SCARLET OAKS BETHESDA HOME FOR THE AGED
Drawing room in the Mansion
Chapel
Scarlet Oaks was built in 1867 on 47 acres at 440
Lafayette Ave., Clifton for George K. Schoenberger (1809-1892). Owner of the
Juanita Ironworks he brought craftsmen from Europe to carve the woodwork. The
name came from the many oak trees that grew on the property. The cost of
construction was $750,000 not counting the furnishings. At the time of
construction the residence was the largest in Cincinnati. His summer home was in
what was then called Schoenberger's Woods, it is now known as Inwood Park..
Schoenberger was a philanthropist and one of the developers of Spring Grove
Cemetery. It is said he developed Spring Grove so that the view of the valley
below his home would be improved. The last image above is a present day photo.
Ernest H. Huenefeld, a prominent Cincinnati businessman and
supporter of the German Methodist Church, bought Scarlet Oaks in 1910 and
presented it to the Bethesda Methodist Deaconess for use as a hospital for the
elderly. Lafayette Hall, a nursing home, was built nearby in 1918-1919. It has
since been converted into a retirement home affiliated with the Deaconess
Hospital.
The adjoining Scarlet Oaks Manor, a 112 room residential building
was dedicated in 1960, the health center in 1966, and additional apartments in
1973. The improved and restored mansion was listed on the National Register of
Historic Places on March 7, 1973 and now houses a chapel, library, beauty shop, craft and
recreation facilities, drawing room, and private dining room.
The Bodman Protestant Widows Home opened in 1881 in Mt. Auburn on Highland Avenue between Stetson and Rochelle Sts., across the street from the German Protestant Orphan Asylum. They later changed the name to the Bodman Widows Home.
Home for the Jewish Aged
Mount
Healthy Christian Home. 8097 Hamilton Ave.
Riverview
Home
6760 Belkenton Place 2021 Auburn Ave.
The Cincinnati Pres. Home
Dining Room
5999 Bender
Road
St. Theresa Homes
1701 Llanfair Ave.
The Residence above was called "Willadel" and was built in 1896 by William and Adele Werk Oskamp at 2373 Harrison Avenue. "Willadel" was a combination of their first names. It was constructed on land owned by Adele's father, Michael Werk, who owned many acres of land in Westwood. Oskamp was a very successful jeweler and silver manufacturer. In 1946 the home, two separate servants homes and a 3 story barn were sold to The Baptist Home for the Age which is now known as the Judson Village Retirement Community and is seen in the 3rd postcard image. The 4th photograph shows the retirement home as it looks today. As you can see a considerable amount of expansion has taken place. The 2nd image is not a postcard.
Multi-Service Center The Willis D. Gradison The Three Rivers Lodge
Memorial Lounge 7800 Jandaracres Drive
The Willis D. Gradison Memorial Lounge is located at the Hyde Park Multi-Service Center for older adults at 2800 Eire Avenue (center card).
Old Folks
Home 1312 McMillan, East Walnut
Hills
The Widow's and Old Men's Home located at 1312 East McMillan Street was founded in 1849.
The Marjorie P. Lee
3550 Shaw Avenue
Episcopal Retirement Home
CLOVERNOOK HOME FOR THE BLIND
Clovernook is Ohio's first home for
blind women. Located at 6900-7000 Hamilton Avenue in North College Hill, it opened on May 8, 1903 with
10 residents. The original 1832 Cary farmhouse seen in many of the cards
below, was the childhood home of poets Alice
and Phoebe Cary. The 3rd card shows the gigantic oak tree that was planted at
the entrance to the farm (card is mis-printed).
William Cooper Proctor, co-founder of the Proctor & Gamble
Co. bought the land for the purpose of teaching the blind to read brail and to
learn a trade. Proctor bought the land at the urging of Georgia and Florence
Trader who, because Georgia was blind, had devoted themselves to improving the
lives of blind Cincinnatians. They built a larger home next door to the cottage.
The cottage was restored starting in 1973 after it had been placed on the
National Register of Historic Places.
Not a
postcard
Painting
by Mary Spencer
Cary Oak Tree
*
Warren Cary at well
Broom & Weaving shops
Printing
Shop
Weaving Department
This card is identical to the Weaving Department
card seen in the previous row except for one very important difference. It was
produced for blind people. This card was embossed with the Braille Language.
Although I can not read Braille it is pretty obvious that it says
"Greetings from Clovernook Home for the Blind".
One of the major items Clovernook now produces, at their plant in
Memphis, Tenn., are recyclable cups. They provided 30,000 drinking cups to the
Democratic National Convention when Barack Obama was nominated. The U.S. Navy
purchases roughly 9 million cups each year for use on its ships, the cups leave
little or no impact to the ocean environment. Another major buyer of about
120,000 cups per year is the Statue of Liberty National Monument gift shop and
concession service. Clovernook now employs around 90 visually handicapped adults
here and in Memphis. Other paper products made are things like file folders,
Braille magazines, and books.
Clovernook pets
Rugs & coverlets
made at Clovernook
Newer long post card showing knee blankets
made by the women at Clovernook Home & School.
Carey Oaks
Private Mailing
card
Free Day
Nursery
Bond Issue for a recreation site in the city basin
area.
Rescue Mission boat during flood
Shantytown Children
or Bible School at Shanty Town
Home for incurables located on Beechwood Avenue
East Walnut Hills
*
Sisters of Charity Residence
Hospital ward in China
Norwood Heights
run by Sisters of Charity
CINCINNATI UNION BETHEL
The location on the card below is probably in
the area of 501-505 E. Third St. (next to Lytle Park). The Cincinnati Union
Bethel was founded in 1839 by The Western Seamen's Friends Society to give a
helping hand to river men, their families, and the poor in general. The Union
Bethel is the oldest private social service agency in the Cincinnati area. They
were originally located on the North side of Front St. between Sycamore St. and
Broadway on the Public Landing. In order to reach a larger number of river
boatmen then could conveniently attend religious services at their Public
Landing Headquarters, the Union Bethel, in 1853, outfitted a barge and sent it
out on the river as a meeting hall. This river church, called the Floating
Bethel and sometimes the Boatmen's Bethel brought religion to many landings near
Cincinnati.
In 1866 the Union Bethel became an independent agency and
moved to the location in the card below. At this time it modified its program
and in addition to providing medical aid and charity for people in the
neighborhood, they began to carry out broad recreational and educational
programs. Their activities included club work, handcrafts, home management,
economics, health programs, and musical training. As a side note, the person
teaching the children in the card below was the Reverend James O. White who was
responsible for, (with financial help from the Taft family), the opening of the
Anna Louise Inn for working women which is located next to Lytle Park. The Union
Bethel runs this Inn in addition to other endeavors. It is a Community Chest
agency and still going strong.
ST. EDMUNDS
St. Edmunds, located in Glendale was a Christian summer camp for children. The camp was also available for conferences and outings by church groups.
