These four cards show the Phoenix Club on the s. e. corner of 9th and Race. Opened on October 1, 1894 it was the clubhouse for the first private Jewish men's club. The Businessmen's Club bought the building in 1911, sharing it with the original owners.
This real photo postcard shows the burned out remnants of the old Business Men's Club in 1911. This was the reason they bought the Phoenix Club shown in the first row above.
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Business Men's Club Banquet
The next five cards show the Cincinnati Businessmen's new building which was constructed next door to the original clubhouse. Completed in 1924 it was considered to be one of the finest clubhouses in the Middle West. The 10 story building had a gymnasium, Turkish bath, dining rooms, billiard and card rooms, bowling alleys, library, reading rooms, and residential quarters. The old Phoenix Club was connected to the new building by way of an underground tunnel and also by an enclosed bridge. It was used to house more of the Clubs athletic and recreational facilities. When the Phoenix Club was dissolved the last 18 members became members of the Cincinnati Club.
The first card below shows the Athletic Club at 111 Shillito-Rikes Place. One of the founders in 1853 of this club, who later served as President of the club before resigning to serve in the Union Army, was a young man by the name of Rutherford B. Hayes who later became governor of Ohio and then President of the United States. By 1900 the Cincinnati Athletic Club was a prominent organization in local sports. They sponsored gymnastic, track & field, football, baseball, and boxing teams. When their new building, seen below, opened in 1903 they also had a basketball team. Believe it or not Hayes was not the only future President of the United States that was of member of this club. James A Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, and William Howard Taft were also members. The businessmen seen in the second card are exercising inside the Athletic Club during the day. At night it turned into a basketball floor. Professionalism and amateurism was a big controversy at this time with teams attracting the best players in the city any way they could. The games played here charged 15 cent admission, with a portion of the receipts (negotiated) going to the opponents.
The next group of cards show The Fenwick at 435 Commercial Sq. It was the headquarters of the Fenwick Club, a Catholic organization which provided rooms for men from 18 to 40. Organized in 1915 the 9 story building contained a lounge, ballroom-auditorium, gymnasium, swimming pool, game rooms, classrooms, cafeteria, and offices.
Ballroom
Library
View From Roof
Garden
Chapel
Chapel
Lounging Room
Around the turn of the century, many of Avondale's wealthy residents were members of the Avondale Athletic Club. This site was purchased in 1911 and it is now the campus of Xavier University.
The Cincinnati Women's Club building at 643 Oak street was razed in the construction of I 71 in the 1960's. The club's first meeting was held in March of 1896. Some of the club's accomplishments are: the setting up of playgrounds, began the "penny luncheon", erected the first community Christmas tree on Government Square.
Reception Room
Grand
Stairway
Tea
Room
Auditorium
Gold Medal Garden
RPPC
The Cincinnati Business Women's Club was located at 425 E. Fourth Street. Founded in 1916 it was made up of women active in commerce, industry, and the professions. The second card shows the Queen City Club at 8th and Elm. Opened in July of 1876 the club moved in 1927 to its present building at the southwest corner of 4th and Broadway.
These cards show the Elks Lodge (Temple) #5 at the n. e. corner of 9th and Elm. I am sure if you are from this area you know all about this building. During WWII the Camp Washington facilities that WLW radio was using was needed for defense work so the studios were transferred to this building. On February 10, 1948 WLW-TV began broadcasting as the first television station in Ohio from Fairview Hill. In 1951 the TV studios were also moved to this location. Go to the Entertainment Page for more information about this building.
I am not sure of the location of the two Elks Temple cards below.
F.O.E. (Fraternal Order of Eagles)
Aerie #
1162
Aerie #142
Eagles' Hall, Reading
Eagles Hall Norwood
St. Bernard
Hall
Billiard & Pool
Hall
Auditorium
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K. of P. Hall
Norwood
Walnut St.
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