The Cleveland Grays

Storyteller: Bill Roediger

 
 
 
 

Doors open at 5:00pm, with the storytelling beginning promptly at 7:00pm

• Weekly series combining great food with great stories about Cleveland’s past
• FREE ADMISSION – NO COVER CHARGE
• In addition to our regular menu, a Prix Fixe 3-course dinner special is available for just $25
• Check back for this week’s special
  

Story topic this week…

Cleveland Grays
Did you know Cleveland once had its own independent volunteer militia company? Formed in 1837, the Cleveland City Guards took it upon themselves to protect the city from possible invasion from Canada. They assisted in militia operations during the Civil War, Spanish-American War, the Mexican Punitive Expedition, and World War I. A year after the company had formed, they decided to change their name to replicate the color of their uniforms – gray. So they became the Cleveland Grays.

Today, the Cleveland Grays purpose is to preserve the military heritage of Cleveland. The Grays Armory, built in 1893, was used as a meeting lodge and training facility. The armory still boasts a drill hall which has hosted different forms of entertainment over the years and is the home to a large Wurlitzer theater pipe organ. In the late 1980s, a library of American military history was opened.

President of the Cleveland Grays, Bill Roediger joins us to share stories about the company and armory.

Bill Roediger Bio

Bill Roediger, president of the Cleveland Grays, has been to the Armory since the 1980s when his father, a U.S. Army veteran, brought him to the building. Bill is steeped in the history of the unit and speaks passionately about the photographs, documents, and memorabilia in the building. A Cleveland native, Bill has remained in the Northeast Ohio area with his wife Darcy, children, and grandchildren. He provides Owner Representative Services on Construction Projects as well as Project Management and Planning at Roediger Construction Services.
 
The goal of the Cleveland Stories Dinner Party is to bring to life some of the fun, interesting stories about Cleveland’s past – from sports, to rock ‘n roll, to Millionaire’s Row, — the series will focus on tidbits from Cleveland’s past that will really thrill the audience. The Music Box is presenting this series in partnership with the Western Reserve Historical Society’s new Cleveland History Center. We think the Cleveland History Center is one of the most important museums in Cleveland. An unknown gem that Clevelanders should know more about, and support. It is the only museum in Cleveland dedicated to preserving and documenting the history of Cleveland. The Cleveland History Center includes two mansions, the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, Chisholm Halle Costume Wing, Research Library, Kidzibits Hands-On Gallery, rotating exhibitions, and the Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel.
 

See all Cleveland Stories dates here.