Shedding light on Cincinnati's reMarkable places

Ohio originated in 1787 when 3 men purchased 800 acres from John Cleves. John was a businessman who had teamed up with associates to purchase 330,000 acres of land in the Northwest. The close proximity the Ohio river allowed the town, Losantiville, to quickly flourish. Transitioning into the Depression-era the city’s strong river trade allowed it to stand stronger than many other cities. This grew to be the city of Cincinnati which is the largest metropolitan area in Ohio. Its rich history gave way too many remarkable historical places.

The first place that sticks out to me is the Union Terminal. Its history begins in 1933 when its original purpose was a train station. Years later in 1990 the terminal was turned into a home for many museums including Cincinnati History, Museum of Natural History and Science, Duke Energy Children’s Museum and the Linder Family OMNIMAX Theater. I spent some time personally looking through the Cincinnati history museum and was fascinated by the replica of the city in the 1900’s.

What makes Union Terminal important is the time in which it was built. During WW2, trains carried men and materials to provide for the United States military. Union Terminal made up a hub for many railroads coming in and out. The museum gave off an allusion to the Depression-era. In 1972, the train service came to its final delivery until the early 90’s when renovations had been done to the intercity train station giving it life again.

Blogger Zach Fien a UC alum captures and excellent depiction of the condition of the Cincinnati subway on his website

The old subway is another fascinating part of Cincinnati history. The idea of a subway was created to try to repurpose the old canal beds. The originally agreed upon budget was increased in 1926 by Mayor Murray Seasongood. After the stock market crashed in 1926, the budget went out the window as the entire United States fell into a major depression. There is many other reasons besides the budget that the subway failed.

According to Mr. Laake, who is in his 7th year teaching Cincinnati history at Moeller, offered his opinion on this system of transportation. He said, “The approach didn’t make much sense in the first place since Cincinnati is such a hilly city.” It is worth noting that many experts and mayors have tried to revive the abandoned tunnels. One proposition was to put the streetcars under the city but was quickly discarded. Little to no hope is left in Cincinnatians hearts to rebuild or repurpose the tunnels.

I come to a finale with a restaurant which holds a plethora of history and it resides on Vine Street. Scotti’s Italian Restaurant brings an old timey vibe to the joint. The intricate design gives the establishment a special and individual feel.  The restaurant’s current owners run in the family. The DiMarco family are the great grandchildren of the original owner Salvatore Scoleri. The menu provides different options for all kinds of customers including pasta, steak, and veal. The Italian cuisine holds a special spot in many Cincinnatians hearts.