1819 is the year the University
of Cincinnati claims on its seal as the year of its founding date. This was the
year that the Cincinnati College was created with Jacob Burnet as president of
the board of directors. Financial problems caused the school to close in 1825.
Reopening in 1835 it merged with the Cincinnati Law School, which had opened in
1833. This school merged with U. C. in 1918 thus its claim to the year 1819.
We now go to the formation of the
University. Charles McMicken (1782-1858) bequeathed $1,000,000 to the city for
the establishment of a university. Due to legal and financial problems much of
the money was not available. In January 1869 the McMicken School of Drawing and
Design was opened in order to comply with McMicken's bequest. The school used
rented quarters at Third and Main. In 1870 Cincinnati was authorized by the
State Legislature to establish a municipal university and to support it thru
taxation. McMicken University was chartered in December of 1870. In January 1871
the name was changed to the University of Cincinnati. The McMicken fund was
turned over to the University. Voters authorized a bond issue to fund
construction of the school. The former McMicken homestead site on Clifton Avenue
near Vine St. was where construction was begun. During this time classes were
held at Woodward High School. The new building was completed in 1875. This is
the building you see in the next row of cards. This site was next to the Bellevue
Incline and by the late 1880s the structure was overcrowded, noisy, and dirty.
Newspaper Drawings
Charles W. Dabney
O. W. Kuhn
U.C. President 1904-20
Chairman of the Board
In 1889 City Council appropriated 43 acres of Burnet Woods for the new site of the university. Legal problems prevented construction until 1893. The first building, McMicken Hall, was completed in 1895, it was replaced with the current building in 1950. It is seen in the next three rows along with Hanna Hall (1896) and Cunningham Hall (1899).
The next three rows show the same buildings along with The Van Wormer Library, which was built in 1899-1900, from the Burnet Woods side.
These three rows show the view from the Library end.
Same Image Different Interpretation
The 3rd real photo postcard above shows National Guard trucks parked next to the football stands and soldiers in front of UC's gymnasium. On the right in the distance you can see Hughes High School.
The card above is a drawing that is supposed to show proposed additions to the campus, but I have to confess that I am unable to determine just what is being added.
These cards show the campus from the top of Deaconess Hospital or Hughes High School. The last 3 Cards in the 2nd row show the build up on the Southern end of the campus.
SOME BIRD'S-EYE VIEWS
FOR MORE U. C. CARDS 
