Cleveland now joins cities like Atlanta, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington in having its past and present told in pictures.

John Grabowski, the Krieger-Mueller Associate Professor of Public History at Case Western Reserve University and director of research at the Western Reserve Historical Society with his wife, Diane (GRS M.A./M.S.L.S, 1978), wrote and compiled the hardcover edition of Cleveland Then and Now.

As the book moves into area book stores, it has already made the ranks of the top 10 best-selling books in Cleveland, according to the authors, who have yet to see their own copies from the publisher but have friends' copies to autograph.

Chrysalis Books, a London contractor, sought help from the historical society in writing the book. The Grabowskis volunteered for the project just shortly after collaborating on their first book, Cleveland: A History in Motion, a book published in 2000 about Cleveland's transportation history. John is well acquainted with Cleveland history as the managing editor of the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History in hardcover form and editor of the online version that receives almost 140,000 hits each month.

While John touted the Then and Now book series, published by Thunder Bay Press, as rather formulistic in it approach with then and now photos of popular places, the Grabowskis took a different route from other cities.

Instead of finding buildings and sites still standing and capturing what they looked like in the past and present, they went into the photographic archives at the Western Reserve Historical Society to find pictures that captured the vibrancy of Cleveland's story of its immigrant history and the development of the city.

They found 69 historical pictures and postcards that spanned the time period from 1859-1940. Photographer Simon Clay in May 2002 came to Cleveland and between rain showers captured Cleveland bathed in sunlight and bright blue skies, said the authors. Richard Palmer from the Western Reserve Historical Society also contributed photographs to the book.

They also pointed out that the pictures-when closely examined and compared-have some surprises, too.

One example, Diane mentioned is the intersection of Broadway and Harvard Avenues, which is along the pathway of a well-trodden Native American trail to Pittsburgh. In the present-day photo, a billboard for the annual Native American Pow Wow is featured at the crossroads.

Serendipitous moments exist throughout the book with extraordinary changes as well as remarkable similarities, according to John.

As they turn pages in the 144-page book, they point to the old and new views along the Rocky River as well as CWRU's Adelbert Hall, which has changed very little from its past. The old Adelbert Hall picture is one of the few historical postcards included in the book.

Also what hasn't changed much in looks or purpose is Public Square, Diane and John said.

"It was originally a New England public square with its church and organizations that would serve as symbols of civic life," John said. "Even though it is in a modern setting today and is no longer a white clapboard New England one, you still have these civic symbols in the Old Stone Church and the Metzenbaum Court House."

Even the historic photos illustrated a Cleveland undergoing changes as it moved toward to the present day.

"We tried to be light-hearted with our approach," said the authors.