Catherine Jorgensen McCutcheon
Cleveland International Hall of Fame
Class of 2026 Since 2010, the Cleveland International Hall of Fame (CIHF) has inducted people who have made significant and lasting contributions to our multicultural society. Cleveland is home to people representing about 120 different ethnic groups. The CIHF exists not only to honor those special people but also to inspire a new generation of leaders to follow in their footsteps.
Over 100 worthy candidates were nominated for the 2026 Class of the Cleveland International Hall of Fame. The selection committee was advised by previously inducted members of the Cleveland International Hall of Fame.
 Catherine Jorgensen McCutcheon
Norwegians generally are not eager to seek a spotlight for themselves. They defer to produce actual accomplishments and have them acknowledged by others. An invitation by the leaders of Cleveland to me is totally unexpected and rather embarrassing. You have asked me to outline my involvement in my community in my lifetime. There are multiple areas that captured my interest and time. Ohio Norsemen is the one you have been most aware. I was one of twelve founding members in 1993.
The year was significant. 1893 was the year of the Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The exposition was to honor Columbus' discovery of the new world four hundred years earlier. In 1889 Norwegians discovered the remains of a Viking ship later named the Gokstad ship. It seemed timely to build a replica and sail it to America in time for the exposition to prove the possibility of an earlier European arrival in North America before 1492. It was a successful voyage and arrived in Cleveland on July 3, 1893. Captain Anderson and crew participated in an exuberant 4th of July parade in our city.
Our dozen members decided to publicize this one hundred year event on July 4th, 1993 by hosting an open house in the hold of the William G. Mather. It drew a crowd of about 400 people where we greeted them with homemade heart waffles, a tour, a massive display, mapping the voyage provided by the Norwegian embassy in Washington. The Ohio Norsemen club was formed from that time and grew substantially in 33 years. Our mission was to promote and preserve our heritage. Maybe you have seen the bronze sculpture of Leif Erikson on the west bank of the Flats...a joint Scandinavian effort in 2000.
(A quote from an 1893 Cleveland newspaper clip: "Intercepting the Viking was a delegation of tugs...Meanwhile everyone was looking for the Viking. From the lighthouse to the viaduct was a solid line of people, apparently expecting the craft to come up the river. The flag of the Norsemen was flying over the high, red-tongued, green eyed dragon's head on her prow, the red pennant of the Vikings floated from the mast head with the stars and stripes while the Norwegian standard with blue...trailed from the dragon's tail. Lake View Park was crowded with thousands to greet the ship on July 3rd.")
Beyond founding Ohio Norsemen I have participated in the extended ethnic community of my dear city. As a returned Peace Corps Volunteer serving in Istanbul, Turkey I joined the local Turkish club, Tasno and their dance group. My husband and I hosted C.I.P. participants beginning 1968, the first from Tobago, the latest from Brazil with the Cleveland Council on World Affairs. The Northern Ohio Returned Peace Corps group initiated many service activities both local and international and I taught English to Spanish residents for many years at El Barrio because of NORVA . Later I taught in the ESOL programs in Lakewood, and then at Baldwin Wallace University. As a teacher I resurrected the AFS program at Lakewood High School and we hosted exchange students from abroad, and promoted American students to do the same. It was very successful. Promoting safe cycling has been another engaging passion. We worked with the state for road signs requiring three foot minimum passing distance and with Bike Cleveland and Silver Wheels. In addition, I created multiple international cycle trips for students. When our nearby Brook Park fire station was threatened with closure we rallied with others to twice collect signed petitions to reverse the move. We are activists and feel a true responsibility to be engaged in our community. Catherine Jorgensen McCutcheon is the first person of Norwegian, and Scandinavian, heritage to be inducted into the Cleveland International Hall of Fame. Catherine will be inducted by xxxxxx
The Cleveland International Hall of Fame website
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