one of Cincinnati's best kept secrets
No one knows these old houses on Arch St exist downtown. Or if they know they exist, they don't know about them.
Which is a shame because no one will mourn their loss when they're torn down for Western & Southern's next office tower.
UDATE:It turns out that Ann Senefeld over at Digging Cincinnati just dug into the history of these homes on her blog Digging Cincinnati History.
Western & Southern spokespeople insist nothing will happen to the police station. But just the fact they talked about it makes me wonder. Right now Western & Southern stores lawn maintenance equipment in it.
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7 comments
Just walked by those the other day. Beautiful and not in bad shape at all! Hoping W & S doesn't get their way.
ReplyDeleteI always gaze at those buildings when I'm headed towards River Road from the Big Mac Bridge and just long to explore them. Beautiful, but devastating if they're torn down...so much potential for use!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures as always Bob!
-Steph
Hello, it's simply not so that no one knows about these buildings. One of my favorite urban haunts is that red brick on the end (415). I'm an historic researcher and this small district is the most important we could ever still hope to have in our future heritage. Please contact me....I don't know anyone who wants the 3 buildings on Arch Street saved more than myself; though passion runs deep I can see. I've researched the block of Arch/Iola Alley/Ludlow/Fourth/Broadway for decades in lieu of a family who lived on that block for 2 generations. (I've also been in the 415 red brick end house in the mid-90s. It's in it's original condition). I don't know Anne Senefeld, but I know she knows the shortcuts to (as Dave Pittinger, history research at the recorder's office)...getting the provenance of these houses. My presentation on "Mary Jane's Neighborhood' was at both the Taft Museum and Betts House. I documented through census's, Lytle family papers, Findlay papers, Harrison Papers....and fleshed out with the names of everyone who lived there then (though I did not research each and every house; important this is now done), I again mention, from the hand-written 1843 journal; it was written on the site one door away from the three Arch Street houses we see here. Please contact me. I can contribute much. Kathy Holwadel knows who I am.
ReplyDeleteThanks Bonnie. I know there are people who deeply care about the city who know about these houses. But the general population doesn't. I think Anne is digging into the history of the homes as we speak.
DeleteIt sounds like all hope is lost in trying to save them but there are some plans afoot to make sure they are not forgotten.
Bonnie, do you have research or background to share? Can you email me at 5chw4r7z at gmail.com
DeleteFascinating info! A distant relative of mine, Henry Mansell, ran a boarding house on Arch Street during the 1840s and 1850s, although I have not been able to get an exact address.
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