Posted December 17, 200420 yr Anyone have any good suggestions on books about Cincinnati? They may be fiction, non-fiction, photography, etc. Anything about the history of Cincinnati would be great as well. Also, anyone have a source for old Cincinnati postcards? Thanks!
December 17, 200420 yr The "Images of America" series is pretty good with books like "Cincinnati Revealed", "The Cincinnati Subway", and "Over-the-Rhine" for example. Mostly photographs with descriptions. The book "Cincinnati Observed" is a favorite of mine for history and architecture. There is a pretty good antique store in Lebanon, south of the Golden Lamb about a block on the same side of the street, with a very extensive collection of postcards from all over. Can't remember the store's name however . . . but the vendor was right by the front door.
December 17, 200420 yr Off the top of my head, there's always The Bicentennial Guide to Greater Cincinnati. I'll think of more that I've read. Or, just search the library catalog starting around 977 or so!
December 17, 200420 yr If you're interested in sort of oddball stuff, there's a cool history of Cincinnati's sewer system by Raja R. Roomann called Urban growth and the development of an urban sewer system: City of Cincinnati, 1800-1915. I enjoyed it, with some period maps and lots of information on practical Cincinnati politics and sewer technology.
December 18, 200420 yr I found it on a table of Local Interest stuff at Joseph Beth - probably your best bet for finding it, since it's not in print...
December 18, 200420 yr My all time favorite book about cincinnati is "Walking the Steps of Cincinnati" By Mary Anna Dusablon it is a guide to the City's scenic and historic secrets..There are 34 walking maps I should say HIKING maps that take you up the steps and around the neighborhoods of our Great City.I have only done 7 walks so far and my calf muscles feel like they are made of steel now :-D I try to set aside Sundays for a new hike and it is a great way to learn more about Cincinnati and burn off the cold pizza I had for breakfast!
December 18, 200420 yr ^Amen on that, Mr. Coffee - great book, it's introduced me to a number of areas I'd never have thought about seeing.
December 18, 200420 yr Many great books are available for free at the local history section of the downtown library!
December 22, 200420 yr "If you're interested in sort of oddball stuff, there's a cool history of Cincinnati's sewer system by Raja R. Roomann called Urban growth and the development of an urban sewer system: City of Cincinnati, 1800-1915. I enjoyed it, with some period maps and lots of information on practical Cincinnati politics and sewer technology." Where did you find this book? I have about 60 books or booklets in my Cincinnati collection. I am still looking for "Cincinnati Observed." If any one has a copy for sale, please let me know.
December 22, 200420 yr Where did you find this book? I found it on a shelf of local interest stuff in the Rookwood Joseph Beth's. If you're interested in buying it, I would probably call them, see if they have it. You could also see if Amazon could hunt it up for you - here's the link to it. If you're just interested in reading it, the Cincinnati Public Library has 5 copies in circulation (3 downtown, 1 in Harrison and 1 in Hyde Park). The call number is 363.728409 qR777 2001, the ASIN is B0006E7WME, and if you go to the library's website, you can search for Roomann, log in with your library card and PIN, and have them ship it to any library in the system for you. Very, very cool... BTW, which of your 60ish books on Cincinnati do you recommend? Oh, if you go to amazon.com, they currently have 2 used and 2 new copies of "Cincinnati Observed" for sale in softcover, and 1 used hardcover.
December 22, 200420 yr One of my favorites is The Cincinnati Crime Book by George Stinson. It covers thirteen of the more high profile murders in the city from 1896-1996. It includes the story of why the gazebo in Eden Park is supposedly haunted.
December 31, 200420 yr If you're interested in the growth of Cincinnati circa 1880-1920, I highly recommend the first three chapters of "Boss Cox's Cincinnati" by Zane Miller. Great info on how Cincinnati changed from a dense "walking city" to a more suburban one.
January 28, 200520 yr I added another 8 books to my collection, including one on Ohio courthouses, "Development of Ohio's Counties and their Historic Courthouses." My favorite is the Cincinnati Metropolitan Master Plan of 1948. Also, I enjoy anything with photos of street scenes prior to WWII. I got started collecting railroad books and was fascinated by the street scenes as much as by the railroads. I would recommend these: "Cincinnati Observed" (not in my collection yet, but hopefully soon!) "The Green Line" - history of transit in Northern Kentucky including connections to Cincinnati. There's a lot about Dixie Terminal and the Roebling Bridge. "The Mill Creek - unnatural history of an urban stream" - a good mix of history, nature, geology, and politics. "Cincinnati Scenes - sketches by Caroline Williams" - a book of drawings by an artist with a good eye for detail.
January 28, 200520 yr I've read them all except for The Green Line. I'll have to pick it up. I ordered one from the library about the East End. I should get it soon.
February 20, 200520 yr My favorite is the Cincinnati Metropolitan Master Plan of 1948. ...i have that one, too. Two true expressways and the Norwood Lateral. And then a bunch of "modified freeways". Actually I have a number of the books mentioned... The one I like the best is that two -volume Bicentennial Guide...it takes in the suburbs as well as the older neighborhoods. It was a great intro to the city when I first moved to the area.
February 20, 200520 yr I may be a nerd, but right now I'm reading the city's Camp Washington Industrial Plan from 1984. It looks like they didn't get around to doing much of it.
February 21, 200520 yr Looking for rare books? Here's a great source: http://www.alibris.com clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
February 22, 200520 yr Looking for rare books? Here's a great source: http://www.alibris.com The new http://www.abebooks.com?
March 14, 200520 yr I went to Joseph Beths at Rookwood today and bought the sewer book: "Urban growth and the development of an urban sewer system: City of Cincinnati, 1800-1915" It was the last one on the shelf. They have a pretty good local interest section there. It was my first time there and my first time shopping at Rookwood. Thanks for the tip. I also got the "Hamilton County, Ohio Guide to Recorder's Indexes and Documents, 1794 to 1988. I dropped $58 on two books. This is getting expensive.
March 14, 200520 yr There are a couple of old books on Cincinnati that I keep meaning to check out from the library. One is called "Illustrated Cincinnati" (or something like that) and is from 1875, I think. I can't remember what the other one is, just that it's also old. Maybe one of these days I'll actually get around to looking at them.
March 15, 200520 yr Three more good ones: Visions of Place: The City, Neighborhoods, Suburbs, and Cincinnati's Clifton, 1850-2000 by Zane L. Miller Making Better Citizens: Housing Reform and the Community Development Strategy in Cincinnati, 1890-1960 by Robert B. Fairbanks Suburb: Neighborhood and Community in Forest Park, Ohio, 1935-1976 by Zane L. Miller
March 17, 200520 yr I found a weird one yesterday at the downtown library--Virginia White, From Camargo to Indian Hill, a sort of mini-history of Indian Hill with lots of pics of the grand houses and little blurbs about a few Indian Hill institutions like the rangers, their 3 churches, their fire dept. and Cincinnati Country Day School. It was one of the most ecclectic if not eccentric little books I have found.
November 25, 200618 yr At Barnes and Noble today, I noticed a new book titled "Architecture in Cincinnati" by Sue Ann Painter. I didn't get a chance to look closely at the book, but just by flipping through it, it is definitely getting added to my Christmas list. http://www.cincyarch.ohioswallow.com/
November 25, 200618 yr Teen Fiction Set in Cincinnati There is a fictional book by Sharon Draper called Romiette and Julio. My class read it in the 8th grade for a project, and since then, I have met Ms. Draper twice. She's a really cool lady. The book is like a teen romance and the only thing that ties it into Romeo and Juliette is the fact that the opposite sides don't want them to date eachother because of racial differences (Romiette is Black and Julio is Hispanic) Takes place in a fictional Cincinnati suburb "London Woods" and it makes various references to 275 and the "Ugly Brown" Ohio River. Good read for teens... probably not for anyone over 15.
November 25, 200618 yr At Barnes and Noble today, I noticed a new book titled "Architecture in Cincinnati" by Sue Ann Painter. I didn't get a chance to look closely at the book, but just by flipping through it, it is definitely getting added to my Christmas list. http://www.cincyarch.ohioswallow.com/ Great book. Got it for MrsAweeks for her birthday.
November 25, 200618 yr Just picked up "Cincinnati, Milford & London Traction Company" and "Remembering the Cincinnati and Lake Erie RR," both by David McNeil, from the Museum Center Gift Shop. Those were the last of the Cincinnati Railroad books on my list.
November 28, 200618 yr Just got a enewsletter from Little Miami Publishing. Here is a link to some of their new publications http://www.littlemiamibooks.com/cgi-bin/lmbsearch.cgi The last one about Cincinnati Sculpture sounds interesting.
December 10, 200618 yr At Barnes and Noble today, I noticed a new book titled "Architecture in Cincinnati" by Sue Ann Painter. I didn't get a chance to look closely at the book, but just by flipping through it, it is definitely getting added to my Christmas list. http://www.cincyarch.ohioswallow.com/ The writers, photographers for this book were featured on CH 12's Newsmakers show 12-10-06 It looks pretty cool.
December 10, 200618 yr Another book I just saw recently for the first time was Historic Photos of Cincinnati http://www.turnerpublishing.com/detail.aspx?ID=1317
December 10, 200618 yr The writers, photographers for this book were featured on CH 12's Newsmakers show 12-10-06 ...best show on television...Dan Hurley rocks...
December 11, 200618 yr The writers, photographers for this book were featured on CH 12's Newsmakers show 12-10-06 ...best show on television...Dan Hurley rocks... no poop - We should force him to join the forum.
December 11, 200618 yr The Ohio book store on main st downtown has a great selection of old and reissue cincinnati books.
December 11, 200618 yr I got Architecture in Cincinnati for a friend for christmas and have taken the liberty to flip through it. Id say its well worth a look! Hopefully this post doesnt give away any surprises though...
December 15, 200618 yr The Mill Creek: An Unnatural History of an Urban Stream was out of print (I think) but the Mill Creek Restoration Project now has it listed on their "Gift Catalog" page. http://www.millcreekrestoration.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewpage&page_id=B92BA317-7E90-9BD4-CCD1CFA169C2DAD7 As previously mentioned, this is a great book covering history, ecology, politics & more and is applicable to any waterway that people set up towns around. Written by a X U professor, Stan Hedeen
January 27, 200718 yr Just picked up Historic Photos of Cincinnati the other day. There is not a whole lot of information in the book. As the name implies, its basically a great big photo album of historic Cincinnati photos, with captions of course. If you like Cincy you'll like this book. All photos are black and white and taken from collections at the Cincinnati Museum Center, some I had seen but also a great number of which I had not. All in all I found it quite interesting.
January 27, 200718 yr There is also a book i flipped through at Barnes a couple weeks ago about Sculpture in Cincinnati. It was a really neat book giving information about sculpture you see around town, but never give a second thought about its sculptor or history. Its definately added to my wish list.
January 27, 200718 yr The Mill Creek: An Unnatural History of an Urban Stream was out of print (I think) but the Mill Creek Restoration Project now has it listed on their "Gift Catalog" page. http://www.millcreekrestoration.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewpage&page_id=B92BA317-7E90-9BD4-CCD1CFA169C2DAD7 As previously mentioned, this is a great book covering history, ecology, politics & more and is applicable to any waterway that people set up towns around. Written by a X U professor, Stan Hedeen I have this book and I agree it is interesting and worth the time to read.
June 30, 200717 yr A couple new releases from Little Miami Publishing (well, a new release and a rerelease): JOHN A. ROEBLING AND HIS SUSPENSION BRIDGE ON THE OHIO RIVER, by Don Heinrich Tolzmann. ISBN 978-1-932250-47-3. This is a small book that is easy to read, with lots of photos. If you live in the Greater Cincinnati area (or have visited), you are likely familiar with the beautiful bridge that spans the Ohio River from Covington, Kentucky, to Cincinnati, Ohio. This book will tell about the man who built the bridge and lots of other historical info about the type of bridge itself. ISBN 978-1-932250-47-3, $12.95. This book will be available by late July. GERMAN HERITAGE GUIDE TO THE GREATER CINCINNATI AREA, 2ND EDITION, by Don Heinrich Tolzmann. ISBN 978-1-932250-57-2, $15.95. This book was originally published in 2003 and has been a great seller. Dr. Tolzmann has updated, expanded, and revised the chapters and added a new chapter leading the reader to German food, music, church services, and other very interesting sources. He gives addresses, Web sites, phone numbers, and other information for these sources.
July 9, 200816 yr Hi all, I am moving tomorrow (July 10th), and I've been substantially downsizing. I have a copy of Cincinnati Scenes by Caroline Williams, and I'd like to give it to someone who cares about Cincinnati and would appreciate this wonderful book. PM me ASAP if you're interested. I'd like to mail it today (July 9th).
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