Hamilton! - Gallery 2 - Main St. Business District (All-New Comprehensive Look) - City Photos - Ohio

Posted December 10, 200618 yr

The Main Street Business District comprises a five block area on Hamilton's west side, across the Great Miami River from downtown. Main Street really began to flourish after a bridge was completed between High St. and Morris St. (the current Main St.) in 1819. Contrary to the UO main page, the area was not Hamilton's original downtown, but a competing business district in the neighboring town of Rossville. Hamilton and Rossville merged in 1854, leaving Main Street as a second, less appreciated business district.

Today, Main Street is unique in that it still is holds many small, long-time businesses. The buildings are among the oldest surving in the city as most mid-1800's buildings in downtown have been lost, many to early 1900's development. Many original storefronts remain as well, giving Main St. loads of potential. The district was once an entire block longer, but the 1913 flood took A St. and half of the first block. In the 1970's the city demolished the rest of the block to built ramps to Park and Ross Avenues, which run parallel on either side of Main Street.

A small park was recently completed and a planning firm from Cincinnati was hired to create a comprehensive plan from the area. City leaders and planners want to make the connection between Main St. and the adjacent Rossville Historic District, which includes a possible expansion of those boundaries to include Main Street's commerical buildings.

So without furthur ado...

The beautiful Burg Sq. building greets you coming over the river from downtown. Built in 1857, it originally had a stage and held operas and shows until the Globe Opera House opened downtown in 1866. In 1921, Burg's Department Store moved into the building. Burg's lasted until the mid-90's and later a stationary store moved in at the corner. There are still several uses in the building, but the corner remains vacant.

The former Hooven and Son's building, built in the 1870's, is one of the most ornate buildings on Main.

This building was white washed a couple years ago, hiding the contrasting brick. After Seven Sister's Bookstore moved in, improvements were slowly made, but, after disagreements with the city, the bookstore left before planned awnings were installed. I'm not sure if the building ever had an entablature, although it looks as though one was planned.

Clark's Sporting Goods will celebrate their centinneal in 2008. Their building, one of several Hamilton buildings marked by former Hamilton realtor Lindley, looks to be an 1800's building that has been recovered with the present brick.

The pet shop actually has doggies in the window.

One of my favorite Main St. buildings...

Tom's First Ward Cigar Store has been a Hamilton tradition since 1917.

The tacky little store is hard to explain, you must experience it for yourself. The current owner bought a neighboring building and fought the city over demolition for a parking lot. When told he needed a profession site plan, etc, he simply let the buildings deteriorate and spoke out about the city hurting his business. After residents and business leaders caused an uproar, construction services "coincidentally" claimed the building needed to come down immediately for saftey reasons. Three years later Main St. is left with a vacant, dirt lot.

The Homestead Resturant has been a fixture on Main St. for more than 75 years.

The Hammerle Building was completed in 1906, I assume (although 1866 is also on the building). Singer Paint and Wallpaper was at the corner for many years until the owner retired several years ago.

These next three images contain structures all completed in the 1850's, with the oldest finished in 1954. Paxton Shoes was located in this building until the late 1990's and now a collectables store finds its home here.

Thyme Saver Catering recently relocated to the German Village from this storefront.

The Marshall Electric Supply building is unique as it has a slight setback. Marshall has an aged little store with a selection of lamps and light fixtures, as well as a full service electric supply at the rear of the building.

I'm not sure about the age of the next row of buildings, but I'd estimate they probably were built in the 1850's-1870's.

The green building has always impressed me.

The recently dedicated Armstead Park is on the site of a former service station. A bandstand, landscaping, and a water sculpture were included. The homes to the right are in the only stretch of buildings in the Rossville Historic District boundaries on Main Street.

The sculpture, When It Rains It Pours, is half installed. The artist delivered the man last May, but the umbrealla, which will feacture water dripping from its dome, has yet to be seen. The City of Sculpture board says the artist is very disorganzed and continually makes promises to deliver. In the mean time, it has become a local joke to place items on the man's hand, including fast food drinking cups.

I assume this was an old service station; it now sees a pleatorea of ever changing marginal uses.

Originally, the business district was only from A to D streets, but over the years, it slowly moved into the next three blocks. This leaves a mix of newer commercial buildings and older homes, most converted to commercial uses.

It has been said that this is the oldest building on Main St.

This building is a trajedy. Once a very detailed cladboard beauty, it was covered by vinyl.

Proschel, Zettle, Hime Funeral Home

An aptly named store...

At the end of Main, the street splits into three: Millville Ave., Main, and Eaton Ave. This odd building sits in the "V" between Main and Millville.

Hamilton's First Ward Firehouse is a beautiful tudor-esque building the sits immediately behind the latter. The ladder company faces both street frontages. It was completed in 1930 and is the newest of Hamilton's three historic firehouses still in full operation.

Looking back toward downtown..

The Davis Building, completed in 1908, is the most massive structure on Main Street. I presume its apartments were quite desireable once.

One of my favorite things about Main St. is Hughes' Pharmacy. The store still features an ice cream counter and fills prescriptions, a dose of reality when other cities are opening modern old time pharmacies.