LIBRARIES
The Avondale Library is located at 3566 Reading Road and was constructed in 1913 and funded by Andrew Carnegie. The library has a domed entrance with Rookwood tile. Each reading room has its own fireplace. The 2nd image is a present day photo.
East
End
Another Carnegie library is the one in the East End at 3738 Eastern Avenue that was constructed in 1907 and was closed in 1959. Designed by Samuel Hannaford & Sons it is now the Carnegie Center of Columbia-Tusculum (3rd present day photograph).
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The Norwood Library was constructed in 1907 with, of course, Carnegie money at 4325 Montgomery Avenue. The building was renovated in the 60s and restored in 2001 and can be seen in the last photograph.
The Price Hill Library at 3215 Warsaw Avenue was built in 1909 with yet more of Carnegie's unlimited monetary fund. It has bird-shaped door handles and a sky-light. The last image above is a overhead view as it looks today.
Dayton Street
Branch
Old
West End Public Library
Building
New
Library service began in the West End in 1908, when the Dayton Street Branch opened its doors at 924 Dayton St. When that branch closed it reopened as the West End Public Library at 2306 West Eighth Street (at the corner with Glenway Avenue). After the library moved again in the early 50s, the Ross Printing Co. moved into the building as can be seen in the 3rd image above. This building was the first Carnegie Library building built and was also the first, and only, torn down in 1947 shortly after the Incline closed. (Ross Printing is no longer in business). Over the years, the library has been in a variety of locations, including a room in a public school and a small station in the Lincoln Laurel Housing Project. In 1961, the current location, a one-story brick and concrete building, designed by the architectural firm of Glaser and Meyer, opened as the Lincoln Park Branch. In 2001, the branch was renamed the West End Branch Library to better reflect the community it serves.
The Walnut Hills Library was constructed in 1906 at 2533 Kemper Lane and was again funded by Andrew Carnegie and contains an ornate frieze above twin columns that were brought here from Munich, Germany. The 4th image is a present day photograph.
Cumminsville
The Cumminsville Library is located at 4219 Hamilton Ave and was constructed in 1908. It, of course is another of Carnegie's contributions to the literacy of America's citizens. The library was renovated in 2000 and renamed Northside and is seen in the last photograph.
Corryville
Thes4e are not Postcards
The North Cincinnati Branch Library 2802 Vine Street is on the corner of
Vine Street and Daniels in the heart of University Village. The entrance to the
parking lot is on the Daniels side of the building. This building is yet another
Carnegie funded project that opened on April 2, 1907. The interior is dominated
by a large stained glass dome supported by a circle of oak columns. In 1996, the
facility underwent a major renovation and restoration project. When it reopened
in August of 1997 it was renamed the Corryville Branch to better reflect the
community it serves.
As I am sure you noticed that the Name Andrew Carnegie came up
rather often in regards to the Libraries mentioned above. Andrew Carnegie was of
course one of the richest men in history thanks to his steel empire. Mr.
Carnegie in fact funded over 1,600 libraries in the United States alone,
including nine in the Cincinnati area. The only one not mentioned above is the
Hyde Park Library which I don't appear to have (yet). Each one cost between
$30,000 and $45,000. It is estimated that by the time of his death in 1919 he
had given away $350 million. What that equates to in today's dollars, I
have no idea.
Mariemont Library
The photograph above shows the current library that was constructed in 1972 at 3810 Pocahontas Ave. The original library was not a Carnegie funded project as it was built in 1926, 7 years after his death. I obviously have no postcards of the library and have been unable to locate any images of the original structure that was built on Chestnut St.
Thanks to Kevin Lawson for the present day photograph of the 4th postcard located at Kings Ave. north of Church Street.
EVANSTON BOOKMOBILE
Not a building, but where else could I put it?
WATER TOWERS
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America's First Concrete Water Tower, Milford
Glendale
Milford's water tower was built in 1901 and was the worlds first poured concrete standpipe in the U. S. It was also the largest structure of its kind in the world at the time. In the 1950s it was replaced and in 1961 it was torn down. The water at the Milford Waterworks was famous for its flinty hardness. In the 1940s it became famous as a folk remedy for nephritis (inflammation of the kidney). People came from near and far to collect water from the plant. Water was even shipped out via the railroad.
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Norwood Pumping Station
Loveland Light & Water
Located on Harris Avenue
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Hartwell Telephone
Bldg.
Bell Telephone Exchange
Elm Avenue Norwood
TIME HILL (Gruen Watches)
Located on the block bounded by E. McMillan, Iowa, Bennington, and Reading Road the structure is built in the style of an immense Alpine Chalet, set among rock gardens on a landscaped hill. Constructed in 1917 in the area known as Nanny Goat Hill, the entrance resembled that of a mountain lodge. Because their watches were made following Swiss models they wanted the factory to resemble a Swiss building. The actual watch movements were made in the company's own factory in Madre-Biel Switzerland, while the cases and crystals were made here in the 2nd floor workrooms. A dining room and kitchen also on the 2nd floor. The finished timepieces were also assembled and inspected here. On February 29, 1996 this building was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
1915
1920
Christmas 1923
1928
Advertisements
None of the items above are postcards. The 2nd image above is a street view of the Gruen Watch Co. as seen from the McMillan Street Bridge that had just been constructed in 1941 replacing an old iron, single lane in each direction, bridge that had been a major traffic bottleneck. I-71 now goes under this bridge. The last two are present day images. The second row are some ads for the company.
PROCTOR and COLLIER CO.
The Proctor and Collier Co., located across the street from Time Hill at 440 East McMillan St. was constructed in 1921. The design of this building was meant to harmonize with the widely admired watch factory. The company was a printing and advertising agency for the Proctor & Gamble Company. The tower held water for a sprinkler system. In 1936 the founders of Beau Brummel Ties, Inc. moved in.
The Beau Brummell Tie Inc.
The first three are of their Studios, the fourth shows the
factory.
Advertising card
Building As It Looks Today
1947 Advertisement
In 1964 the Time Hill building and The Proctor & Collier building were bought by the Union Institute & University which is an educational institution for nontraditional studies. The Institute celebrates its 50th anniversary this year (2014). Both structures were restored to their original beauty.
LOVELAND'S CHATEAU LAROCHE (ROCK CASTLE)
This castle is located in Loveland at 12025 Shore Drive. It
was built by one man, Harry D. Andrews, over a period of nearly 50 years.
Harry started on June 5, 1929 and continued working on it until his death on
April 16, 1981 at the
age of 91. He did have the help by young men, many of whom were sent there by the
Hamilton County Juvenile Court. School kids used to save cardboard milk cartons
that Harry would turn into bricks for the castle. It was inherited by the
Knights of the Golden Trail who carefully maintain the castle. Open on Saturdays
and Sundays for only $3 it is a
knight's castle of medieval Norman architecture.
Harry built the castle as an expression and reminder of the simple
strength and rugged grandeur of the mighty men who lived when knighthood was in
flower. Started in 1927, any man of high ideals is invited to join the Knights
of the Golden Trail, whose only vows are the Ten Commandments.
The castle is similar to those found in northern France and in the
British Isles. The Castle Banner is an adaptation of the banners of the various
crusaders to the Holy Land.
The land is about 1 1/2 acres consisting of 14 lots bought over
time. The lots were bought so that Harry's Sunday School class of young men
would have a place to camp, fish, swim and boat. At first they slept in tents
but by the third year the became so badly decayed they became useless. Harry to
the boys if they would fetch stones, he would build them a "stone
tent". He mad two small rooms, which are now the bottoms of the two towers
facing the river.
After that first summer the depression hit and no one came to the
castle regularly for more than three years sand most of the boys went into the
CCC camps. When he could finally afford it Harry returned to the construction of
the castle. 99% of the work was done by Harry alone. He had incidental help by
visitors and friends in carrying stones and in mixing mortar and bringing milk
cartons (around 32,000 were used), they also donated supplies.
Overhead
view
Painting by Ken Mullen
Drawing By H, D. Andrews
The two aerial photographs above show the castle as it looks in two different seasons.
Modern postcards
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CRUSADE CASTLE
These 3 Are Not Postcards
The Crusade Castle is located at 5100 Shattuc Ave. adjacent to Ault Park. As can be seen in the last photograph the building was last used by the National Center of the Catholic Students' Mission Crusade, who issued the postcard seen in the first image. You could order 25 of these cards for $1.00. I believe that the building is now a private residence but I am not sure, anyone?
Robert A. Taft Sanitary Engineering Center.
Located at 4676 Columbia Parkway, this building was dedicated in 1954 as a national laboratory of the Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. It is devoted to research, training, and technical services in promoting healthful surroundings through engineering and related sciences.
POST OFFICES
Oakley
Mt.
Washington
Milford
Oakley Post Office and Businessmen's Club. A. A. Degenhart seen on the sign on the top corner was a undertaker whose establishment was at 1706 Madison Road. The Mt. Washington P.O. was located at 6217 Corbly which is now a parking lot. The Milford P. O. was at 115 Main Street and the building today is shown in the 4th non-postcard image.
Old College Hill P. O.
This photograph shows the old post office in College that was converted into a residence many years ago. Located at 1624 Pasadena Ave., it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 16, 1976.
Parkdale Post Office 670 Northland Blvd.
Located next to Forrest Park the post office, as it looks today, is shown in the 2nd image. This postcard does not specify that the building shown is the one on Northland, but I know it is not the Canadian Parkdale because of the flag on top and I am not aware of any other Parkdale Post Offices. Any clarification would be greatly appreciated.
The Thomas J. Emery Memorial Building. Located in Mariemont, the community his wife Mary Emery created in the 1920's. The 2nd non-postcard photo shows the building as it looks today.
Ohio National Life Insurance Co.
2400 Reading Road
Not a Postcard
Gieringer's Store Miamitown
Miamitown got its original name - Miami - from the West Miami tribe of Shawnee Indians who had hunted in the region in the 1700s. Arthur Henrie a nephew of Revolutionary War hero Patrick Henry, laid out the town over what had been an orchard. He sold the first lot to Jacob Herrider in 1816. On July 4, 1817, William Henry Harrison chose Miami to make a major pronouncement against slavery. Sometime between 1904 when the Miami post office closed and when it reopened in November of 1931 the name was changed to Miamitown. This building was, and still may be, one of the many antique shops in the town. The 3rd view shows the building as it looks today.
Information on this card is extremely difficult to find. A visitor has a milk bottle with this name on it. and it also says Milford, Ohio. The land that held this farm is apparently right on the border of Milford and Terrace Park. The original house was built by Jacob Traber who was a commission merchant with offices on the Public Landing. He called his property Camden Terrace Farm and had hopes of convincing residents in the area to name the area Camden City. Two pillars on Wooster Pike marked the entrance to his residence on a hilltop with views of the Little Miami River. He had vineyards on the hillside and a large pool. Fire destroyed the residence in 1893 but members of the Camden Terrace Farms Association used the old wine cellars as dressing rooms and continued to use the pool. Apparently the card above shows the eventual result of this pool usage. Jacob Traber is credited with giving Terrace Park its name. In the 1870s he held a naming contest with a sewing machine as a prize and Terrace Park was the result.
This Drug Store was
Located in Norwood
Gas Hall - Carthage
