Ohio

Ohio has many active Baltic communities dedicated to preserving their heritage and strengthening cultural ties. The OSU Baltic States Club led by Baltic youth members promotes Baltic history, culture, and traditions, while St. Casimir Lithuanian School and Cleveland’s Lithuanian community center—home to Scout organizations, athletic clubs, dance groups, and the Honorary Lithuanian Consulate—serve as important cultural anchors. In Cleveland, the Latvian Cultural Garden and the Latvian Association of Cleveland, which has hosted Latvian Song Festivals over the years, reflect the strong presence of more than 3,400 Latvians in Cuyahoga County. Estonia is also represented through the Estonian Cultural Garden in Cleveland and its Honorary Consulate in Cincinnati, fostering cooperation in education, business, diplomacy, and people-to-people connections.

Culture

Estonian: The Estonian Cultural Garden was dedicated in 1966. The centerpiece was designed by local sculptor Clarence Van Duzer (of the Cleveland Institute of Art) and is based on the Estonian national epic “Kalevipoeg.” The Estonian Cultural Garden committee organizes annual clean-up and flower planting each spring. The local Estonian community has gathered at the garden to celebrate Victory Day and St. John’s Day (Võidupüha/Jaanipäev) each year since the garden’s dedication. The Estonian Cultural Garden Federation mounted a major fund-raising effort, leading to a major rebuild and restoration of the garden in time for its 50th anniversary in 2016.

Latvian: Latvians have called Ohio home for over one hundred years. They established a wide variety of organizations, including churches, cultural societies, charities, scouting groups for youth, choirs, dance groups, and more. Today, Latvian life in Ohio is concentrated in Cleveland, which has the Latvian Association of Cleveland, Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Cleveland, Latvian Cultural Garden, and a Latvian School.

Lithuanian: Ohio has one of the oldest and most influential Lithuanian American communities. Thousands of Lithuanians settled in Cleveland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They established churches, schools, cultural organizations, and newspapers. The Lithuanian Newspaper Dirva was published in Cleveland. Antanas Smetona, Lithuania’s first president, spent his final years in Cleveland after fleeing Soviet occupation. He and his wife are buried in Cleveland, All Souls Cemetery. The Lithuanian Cultural Garden is one of the oldest and most prominent ethnic gardens in Cleveland’s Cultural Gardens.

Economics

Girteka Group, one of largest transportation and logistics companies, has worked extensively with Ohio partners and has explored North American operations. Teltonika has customers in Ohio. Altechna is the key supplier of lenses to Volk Optical. Lithuanian laser companies like Light Conversion and Ekspla have business relationships with research and industrial customers in Ohio. Additionally, the state boasts the Latvian Cleveland Credit Union, which is the largest Latvian credit union in the country.