This book uses the concepts and processes of community-building, philanthropic activity, and city planning to frame the 200-year history of University Circle, the educational, medical, and cultural center of Cleveland, Ohio. While written for the general reader, it draws substantially on archival sources, interviews, and a wide range of scholarship for documentation. Referring to broader trends in urban America, the book also considers the role of racial and ethnic tensions, of wealthy movers and shakers, and of scientific and business activities in shaping the Circle.