1890s

Sarah Cordelia (Delia) Smith is born to a farming family with 2,000 acres of land and lineage dating back to the Revolutionary War

East 4th transitions from a residential neighborhood to a retail business district, home to the Euclid Avenue Opera House, Otto Moser’s, and The Rathskeller

1910s

Cordelia marries schoolmate Ruel James (R.J.) Rogers 

They raise cotton, cattle, pigs, chickens, turkeys, and three children with well water and a two-seat outhouse

2058 East 4th Street’s Commercial Building is erected featuring eight stories, modernized lighting, fireproof construction, and freight and passenger elevator service

1930s

Cordelia perfects her knack for chasing down and preparing the evening’s chicken dinner in record time 

She tends a robust garden, churns butter by hand, and inspects and packages eggs for R.J.’s egg route

Shoe company, The Ohio Factory Outlet, takes residency with an announcement in The Plain Dealer stating annual rent at $3,600

Their original terrazzo flooring was discovered during renovation for Cordelia and refurbished to welcome our guests

1950 - 1970

Cordelia and R.J. celebrate 50 wedded years together and welcome nine grandchildren

Fashion and beauty dominate East 4th storefronts

Cleveland’s Call & Post likens the intersection of East 4th and Prospect Avenue to the ambiance of Harlem’s 125th St and Lenox Avenue

1990s - 2000s 

Cordelia’s legacy lives on through her 14 great-grandchildren, including Andrew Watts, who’s inspired by her service to others 

Andrew embarks on a career in hospitality to later open Cordelia’s namesake  

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, East 4th is closed to traffic and transformed into a restaurant and entertainment district led by Michael Symon’s Lola Bistro and future home to Cordelia