Click on photos
for larger image.

408 East St. Clair - Home of
The City Mission 1964-1992


Administration Building - '91


Adminstration building now


Pathways Groundbreaking (l-r)
Rev. John Wood, Bea Wood,
Barbara Banfield, Rev. Harry
Banfield, Duane Helmick


Pathways Building now

In October 1910,
The City Mission opened following a mass meeting conducted by Mel Trotter, who traveled the country inspiring local residents to help their fellow man in Jesus' name. Trotter was invited to help start a Mission by city and church leaders (including Fred Ramsey, Welfare Director of Cleveland), and The City Mission quickly grew under its first Superintendent, Mr. George Soerheide.

With Soerheide's faithful leadership, the Mission moved from its original facility -- a former saloon -- at 1135 Superior Avenue, to 1318 St. Clair Avenue NE in 1913, and then to a larger building at 801 E. St. Clair in 1926.

Services provided by the Mission included a wide variety of Bible classes and Sunday School for all ages, assistance for the homeless, food baskets for the hungry, a prison ministry, a Girls' Sewing School and Boys' Drawing Class, and various clubs and activities for local residents.

In 1948, Rev. Clifton Gregory became Director and supervised the continuing growth of the Mission, including a move to 408 W. St. Clair in 1964. The ministry acquired a 267-acre camp in 1965, which became Grand Valley Christian Center.

In an effort to address the changing needs of the homeless population, Angeline Christian Home for women and children opened in 1981. Through the time of Rev. Gregory's retirement in 1985, the Mission was growing to serve the poor and forgotten among the Cleveland community.

Rev. Harry Banfield became Director in 1985 and had a large part in the biggest move of our history - to the current location at 5310 Carnegie Avenue in 1992. Having served for 15 years as the Youth Director, he was very familiar with the needs of the Mission and led a $6.2 million fundraising campaign for building renovation and new construction at our campus on the corner of East 55th and Carnegie.

In addition to meeting the facility needs of the Mission, Rev. Banfield worked to expand the donor base and staff numbers (both grew fourfold), helped develop long-term recovery and training services for residents, and directed several major improvement projects at Grand Valley Christian Center.

The Mission has been blessed with inspired leadership through the years. We continue our efforts to serve the forgotten, the unwanted in society, and those who have lost hope. In addition, our vision is to provide a positive message of Christian life for young people who are "at-risk" in their urban surroundings.

Through the caring volunteer support, donations and prayers of the Cleveland community, The City Mission looks forward each day to the service of God through the example of Jesus Christ, while building on the rich history of our predecessors.

1992 - Laying foundations of Crossroads.

Crossroads Building now