Residential Scenes

AVONDALE

Two Forest Ave. Homes 358 Forest Ave. 400 Forest Ave.

   Thanks to Bill Howes we now know about the two houses in the 1st card above. The home on the left is 358 and the one on the right is 400 Forest Avenue on the NW corner of Forest and Alaska. Both houses are still standing. Both homes are also owned by the same person. The original owner of the 400 residence was Adam Edward (A. E.) Burkhardt (President of The Burkhardt Bros. clothing store on 4th St.). His two sons ran the operation into the 1980s. A. E. Burkhardt was also president of the Cincinnati Zoo for 14 years (his father-in-law was the founder of the zoo, Andrew Erkenbrecker). The mansion was designed by Samuel Hannaford & Sons and was built in 1886. Called Edgewood the residence contains 33 rooms with 10 bedrooms and 7 bathrooms.
   It was sold in 1902 to an iron merchant who lived there until 1936. There have been 5 different owners since including one who turned the building into a nursing home in the 60s. The current owner paid $250,000 for it in 2005. Hoping to convert it into office space he was unable to do it due to the economy's downturn. Today it sits with many of the windows boarded up as a way to prevent vandals from doing what vandals do, the grounds are overgrown. It is in danger of being torn down.
   The last four non-postcard images are what they look like today. The 400 Forest Avenue residence was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 3, 1980.

                                                    Not a postcard

      1908 RPPC                             Residence Today

The residence above is at 974 Dana Ave. although the address is slightly different on the photograph, after more than a hundred years that certainly seems possible.

Betula Avenue Stephan A Gerrard Mansion

The 2nd image above shows the area in the postcard on Betula Ave. as it looks today. I have no postcard for the Gerrard residence but I thought I would show one of the homes on Betula Ave. that was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 5, 1987. Located at 748 Betula Avenue the home was built in 1915 by Gerrard who amassed a fortune in the produce business. He was known as the "Cantaloupe King" for introducing the fruit to Cincinnati. He lost his fortune in the stock market crash but continued to live here until his death in 1934 when it was sold.

Beechwood Avenue

Lenox Place

Lenox Place is part of the Rose Hill subdivision of Avondale. Platted by Robert Mitchell, owner of the Mitchell Furniture Co., it was planned to attract the upper-middle class. It worked and many affluent businessmen built substantial homes here, (such as Samuel Pogue, Andrew Erkenbrecher, and Mitchell himself). They formed the core of affluent North Avondale. The top photograph is an aerial view of the residences you see in the first two postcards in the 2nd row plus a few others on this street. The last two images are close-up views of the first two homes in the 2nd postcard.

Rose Hill Avenue 3994 Rose Hill Avenue

The 2nd & 4th images above are present day photos.

Charles Roth Residence 3936 Rose Hill Avenue

I believe (but I am not positive) that the 1st postcard card belongs to the Charles Roth who was president of the Cosmopolitan Bank & Savings swc Freeman Ave. & Oehler. He was also treasurer of The John C. Roth Packing Co. The 2nd image is a photograph of the residence today. The last is a newspaper artist rendition of Charles Roth.

Vernon Place Reading Road

CARTHAGE

William Wiehe Residence

The William Wiehe residence is located at the corner of Fairfax Avenue and West North Bend Road in Carthage. The last photograph shows the home as it looks today.

CLIFTON

Clifton Avenue

The card below was built for Sir Alfred T. Goshorn at 3540 Clifton Ave. It was designed by one of Cincinnati's greatest architects, James W. McLaughlin and completed in 1890. Goshorn (1833-1902) was born at Eighth & Cutter Sts. Cincinnati. He was Knighted by Queen Victoria for services rendered the British crown during his three-year term as president of the commission for the International Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia (1876). He also received decorations from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Turkey. He is Cincinnati's only genuine Knight. His home featured an art gallery and a gold-plated chandelier. Sir Goshorn was president of a paint manufacturing Co. He became known as the "father" of the Cincinnati Industrial Expositions. He was also vice-president of the College of Music, the first director of the Cincinnati Art Museum, mayor of Clifton, a city councilman. He was also one of the men to put up the money for the first professional Reds baseball team in 1869. This home was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 3, 1973. The 2nd & 3rd images shows what the residence looks like today.

Among tropical plants 3540 Clifton Ave.

The card below shows the home of George "Boss" Cox. From 1884 to 1916, using ward politics he ruled Cincinnati by gaining control of every ward in Cincinnati. This 22-room mansion, called Parkview because of its proximity to Burnet Woods, was built in 1895. It is located at the corner of Brookline and Jefferson avenues and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 6, 1973. The most famous of Cincinnati's architects, Samuel Hannaford, designed the mansion. After his death his widow continued to live here until her death in 1938. The house remained vacant until 12 years later when it became the Fraternity House Pi Kappa Alpha for nearby University of Cincinnati for the next 60 years. A one time frat member bought the building and has donated the property to the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. You can read more of Cox on the Wielerts Tavern page.

G. B. Cox's Residence These are not postcards

                                                                                      Reprint

    A Stately Oak               A Clifton Residence        A Clifton Driveway

John Hauser Residence R. J. Patton Home

The 1st card is Pine Ridge, the home of the painter John Hauser. Hauser (1859-1913) was born and grew up in the Over-The Rhine area of Cincinnati. He studied art at the Ohio Mechanics' Institute, and in 1873 enrolled in the McMicken Art School. Beginning in 1880 he began studying in Munich at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. In 1883 he became a member of the Cincinnati Schools drawing department until he withdrew in 1886. He again studied in Europe at Munich, Paris, and Dusseldorf. In 1890 he became one of the early members of the Cincinnati Art Club. 1891 was the year he became interested in the American Indian and the west. He constantly traveled to Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota painting Native Americans. In 1901 John and his wife Minnie became adopted members of the Sioux Nation with the names "Straight White Shield" and "Bring us Sweets," respectively. They spent considerable time on the Pine Ridge Reservation, living there 6 months a year between 1901 and 1905. In 1904 they built a home in the Clifton area and named it "Pine Ridge", reflecting their love and respect for the Sioux. John died in 1913 and Minnie died 2 years later.
Although R. J. Patton was president of the R. J. Patton Co., (222 E. 4th St.), which was an awning company it appears he did not want to use his product on his own residence. The drawing is a newspaper artists rendering.

This 3 story mansion belonged to Alexander McDonald (1833-1910). He was a Scottish immigrant and partner of John D. Rockefeller. He was president of Standard Oil Company, a director of two railroads and the Third National Bank. In 1920 George Balch (1862-1932), president of the Cincinnati Reality Co. and treasurer of the C. H. & D. Railroad bought the house. The home was willed to the Episcopal Diocese who then sold it to the Cincinnati Board of Education. In 1961 it was razed to make way for the Clifton Primary School now in operation on the site. The 3rd image is another newspaper drawing.

COLLEGE HILL

                                                                                                                        Not postcards

                                                  Real Photo Postcard                                                                                         A Distant View

This mansion is called Laurel Court and is located at 5870 Belmont Avenue. In 1894 Peter G. Thompson founded what is now called Champion International Paper Co. Construction began in 1901 and was completed at a cost of $450,000. He then proceeded to buy $500,00 worth of furnishings and plants for his formal gardens, atrium, and greenhouses, The home was completed in 1907. The residence is constructed of gray Alabama granite that was shipped to the site by a railroad spur built specifically for this task. The home contained an elevator, a retractable roof, a central vacuum system, and a plumbing system that delivered hot, cold and rain water. there is a swimming pool faced in Rookwood tile, a conservatory, and two gardens, one Japanese and the other Italian style. Thompson lived here until his death in 1931. The property was then acquired by the Cincinnati Archdiocese in the 1940s as the residence for Archbishops John McNicholas (1877-1950) and Karl Alter (1905-1977). In the late 50's the land was divided so that McAuley High School and the Mother of Mercy Convent could be built. Laurel Court was then sold to Donald "Buddy" LaRosa in 1977 for $350,000 for use as a corporate headquarters until 1990. LaRosa secured the mansion's listing on the National Register of Historic Places on November 29, 1979, restored the home and grounds, and bought back many of the statues that had been in the home but had been sold by the archdiocese. In 1990 Roger Loth bought it and resided there from 1991-2000. Judy and Larry Moyer purchased the home in 2000 and are the current caretakers.

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Charles S Rankin Residence
Oldest Brick house -College Hill

E. H. Lunken Residence E. Lunken drawing

Edmund Lunken (1861-1944) was the son of Frederick Lunkenheimer (1825-1889) founder of the Lunkenheimer Company, one of the nation's leading manufacturers of pressure valves. After his fathers death in 1889 he took over the business. In 1892 he dropped the "heimer" from his name and became Edmund Lunken. In 1919 he became chairman of the board and his son Eshelby (1890-1945) became president. Both men were very interested in aviation the company supplied valves for airplanes; Charles Lindburg used their valves and other products in his Spirit of Saint Louis. In 1930 Edmund gave the city 230 acres of land near Kellogg Ave. for the creation of a municipal airport which was named Lunken Airport in his honor. They both died within a span of one year.

GLENDALE

Eliza House

The Eliza House is located on Oak Road in the southwest part of Glendale. It is a two story brick house on the Mortimore Matthews estate. Before the Civil War Glendale was a station on the Underground Railroad. It is said that the real Eliza, model for the character in Harriet Beecher Stowe's famous story, made her way here after crossing the river on the ice at Ripley, Ohio.

HARRISON

Residence of
Wm. Dair

HYDE PARK

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         Erie Ave. Near Shaw                     Erie Avenue                        Card showing house built       California Bungalow-Paxton Rd.
                                                          by Warren Richards
                                                          516 Gwynne Bldg.

LOVELAND

Two Suburban Homes

MADISONVILLE

Central Ave. N. of Clayson St.

MILFORD

The Irwin Homestead

In 1895 William Taylor Erwin and his wife, Mary Louise Orr, purchased 88 acres above the Little Miami River in Milford. The house constructed of rock and stone was known as the Rock House Lodge and the estate was called the Ripples for the sound of water flowing by. The estate had a staff of six maids, a cook, butler, nurse, 4 farmers, 3 gardeners, coachman/chauffeur and a houseboy. Families such as the Tafts and Proctors were seen at parties of 400 people or more.

Hillside Cabin Milford Cleveland Ave. South Milford

MONTGOMERY

MOUNT AUBURN

Hillside Homes German Consul's Residence

Present Day Photo

2221 Highland Ave.

MOUNT HEALTHY

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A Mt. Healthy Residence

MOUNT WASHINGTON

Mear's Avenue

NORTHSIDE

Cherry Street                    Hamilton Avenue
W. from Chase

HOFFNER RESIDENCE

Hoffner Homestead Gate Close up Gate on right side Mic & Mac at U.C.

The 1st postcard says Haffner Residence but is mis-spelled. The Hoffner Residence was built in 1811 and was known as the Hotel of the Golden Lamb. Located at Blue Rock and Hamilton Ave. It was purchased in 1836 by Jacob Hoffner and he transformed the hotel into the residence shown above. It consisted of 6 acres of formal gardens including a greenhouse with bronze griffins, a pool, and more than two dozen statues gathered during his travels in Europe. After Hoffner died (1894) the property was eventually razed (early 1900s) and the two lion statues (Mic & Mac) were donated to U.C.. They can now be seen at the University of Cincinnati where they can be found guarding McMicken Hall. Hoffner also had the stone eagles that guarded his back entrance donated to Eden Park. As can be seen in the 2nd row he also installed two lions to guard his Spring Grove mausoleum.

Then Pullen Avenue Now

Located at the corner Pullan (name mis-spelled on card) and Pitts Avenues in Northside, the 2nd image show these houses as they look today.

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Andrew Jergens Residence. 1615 Bruce Ave. Anna & Andrew Jergens

Andrew Jergens (1852-1929) co-founded the Andrews Soap Company on Spring Grove Avenue. It was at one time the largest toilet soap factory in the world. In the 1890's Jergens moved into this 3 story Gothic style house on the corner of Hamilton and Bruce in Northside. The first card has his name misspelled. This corner was known as "millionaires Corner" for the 4 wealthy businessmen who built homes there. His brother built his home on the southeast corner in 1895, Charles Geilfus secretary and treasurer of the Andrew Jergens Co. built on the northeast corner two years later. Charles Silverson, president of the Schlueter Cycle Manufacturing Co. lived on the fourth corner. The land at 1615 Bruce Avenue is now known as Jergens Park. After his son died, the house was torn down and the land donated to the City Park Board. One entire room of the house was donated to the Cincinnati Art Museum. Called the Damascus Room it was brought back as a souvenir from Syria.

NORWOOD