The first 2 non-postcard images below are of soldiers marching down Main Street getting ready to turn to their right onto Fifth Street on their way to the war in Europe. The 3rd postcard image may be the same group of soldiers having turned onto 5th Street and heading west in front of Post Office.
These are not
postcards
37th Regiment off to
war. Walnut Street.
A triumphal arch was constructed for the returning soldiers at the end of World War I. Set up on the south side of Fifth Street across from the Post Office. The soldiers, marching east, are passing under the arch which is inscribed "Honor For Duty Nobly Done". The units shown are the 37th Division, the 147th Infantry regiment, the 136th Field Artillery, and the 112th Military Police.
The 4th image above is a photograph.
This WW 1 military parade
was held in Norwood
The 1st card shows a parade passing in front of the Edward F. Kaelin jewelry store which was located at 1823 Vine Street in the Over-The Rhine district. The vehicle seems to have crosses representing grave markers on the bed of the truck. The parade could have something to do with the end of WWI, but this is nothing but a guess on my part. The 2nd card was mailed 5/23/18 in Cincinnati by one of the soldiers who states that they are leaving for "the other side" around June 1st.
I have no information on why these vehicles are bedecked with flowers or what the various parades are all about but they are interesting.
GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC
The 1st card shows the Arch of Peace which spanned
Vine St at 12th. in 1898. It shows soldiers from the Union and the Confederacy
clasping hands, below which is the motto "United we Stand, Divided we
Fall". One of the main tenants of the GAR was uniting a divided country. The
next three cards are also of the Grand
Army of the Republic's 32nd National Encampment in 1898. These encampments
were
held by the veterans of the Civil War. This was written on the second card (if you haven't
guessed by now I try and clean up the images so they look presentable)
"Dear Jim, I received your letter at the Conference, but have not had time
to answer. The G.A.R. Encampment is a big affair. 200,000 people came to the
city. The parade was immense it took 4 hours to pass. The city is beautifully
decorated. Yesterday we visited Fort Sherman where there are 1700 tents all
filled with soldiers". You can see this parade in the 4th card. Taken on
Government Square looking west, you can see Fountain Square under the arch with
the fountain itself, very faintly seen, under the name Rosecrans on the
arch. The local transit system was overwhelmed and broke down due to the
huge numbers of people attending the encampment. Thousands of conventioneers
were stranded at the zoo.
The GAR provided relief funds for needy veterans, widows, and they
started up orphanages in several states. They also raised funds for monuments,
commemorative plaques, and equestrian statues. They also donated cannons and
fieldpieces to cities and towns.
The GAR started the designation of May 30 as Decoration Day for
laying flowers on the graves of Union soldiers. As the Civil War veterans passed
away, it became Memorial Day to honor soldiers of all wars.
The GAR held encampments for 83 years (1866-1949) until the last Civil War Veteran for the Union Army died. Different cities held this annual national encampment with Cincinnati holding three of them (the 1st in 1869, this one in 1898 and the 3rd one in 1930).The 6 non-postcard images below are of the 1898 encampment. The first three images show the arch, seen in the 4th card above, from the Fountain Square side looking to the east. It was illegal for people to walk across the top of the arch but police finally gave up trying to stop mostly young men and women from crossing. They had to wait more than an hour to do so.
The first image below shows the arch that was at 4th & Race and the last two images show the arch that was near the corner of 5th and Race.
The 1st card below shows the G.A.R., in 1907, marching down to a boat on the River Front which will take them to Point Pleasant, Ohio. There they would take part in the unveiling of the Ulysses S. Grant Monument. The 2nd card is a close-up of some of these men.
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Members of the G.A.R. going to U.S. Grant's monument unveiling
in 1907
The G.A.R. members taking the trip to Grant's monument were given the pamphlet above. Besides advertisements it mainly contained the map partially seen above.
KNIGHTS TEMPLARS
The next ten cards are of the 66th annual Conclave Grand Commandery Knights Templars of Ohio held Oct. 14-15, 1908. The 2nd & 3rd rows show the festivities that were held in front of the Post Office on 5th Street (Government Square). The first card in the 4th row shows the parade going south on Race St. between 7th and 8th Sts. I am not sure of the location on the last two.
Commandery #16 drill club
The next five cards show Taft at his brother's home when the official notice of his election to the Presidency came, (first two). The first card is actually a error card in that it states that this was his Cincinnati residence, when in fact, it was his brother's residence. The next two cards show the parade that was held for him, and the last card shows the fireworks that night. It was claimed to be the greatest display of fireworks ever held.
Not a postcard
The photo above shows the parade passing the Taft home. This photograph has been hanging on my wall for years and I thought it was about time for other people to see it.
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O.N.G. parade Milford Syrian Temple Parade No stamp Box Madisonville Masonic Parade
Homer Denny is at the Calliope
(See Island Queen on Coney Island page)
*
Decoration Day-Mt. Healthy 
5/30/10 O.M.I. Cadet
Band
1918
(Replica)
This real photo postcard shows float #69 in the parade that was held in 1940 to celebrate the World Series win for the Cincinnati Reds.
This scene in Harrison, Ohio shows a gaily bedecked horse and buggy posing either before or after a parade of some type.
This card shows a parade for something going on in Pleasant Ridge.
This card shows a parade held in Cincinnati by the Mason's on Oct. 21, 1908. The Harrison, Ohio Lodge is shown passing the camera.
This card shows a 4th of July parade in Camp Washington.
