. Kompes. Published by Career Press, Franklin Lakes, NJ. 800-227-3371. All rights reserved.