Although Cleveland Restoration Society started as an all-volunteer group primarily focused on the loss of historic buildings in Cleveland’s downtown, the organization and its scope grew to encompass the entire city and beyond. In 1972, three visionaries—Maxine Goodman Levin, Thomas Campbell, and Olive Deany Tabor—joined forces to speak out against the destruction of Cleveland’s historic architecture. What began as a grassroots effort soon became the Downtown Restoration Society, rallying others who believed in saving Cleveland’s past. By 1975, their work had grown citywide and the organization was renamed the Cleveland Restoration Society. Maxine Goodman Levin led the effort to establish the Sarah Benedict House as a center for historic preservation in Cleveland throughout the region. With her nephew Mort Levin, Maxine provided the building and matching dollar-for-dollar donations for the renovation and endowment, and the magnificently restored Sarah Benedict House became CRS’s headquarters in 1999.