My name is Rob Butler and I was born and raised in Cleveland and my family and I are still very much proud to call this area our home. PlacesInTown.com is a growing inspiration of mine that was designed to link residents with their communities and their communities with their residents.  We're a family oriented service unlike any other that provides both visual as well as name recognition to thousands of area businesses and landmarks.  It is our never-ending mission to provide one of the finest and most comprehensive photographic displays and web-site resources to the entire Cleveland area including its suburbs!

With the above said, it takes a lot of inspiration and motivation to get that accomplished and as many of you know, Cleveland is not presently known as being the inspirational capital of the world!  So, to that end, and for those that need it, this page was created and will continue to be a small source of Cleveland motivation!  With your help, both in shared inspirational and motivational personal moments, as well as financial assistance through your business memberships, corporate sponsorships and generous donations if you're able, we will personally do all we can to assist all those that need it while "Linking You to Your Community"!

Let me assure you too, for those of you that question it, Cleveland and its surrounding suburbs really do have much to offer you and your family.  There are countless areas of beauty and natural inspiration including the lakefront, many area parks as well as the Metroparks plus the Metroparks Zoo. There are some truly fantastic and awe inspiring golf courses in most of our towns and the true, old world, ethnic background and diversity that Cleveland offers is second to none.  The same holds true for Cleveland’s reputation in global health care thanks to area hospitals like the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals, Parma Hospital, Southwest General Hospital and Metro Health plus many others.  Let us not also forget, Cleveland has more performing and cultural arts institutions than anywhere else in the country!  And besides, who else has Big Chuck & Lil John (videos: best of part1, best of part2), Dick Goddard,Mr. Jingeling, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the Christmas Story House? 

Did you also know that countless numbers of incredibly successful people that were born in the Cleveland area include Halle Berry, Drew Carey (video: Cleveland Rocks), Arsenio Hall, Patricia Heaton, Hal Holbrook, Bob Hope, Paul Newman, and Don Novello as Father Guido Sarducci from Saturday Night Live (videos: Fr. Guido's 5 minute University, Fr. Guido's Life is a Job) was born in Lorain! (Click on his photo at left for a great video!)  And if that's not enough, don't forget some of the finest minds in business, financial and science were from Ohio like Thomas Edison, Ted Turner, George Steinbrenner and still today considered the richest person ever in history, John D. Rockefeller, started his company  Standard Oil in Cleveland and lived in Strongsville!

So, if you're finding yourself a little down here in Cleveland and could use some fresh inspiration and motivation or as we're also starting to call it,FreshCleveland.com, I know some of the following information, as it has helped me, will get you going again.  If you have a positive story to share, please send it to me and we'll get it posted.