Queen City Heritage

In the mid-twentieth century

the city developed plans to con-
struct an interstate highway
through the Lytle Park area.
Fall 1986
Preserving a "Special
Place:" The Lytle
Park Neighborhood,
1948-1976
Lytle Park Neighborhood
Jana C. Morford
LYTLE PARKplace for reveries and dreams of bygone years.
There is a charm about this Park and the surrounding district
possessed by no other part of the City. To say that it is appealing is to
say little. It is overwhelming with its quaint beauty and the
realization that within the boundaries of these few squares so much
has transpired. On all sides the streets, buildings and monuments
recall the hopes, the efforts and the accomplishments of pioneer and
modern life in Cincinnati and all that has happened between.
1
For many years the Lytle Park area has been an
important part of Cincinnati. The site of events: such as the
construction of Ft. Washington, associated with Cincinnati's
pioneering days as an outpost on the urban frontier; in the
nineteenth century, the location of the homes of some of the
city's leading families; became identified as a distinctive
neighborhood between 1900 and 1930 as the result of
careful planning by the Taft family.
2
Similarly, the Lytle Park
neighborhood that stands today was planned, this through
the efforts of public and private organizations. But the emo-
tional attachment of Cincinnatians to the neighborhood
after 1930 did not surface until it was threatened. Then
people talked seriously and nostalgically about their feelings
toward the Lytle Park neighborhood and the urgency of its
preservation. The most recent threat, real and imagined, to
the neighborhood occurred in the mid-twentieth century
when the city developed plans to construct an interstate
highway through the area.
At the outset it is useful to make a distinction
between Lytle Park and its neighborhood. In 1943 Lytle
Park was a one and a quarter acre plot bordered by Lawrence,
Fourth, Lytle, and Third streets with shade trees, benches, a
bandstand, playing field, and a children's swimming pool. A
World War I memorial plaque remembering the United
States Marines from Hamilton County had been placed in
the park in 1921. A statue of Abraham Lincoln stood at the
western entrance of the park. Around this park were the
buildings and institutions which, with the park, constituted
the neighborhood. In describing this "oasis" of "old, well-
preserved brick houses, most of them housing literary, wom-
en's and other clubs," within the city, the 1943 WPA guide
to Cincinnati emphasized its location "at the eastern end of
Fourth Street, only a few minutes walk from the congested,
almost treeless downtown," and characterized it as "a quiet
little area centered about small Lytle Park."
The club houses referred to in the guide were
the Cincinnati Art Club at 518 East Third, the Woman's
City Club at 528 East Fourth, the Cincinnati Catholic
Women's Association at 5 18 East Fourth, the Literary Club
at 5 00 East Fourth, the Cincinnati Business Women's Club
at 42 5 East Fourth, and the University Club at the south-
east corner of Broadway and East Fourth Street. In addition,
the neighborhood included the Taft Museum located at 316
Pike, the Guilford School on the southwest corner of Fourth
and Ludlow, and four apartment buildings, the Anna Louise
Inn bounded by Lytle, Third, and Pike streets; the Phelps,
the Lincoln, and the Lytle apartments on East Fourth be-
tween Lawrence and Pike streets.
3
The first threat to the Lytle Park neighbor-
hood occurred in 1930 when the City Planning Commis-
sion proposed to rezone the area from residential to busi-
ness. Fervent protests from the residents thwarted the proposal.
In the aftermath, the Cincinnati Post reported that the City
Planning Commission, "moved by sentiment," decided against
the zone change in order to preserve old landmarks in the
Jana C. Morford received a
Master of Arts in history from
the University of Cincinnati and
is presently doing photo re-
search on manufacturing
industries in Ohio.
A one and a quarter acre plot
bordered by Lawrence, Fourth,
Lytle, and Third streets, Lytle
Park had a children's play-
ground, swimming pool, shade
trees, benches, and a
bandstand.
Lytle Park neighborhood "where Cincinnati's history was
made."
4
The Cincinnati Enquirer stated, with some surprise,
that "the people's plea for preservation of the character of
the district, strangely enough, ignored the question of mon-
ey, or property values. They spoke of traditions and gentle
living. Commerce stood face to face with homemaking."
5
Beginning in the latter part of the 194.0's, the
Lytle Park neighborhood faced a different kind of threat.
This time peril came from an expressway tunnel slated to be
built through the area. At first concerned citizens reacted as
others had in the 193 o's. They wanted Lytle Park to remain
just as it had been. Yet as the the debate continued reactions
moderated, which resulted in a plan to keep much of the
character of the neighborhood while allowing a controlled
change to occur.
In the 1940's, the federal government approved
the construction of an Interregional System of Highways to
connect all United States cities with a population of more
than 100,000. As noted in Cincinnati's 1948 Metropolitan
Plan, one intraurban goal of this interregional highway plan
was for the "eventual achievement of safe, uninterrupted
Queen City Heritage
flow of traffic, free from crossings."
6
Within the metropoli-
tan area, traffic would be "routed to drain off heavy traffic
movements from existing overloaded thoroughfares" and
ease congestion on downtown streets.
7
In Cincinnati, this
scheme involved the construction of the Millcreek Express-
way (I-75, Cincinnati to Dayton,) the Northwest Express-
way (I-74, Cincinnati to Indianapolis), and the Northeast
Expressway (I-71, Cincinnati to Columbus).
8
The 1948 Plan
for Cincinnati laid out the route of the Northeast Express-
way through Lytle Park. In order to facilitate this construc-
tion, the planners of 1948 wanted to tunnel under Lytle
Park and continue the expressway in an open ditch through
Fourth and Fifth streets.
9
In addition to its concern with transportation
through and around the city, the Plan of 1948 looked at
historic sites. The 1948 Plan considered Lytle Park as part of
Cincinnati's Riverfront area. The Riverfront Redevelopment
Plan called for the development of a historic area around
Lytle Park, turning the Guilford School into the Natural
History Museum, opening another museum on the south
side of Lytle Park for replicas and documents commemorat-
In 1921 a World War I
memorial plaque honoring the
United States Marines from
Hamilton County had been
placed in the park.
Fall 1986 Lytle Park Neighborhood
ing the site of Ft. Washington, and expanding Lytle Park.
10
This particular plan summarized the history of Cincinnati
11
and encouraged placing "proper emphasis on the historic
side of the community [that] not only has sentimental and
patriotic values, but contributes to its progress and business
growth."
12
Examples of historic memorials in Boston and
Philadelphia were given because they had been of "inestima-
ble commercial value" to those cities. The planners thought
that "suitable memorials erected [in Cincinnati] would bring
thousands of visitors" to the city and "provide a setting for
recurring gatherings and celebrations, which would attract
throngs from outside."
13
The plan also advocated the build-
ing of apartments in the area so residents could enjoy the
"facilities of downtown as well as those provided by the
redevelopment area."
14
The Master Plan: Report on Progress
made assurances that "there is no thought, of course, of
tearing down what has been built up over the years, merely
for the sake of change.
15
In 1950 the Cincinnati Park Board purchased
property adjacent to Lytle Park so that the park could be
extended to facilitate the tunnel angle necessary for the
expressway. The owners of this property between Lytle and
Pike streets were the daughters of Charles P. Taft I, Jane Taft
Ingalls and Louise Taft Semple. Max J. Palm, Jr., Park Board
president, stated that the acquisition of this property caused
no housing problem since the majority of the buildings had
been vacant for years.
16
According to the agent for the Taft
daughters, Harry Linch, "The sale was put to them on a civic
basis and on that basis they agreed."
17
But he thought the
property could have sold on the open market for $ 345,000,
considerably more than the $15 0,000 that the Park Board
had paid. The acquisition of the property had long been a
goal of the Park Board and city planners. "Not only does it
enlarge the park area in one of the most congested areas in
the city, but it preserves an attractive approach to the Taft
Museum."
18
Thus^ the tunnel would run under the present
park and also under the newly acquired area directly east of
the park, across from the Taft Museum on Pike Street.
Between 1950 and 1958, plans for the con-
struction of the Northeast Expressway continued. Cincin-
natians voted in 19 5 o to pay the city's share of the interstate
construction, $16,000,000. In 1953, Ohio voters approved
$ 5 00 million for a ten year major thoroughfare construction
program, including the new expressways.
19
Most everyone
seemed to agree on the necessity for these expressways. In
June 1957, Leonard Bauer, Cincinnati expressway engineer,
said plans for the Northeast Expressway had been sent to the
state, which would then forward the plans to Washington
for approval. He anticipated a wait of two to three years for
state and federal government confirmation of the plans.
20
Northeast Expressway Plans
called for the destruction of the
Catholic Women's Club build-
ings at 516 and 518 East
Fourth Street.
Later in the year, City Manager Harrell asked the county
commissioners to arrange a meeting of political subdivisions
involved in the Northeast Expressway to consider rights of
way agreements, publication of construction plans, and appor-
tionment of the local share of the project cost.
21
All plans for
the expressway appeared to be going smoothly until the
latter part of 19 5 8 when the first protests were heard and
which continued for years and as time progressed became
more complex.
22
The storm began brewing when Harrell alerted
three women's clubs, the Woman's City Club at 5 2 8 East
Fourth Street, the Catholic Women's Club at 518 East
Fourth Street (both in the Lytle Park neighborhood), and
the Cincinnati Woman's Club at 634 Oak Street in Walnut
Hills, that their club buildings were in the way of the express-
way tunnel and the expressway and would have to be
demolished. The demolition of the two Fourth Street build-
ings was necessary to make way for an open ditch between
Fourth and Fifth streets leading to the tunnel that would be
constructed under Lytle Park. Harrell assured the women
that it would be two to four years before the city would take
the property. His plans were for the city to buy the property
and then lease the buildings to the clubs until time for
demolition. Immediately these three clubs, claiming their
buildings had been "landmarks for many years," opposed
such action.
23
Also, Charles P. Taft II, who became one of
the most outspoken advocates for saving these buildings,
began his involvement in the issue. He urged that ways be
explored for keeping the "high grade" buildings in the Lytle
Park area as they were. He thought it a "shame to eliminate
such a scarce and high caliber residential area at the edge of
the downtown district. The city instead should be devising
ways and means of developing more of these in order to
bring people back to the city."
24
The buildings in question along East Fourth
Street were situated between the twelve story Phelps apart-
ment building and the eight story Pugh office building on
the corner of Fourth and Pike. Actually six sites were in
danger of being destroyed including Crofford's Pure Oil
Service Station at 457 East Fifth Street, Harbine Chatfield,
Inc., interior decorators (a three story, eight-year-old build-
ing at 409 Pike Street), and the Rudd Insurance office,
approximately 12 5 years old at 5 3 o East Fourth on the
corner of Fourth and Pike the former home of William
McAlpin, Cincinnati department store magnate.
25
But the
buildings over which the controversy arose were the Lytle
and Lincoln apartment buildings and the buildings owned
by the Cincinnati Catholic Women's Association (CCWA)
Queen City Heritage
and the Woman's City Club (WCC).
The CCWA owned two structures at 5 16 and
518 East Fourth probably built in the 1820's and linked by
an addition constructed about 1928. Both buildings had
been extensively remodeled. Mike Mullen, eighth ward coun-
cilman during the early twentieth century, had lived in 5 16.
The Lytle Apartments, 520 East Fourth, were privately
owned. This four story apartment building was thought to
have been constructed in 18 80 with a rear addition added in
191 o when the front building was remodeled. The Lincoln
Apartments, built in 1911, also four stories, occupied the
site of 5 24-5 26 East Fourth. The WCC, 528 East Fourth, a
three story building, dated from 1830 was built by William
Thomas, a prominent Cincinnati builder. In 18 5 2, a Cincin-
nati clothier and tailor, John B. Brummer, lived there.
26
In answer to the controversy raised by the
women's clubs and Charles P. Taft II, expressway engineer
Bauer insisted that the buildings must be taken down for the
tunnel that was planned to go under Lytle Park. To the
suggestion raised by Taft of replacing these buildings with
others, Bauer stated that it would be illegal to do so. Any-
way, he continued, if it were legal, it would be difficult
because a slab over the expressway would have to be
constructed of sufficient strength to support buildings and
the tunnel would have to be deeper than planned, both of
which would add considerable cost to the project.
27
Bauer's comments did not lessen the opposi-
tion to the destruction of the East Fourth Street buildings.
Lytle Park was lauded as an "oasis unique in the city" and the
buildings praised as "a group of gracious town houses of the
past."
28
Taft argued that destroying these buildings would
"eliminate the very type of scarce downtown residential area
that the city should be laboring to keep."
29
A local newspa-
per editorial lamenting the proposed plans said they would
mar the appearance of the downtown park which was a "real
civic asset..., rich in historical associations and architectural
appeal. This is one of the most charming spots downtown. It
would be a shame to spoil it, especially at a time when we
need to be bringing people back into the core of the city."
30
By November 1958, Taft seemed to have ac-
cepted the fact that the buildings on East Fourth would be
destroyed. He then promised a "helluva fight" to establish
legal right to construct high class apartment buildings over
the expressway. Councilwoman Dorothy Dolbey, who also
advocated the preservation of Lytle Park, agreed with Taft,
commenting that it was a "crime to knock out classy residen-
tial buildings" without taking steps to maintain the area.
31
All of this talk about the historical signifi-
cance of buildings and the historic character of neighbor-
hoods stirred the City Planning Commission (CPC) into
action. In November 1958, Dean Ernest Pickering, chair-
man of the CPC, appointed an advisory committee on his-
toric buildings and areas. This committee had the job of
"relating" historic buildings, sites, and areas to city planning
and then making recommendations for preservation and
development for the city.
32
In December 1958, Charles Taft, intent on
having buildings over the expressway, went to Washington
to meet with Joseph Guandolo of the U.S. Bureau of Public
Roads. Taft returned to Cincinnati bearing the news that
there was no flat rule against tunneling under Lytle Park or
the buildings in the vicinity. This could still be done and
meet interstate system standards. He reported that Guandolo
said "there are many places, including mountains, where
tunneling is necessary. Each project must be examined on its
own merits."
33
Concerned groups also began to issue pleas to
discuss the proposals for Lytle Park. The Literary Club,
located at the corner of East Fourth and Lawrence streets,
petitioned the city council for a hearing on the proposed
demolition in Lytle Park. The club saw the set of buildings
on East Fourth between Lawrence and Pike streets as a
"thing of beauty that should not be ruthlessly destroyed."
34
The membership of the Literary Club further adopted a
resolution stating that if the expressway had to go through
and destroy buildings, then the "architecture and atmo-
sphere of Lytle Park should be preserved and... if possible
the buildings should be restored."
35
Similarly, the Cincinnati
Contemporary Arts Center sent a letter to city council asking
for a public hearing on the Lytle Park issue. The letter said
that the center was "vitally interested in the progress of our
city, but we are equally interested in the physical appearance
and design of our environment."
36
Next an alliance of residents of the Lytle Park
Cincinnatians considered Lytle
Park a green oasis in the down-
town area of the city, "a restful
spot away from the rush of
nearby streets."
neighborhood, the Lytle Park North Association, formed in
December 1958, entered the fray. The association, made up
of the Literary Club, the Phelps, the CCWA, and the WCC,
issued a statement describing its concern: "We of Lytle Park,
who love its quiet, old-world charm, should...join hands
now to protect its future development."
37
This group likened
its formation to a similar one in New York, the Washington
Square and Gramercy Park Association formed to "safeguard
the atmosphere and tradition of their historic areas."
38
An-
other group took the same approach. Noting that the Lytle
Park situation resembled the one in New York City when
an expressway threatened to cut straight across Washington
Square and thus endangered its whole character, the United
Citizens Committee to Preserve Lytle Park, composed of
concerned Cincinnatians and headed by William Earls, in-
vited Robert Moses to come to Cincinnati to speak on the
issue in New York City.
39
Moses, chairman of the Tri-Borough
Bridge Authority and of the NYC Park Commission, was
scheduled to appear in Cincinnati on December 11 to com-
pare the Lytle Park proposal with the tunneling that had
Queen City Heritage
taken place under some Greenwich Village buildings. He
was unable to come, however, supposedly snowbound in
New York. The meeting went on without him.
40
Apparently this public meeting, called by Taft
and the United Citizens Committee to Preserve Lytle Park,
with approximately 200 in attendance, was an emotional
affair. The meeting was held December 11, at the Taft Muse-
um with the purpose of discussing the tunneling situation
and the possibility of saving the buildings on East Fourth.
The groups that called the meeting emphasized their feel-
ings about the Lytle Park area. Charles Taft saw the area as a
place of "permanent [and] continuing value and beauty"
possessing a "chaste elegance and decorous pride."
The WCC termed the demolition a "sacrilege,"
and the CCWA backed the WCC by calling the proposal
"nothing short of a crime." William A. Rudd, owner of the
insurance company at the corner of East Fourth and Pike,
depicted this area as the "only real part of Cincinnati that
has not been altered."
This sentiment was echoed by architect Charles
The Lincoln and Lytle apart-
ments on Fourth Street be-
tween Lawrence and Pike
streets were also on the demo-
lition list.
Fall 1986 Lytle Park Neighborhood
F. Cellarius, who called Lytle Park "one of the few re-
maining parts of Cincinnati that retains the atmosphere of
a generation past." Richard G. Arms, director of the His-
torical and Philosophical Society of Ohio, pointed out that
Lytle Park was indicative of "something of our community's
historic heritage. Usefulness and the intangible atmosphere
of a shrine combine in this spot. I think it worth preserving."
City planners joined in with support for Lytle Park. Ladislas
Sergoe observed that Cincinnati was getting ready to spend
a lot of money to save its downtown and that "calls for a
lot more than building expressways and garages." Ernest
Pickering of the City Planning Commission said that "if
you destroy the things that give character to a city, you
make it a dull place in which to live."
41
William Earls called
Lytle Park a "place where people love to come... [and].. .one
of the few places we have left that give charm to Cincinnati."
42
The meeting discussed some possible alterna-
tives in regard to the East Fourth Street buildings. The city
could take the property, re-sell it after the completion of the
expressway, and then require the new owners to maintain
the buildings in their present condition. Conceivably then,
the present owners could sell the buildings to the city and
then buy them back later after the expressway tunnel con-
struction was completed. Another alternative discussed was
for the property owners to give easements to the city for the
tunnel to go through their basements. In turn, the owners
would retain air rights over the tunnel with the provision for
restoration and compensation for the eight feet of basement
taken and the shoring up of the building during construc-
tion and for grillwork sufficient to support the buildings.
John Garber, preservation officer for the Cincinnati chapter
of the AIA, suggested that the city buy the buildings and
move them to another site in Lytle Park, thereby rearranging
the whole area. Someone else suggested squeezing the express-
way around Eggleston Avenue and by-passing Lytle Park
altogether.
43
It was quickly pointed out that moving the
expressway was impossible because it would conflict with
the approach to the proposed Cincinnati-Newport bridge.
The meeting finally adjourned with a vote to ask the city to
restudy plans for the expressway tunnel.
44
Located at 528 East Fourth
Street, the Woman's City Club
building had been built about
1830 by William Thomas.
William Rudd, owner of Rudd
Insurance, 530 East Fourth
the corner of East Fourth and
Pike streetssaid that this area
was the only "real part of
Cincinnati that has not been
altered"
The Enquirer reported that the meeting "looked
like a very uneven match with City Highways Engineer
Leonard Bauer alone facing about 150 indignant citizens."
The story stressed the need for haste in the decision making
process, stating that "delay could endanger the whole North-
east Expressway project. When funds are limited and
demands are great, state governments tend to support proj-
ects which are ready to move." The feeling expressed by the
Enquirerwas to preserve the "charming neighborhood..., if a
feasible and not too costly substitute plan can be worked
out."
45
At this point the buildings in question were
inspected by Charles Messer and Harry Bailie of Frank
Messer Construction and John Garber, a local architect. In a
letter to Charles Taft, Garber reported their findings. They
determined that the cost to tunnel under the buildings
would exceed the present market value of the buildings.
There would be added complications also in shoring up the
existing buildings during the construction of the tunnel and
then in providing a permanent base for them to rest upon.
Garber indicated that the central dilemma was in trying to
"preserve the integrity of our major urban spaces" and at the
same time provide for movement of traffic on the scale of
those expressway projects slated for Cincinnati. However,
he pointed out that such traffic devices were inevitable,
while sympathizing with the desire to preserve this area by
saying that "in destroying Lytle Park with an expressway
connection, we have destroyed the best remaining residen-
tial urban square of the old city." He suggested a solution to
Taft of trying to recreate a residential and office grouping in
Queen City Heritage
the Lytle Park area which could "possibly establish once
more the virtues which Cincinnatians have for so many
generations found in the existing square." Garber talked of
zoning the area to maintain it as a "charming place in which
to work and live," as a place allowing new construction to
re-enclose this urban space and allow it to continue to focus
on the Taft Museum.
46
The Cincinnati Post and Times Star tried to
explain the dilemma facing decision makers in Cincinnati
regarding the Lytle Park issue by pointing out that the
contention did not concern the park itself, but the "fuss is
about a half dozen buildings, on the northern side of the
park, marked for demolition." According to the paper, the
question was whether or not the buildings were worth
saving from an "aesthetic and from an economic stand-
point?" Pointing out that the additional money it would
take to save the building would come from Cincinnati taxes,
the paper asked what "assurances can the city get if it should
choose to retain the present buildings that they can be kept
intact for a fixed period of years?"
47
The conflict of preserv-
ing the past while preparing for the future was obvious:
The lovely "islands" like Lytle Park add charm and a value of
gracious living to the city. Few of us would lightly accept their
destruction. But we are faced with a hard decision whenever the city
must tear down what presently exists in order to reach the goal of
rebuilding for a better community.
48
On January 5, 1959, the Enquirer called for a
moratorium on the Lytle Park dispute while the project
"clears necessary hurdles at Columbus." Citizens were encour-
aged to present a "solid front for the expressway and then
work out the details" as satisfactorily as possible, later.
49
That
same paper carried the thoughts of Enquirer columnist Mildred
Miller, who quoted that month's issue of Reader's Digest.
The magazine stated that twenty-five percent of the United
States' finest historic sites and monuments had been destroyed
since 1941 to make way for shopping centers, skyscrapers,
and superhighways. Miller further elaborated on the article
which predicted that in the next few years "41,000 new miles
of highway will charge through some last surviving wilder-
ness areas, through major cities, along historic old road-
ways." The Digest introduced three criteria to help in deter-
mining what was worth saving: Was it of substantial historical
or cultural importance to the community? Was it accessible
to the public and in presentable condition? Could it be
reasonably maintained? To those questions, Miller emphatically
replied that in the case of the Lytle Park buildings the answer
was a definite "yes." She closed her column with a question
for her readers, "Are we going to stand by and allow our
The Anna Louise Inn for work-
ing girls bounded by Lytle,
Third, and Pike streets, stood
opposite the park.
Fall 1986
charming downtown retreat to be slashed with a ribbon of
concrete and watch more than fifty years of traditional beau-
ty wiped out in order that ever-hurrying motorists may save
a few more minutes?"
50
Two days later, on January 7,1959, William T.
Earls, chairman of the Citizens Committee to Preserve Lytle
Park, announced that four of the six property owners on the
north side of East Fourth Street were prepared to give the
city easements to tunnel under their buildings for the express-
way. Earls and John O'Regan, secretary of the committee,
"pleaded" with City Manager Harrell to tunnel under these
buildings, instead of tearing them down and leaving an open
ditch in their place. The Post reported that HarrelPs com-
ment was that he was "open-minded but not to the point of
delaying the city's present plan."
51
The opinion of the planning commission chair-
man, Dean Ernest Pickering, was that the "entire Lytle Park
area [should] be preserved in construction of the North-
east Expressway." He challenged the commission to take a
"very positive position" in preserving the park from a "three-
dimensional viewpoint, with the buildings surrounding the
park constituting the all important third dimension." He
insisted that an enclosed park was more than just an open
area with trees and shrubs and that buildings at the edges of a
park space were important. In reference to the Lytle Park
area, he saw the planning commission as playing a vital role.
"If the commission doesn't take initiative in preserving his-
toric landmarks, it can't expect other organizations to exhib-
it much enthusiasm in this direction."
52
Lytle Park Neighborhood 11
The Woman's City Club newsletter for Feb-
ruary 1959, carried an article entitled, "The Coziest Park in
Cincinnati" which discussed the two groups established to
oppose the demolition of the East Fourth Street buildings.
The article further presented some thoughts of the Lytle
Park North Association, which advised that, in "view of the
historic values peculiar to the entire Park, and the unique
setting it provides for the Taft Museum and its art collection,
the remaining building area directly facing on Lytle Park be
placed under...safeguards as to future demolition or
rebuilding; so that we may retain in Lytle Park, at the heart
of modern Cincinnati, a treasured reminder of our City's
honored past." The safeguards would call for new buildings
to be of the same general height and design as those they
replaced.
53
A breakthrough appeared to come at the end
of February as the Enquirer ran an article entitled, "Harrell
Favors Restoring of Lytle Park Buildings." Consultants, Hazelet
and Erdal, were called in by the city to study the cost of
tunneling under the buildings.
54
The excitement continued
in March when William J. Murtaugh of the National Trust
for Historic Preservation spoke at a gathering sponsored by
the Cincinnati Catholic Women's Association. In his speech,
entitled "Lytle ParkToday and Tomorrow," he urged the
city to save the park. He said the buildings in the Lytle Park
area had "architectural character and historic significance"
and they were of value to the city. "In the heart of the city,
easily accessible and in sympathetic hands."
55
In April, apparently invigorated by support
from the National Trust, fifty women whose club buildings
were threatened by the Northeast Expressway took their
grievances to city council to plead for the preservation of the
clubhouses. Mrs. Thomas Burke of the Cincinnati Catholic
Women's Club demanded an "immediate halt" to the express-
way until a satisfactory alternate route was worked out that
would "bypass important city landmarks." Mrs. Joseph H.
Goldkamp assured council that there were 1,000 members
standing behind those present at council. Mrs. Louis Nippert
asserted that the buildings and gardens in question were the
most beautiful in Cincinnati. Mrs. William T Buckner, great
granddaughter of William Henry Harrison, said she
remembered the park "in its pristine glory of the early 18 90's
when some of the most distinguished citizens of Cincinnati
made their homes there."
56
In response to the protest from these women
and others, Dorothy Dolbey introduced a motion calling for
the City Planning Commission and the City Solicitor to
prepare "an ordinance setting forth the manner in which the
Members of the Literary Club
located at the corner of East
Fourth and Lawrence streets
thought the buildings should
not be "ruthlessly destroyed"
and petitioned city council for a
public landing.
Queen City Heritage
Planning Commission obtain facts of demolition involving
historic sites, areas, and buildings."
57
Through this ordi-
nance, the Planning Commission would be required to
advise council on the "propriety of preservation." Shortly
thereafter the Planning Commission began to prepare an
inventory of historic sites and areas which it finished the
next year.
The year closed with no solution in sight to
the Lytle Park controversy. The Cincinnati Pictorial Enquirer
for December 17, 1959, devoted a special section to Lytle
Park and the preservation issue. Various pictures of the park
as well as a look, inside and out, at the buildings in question
were included in this section. Lytle Park was compared to
New York's Gramercy Park as "an island of serenity surrounded
by the bustling city." The article stated that Lytle Park was
one of the few points in Cincinnati that retained the atmo-
sphere of past generations and had a "sylvan charm" which
emphasized the significance of the community's heritage.
The issue at stake in the Lytle Park controversy was summed
up as a case of the "weighing of relative merits of aesthetic
factors versus expediency."
58
Another newspaper article hailed Lytle Park
as a charming "Quiet Spot," within the city; a "lovely and
refreshing place to visit," its quietness being its "chief attrac-
tion." What really made the park, was its setting.
The stately Tafi Museum, with its emerald lawn,
graces the end. And along the North side of Fourth Street is a
picturesque row of buildings, most of them proud in new coats of
paint and many of them more than a century old The pace of
modern living has caught Cincinnati up elsewhere, but in Lytle
Park it happily seems to have passed the city by.
59
The city made the next move. A report on the
A newspaper article stated
what made the park was its
setting with the stately Taft
Museum with its "emerald
lawn" at the end.
Fall 1986
expressway had been commissioned by city council in Feb-
ruary 1959, and was completed in July i960. The prelimi-
nary engineering report on the expressway had called for a
tunnel between Third and Fourth streets with an open cut
with retaining walls from Fourth to Fifth streets.
60
The new
report studied the practicality and cost of extending the
tunnel northward from Fourth to Fifth Street to avoid the
loss of existing buildings in the path. The report gave a
description of the Lytle Park area and the endangered build-
ings on East Fourth Street, giving the original dates of
construction and additions and changes made to the build-
ings. Lytle Park was portrayed as "providing a pleasant park
area in the Southeast corner of the Cincinnati CBD,... and
furnish[ing] an attractive setting for the Taft Museum."
61
Six alternative proposals were listed for the
expressway through Lytle Park, showing the approximate
total cost and the cost to the city.
62
Alternative 1 called for an
open cut between Fourth and Fifth with retaining walls the
entire length between the streets. The total cost would be
$1,494,000 with a cost to the city of $75,000. Alternative
2-A called for tunneling north to the north edge of Fifth
Street with a two foot thick concrete slab over the tunnel.
Lytle Park would be extended to Fifth on the north. Total
cost would be $2,039,000 with the city paying $620,000.
Alternative 2-B was the same as 2-A except the slab would be
strong enough to support a five story building and trees with
six feet of fill dirt. Total cost would run $2,237,000 with a
cost to the city of $583,000. Alternative 3-A entailed a
covered tunnel to the north side of Buchanan Street and an
open cut with retaining walls between Buchanan and Fifth.
Cost would be $1,920,000 and the city's cost $501,000.
Alternative 3-B required a six foot concrete slab over the
tunnel between Fourth and Buchanan and an open tunnel to
Fifth Street for $2,041,000 with the city paying $622,000.
Alternative 4 contained a tunnel between Fourth and Fifth
covered by a slab strong enough to support a ten story
building at a cost of $2,367,000 and to the city $598,000.
Alternative 5 also involved a tunnel between Fourth and
Fifth but with a slab to support a fifteen story building
equaling a cost of $ 1,7 3 0,000 with the city paying $931,000.
Alternative 6, by far the most expensive, called for tunneling
under the existing buildings, except the Rudd Building on
the corner of East Fourth and Pike. The cost would be a
prohibitive $2,705,000 with the city's share running
$i,286,ooo.
63
After reviewing these suggestions, City Man-
ager Harrell recommended to Council Plan 4, an under-
ground tunnel covered with a concrete slab to support a ten
Lytle Park Neighborhood 13
story building. The cost would be approximately $2,3 67,000,
but after the sale of the property there would be a net cost of
$598,000.
64
The air rights over the slab could be sold for
$ 3 5 o,ooo.
65
If all went according to plan, he said, the express-
way through the Lytle Park area should be under construc-
tion within five years.
66
Still concerned about the fate of its clubhouse,
the Woman's City Club sent letters to every member of city
council, which asked the club be sent any new information
on the situation involving Lytle Park. In each letter, the
Club reaffirmed its interest in the "preservation of an historic
and beautiful area" in the city.
67
Furthermore, Mrs. Clarence
L. Doty, president of the Woman's City Club, in an address
before council in the summer of 1960, expressed the interests
of her club and emphasized the belief that the "mood of
Lytle Park [lent] an important image of dignity, quality, and
character to downtown Cincinnati." She felt the area would
become more and more a "cultural and civic asset as well as a
welcomed spiritual retreat from the cement and steel auster-
ity of many modern structures." She urged careful considera-
tion in "rooting out things that need to go" so that the city
itself was not "stripped of its personality and character." She
articulated her concern for retaining a special place for peo-
ple to enjoy.
Lytle Park as it is today gives quality and character
to the city of Cincinnati. The Taft Museum stands majestically at
one end facing a vista of park and flowers culminating in the
beautiful Lincoln statue, with related buildings housing civic and
cultural groups such as Union Bethel, Anna Louise Inn, The
Literary Club, the Catholic Women's Club, and the Woman's
City Club clustered around the edges, all contributing to an
individuality of the neighborhood unit in which the whole city for
years has taken pleasure and pride. There is no other such spot in the
city with these virtues.
68
Finally the preservation pressure yielded results.
On September 30, i960, the Enquirer announced that the
City Planning Commission had recommended the most
expensive plan, Alternative 6, that of regular tunnel con-
struction between Fourth and Fifth to preserve the club and
apartment buildings facing Lytle Park. The paper also noted
the Planning Commission's second and third choices. If
Alternative 6 was legally or economically impossible, the
commission would proceed with the preferences of the city
manager which was for a slab to extend the park northward
and the construction of a ten story apartment building. If
that plan likewise proved impractical, the next option would
be Alternative 2-A a two foot slab over the tunnel to support
only an added park.
69
Queen City Heritage
Alternate 1 Alternate 2
Alternate 3 Alternate 6
Alternate 4 & 5
Fall 1986 Lytle Park Neighborhood
On September 18, i960, Charles P. Taft
suggested the consideration of a plan to build two apart-
ment buildings over the tunnel. A five story apartment
building would be constructed on the north side of Fourth
and a ten story one fronting Fifth Street, north of Buchanan
Alley. Taft's concern was to prevent the "ugly" Pugh Build-
ing at Fifth and Pike from being "allowed to dominate the
park vista and have an overwhelming damaging effect on the
Taft Museum." In Taft's opinion, the smaller five story
building would shield the park from the Pugh Building,
while the ten story building would provide park and river
views from its floors.
70
In November the City Planning Commission
published a survey whose purpose was to identify and evalu-
ate places of historic interest in Cincinnati. "Due to the
increased volume of demolitions resulting from large-scale
expressway, urban renewal, and other programs, interest in
the preservation of historic places has become greatly
intensified."
71
The survey used these qualifications for evalu-
ating sites: period representation, harmony, aesthetic quali-
ty, uniqueness [to Cincinnati], general historic interest [mean-
ing associated with a key figure, important event, or cultural
development]; listed Lytle Park area buildings considered
historic in nature. Included as "typifying early nineteenth
century" buildings were the Taft Museum, the Literary Club,
and "possibly the Catholic Women's Association and the
Woman's City Club" buildings. The Lytle apartment build-
ing was listed as a "late to mid-nineteenth century" building.
Early twentieth century buildings were the Lincoln Apart-
ments, Rudd Insurance Company, Earls Building, Anna
Louise Inn, Phelps Townhouse, and the Guilford School.
Three places, the Taft Museum, the Literary Club, and Lytle
Park itself appear in the appraisal of individual places of
primary historic importance.
The Lytle Park area was noted as possessing
harmony and historic interest. The area buildings were not
considered to be unique. As far as period representation, the
report contended that some buildings in the area were indic-
ative of a definite period in Cincinnati building, others
were not. The appraisal found aesthetic quality to be a
"matter of opinion."
72
At the same time word came from city council
that some were toying with the thought that saving the
"historic atmosphere" of Lytle Park when the expressway
went through did not mean that the East Fourth Street
buildings had to be saved. "Aesthetic values" were up against
"economic feasibility." Many argued that the old buildings
were not adequate for present use and therefore should be
destroyed. New buildings could be constructed in keeping
with the same architectural lines as the old and thus in
"harmony with the present atmosphere."
73
To help break the deadlock, city council held
a public hearing on January 11, with several hundred people
assembling. Robert Springer presented his plan to move the
Fourth Street buildings. The Catholic Women's Club made
a proposal to sell the city a subterranean easement through
the southeast corner of its property, thus providing right-of-
way for the expressway tunnel. In return the club reserved its
rights to construct a building in place of its present club
buildings, both of which would be razed.
74
The remainder
of the hearing was concerned with the same issues that had
been discussed many times before: whether to leave an open
ditch between Fourth and Fifth, to slab over a tunnel, or to
tunnel under existing buildings. City Manager Harrell said
that the outcome lay with council's decision of where the
"line of costs crosses the line of historic and aesthetic
significance."
75
In March 1961, the City Planning Commis-
sion recommended the approval of two historic preserva-
tion ordinances. The first ordinance established the "public
purpose and procedures for preserving any area of public
value by reason of historic, architectural interest, or public
investment." The second ordinance applied specifically to
Lytle Park, identifying it as a protection area and suggesting
architectural standards. It would limit buildings facing the
park to a maximum height of five stories. All buildings
would have to be brick or stone with white trim for doors
and windows. Maximum height for doors would be one
story. Windows could not exceed the dimensions of five feet
by eight feet. No show windows, advertising signs, or bill-
boards would be permitted and no exposed tanks, antennas,
or fans were allowed on roofs. Additionally, the city was
given control over other areas similar to Lytle Park whose
"unique character merits public concern." Under the ordi-
nance all property owners within the area had to conform to
the rules and regulations designed to preserve the area's
character. If they refused, the city would be able to buy the
property itself in order to preserve it.
76
Although council did
not pass these ordinances as the City Planning Commission
had hoped, three years later the same legislations were revived.
77
Shortly thereafter, the United States Bureau
of Public Roads reported on a federal policy with respect to
selling the air rights above the tunnel. Congress amended
the Federal Aid Highway System Act, Section 104, with the
Federal Aid Highway Act of 1961 which allowed for the use
of air space over and above an interstate highway as long as it
Six alternative proposals were
presented with each showing
the approximate total cost to
the city.
City Manager Harrell recom-
mended Plan 4, an under-
ground tunnel covered with a
concrete slab to support a ten
story building.
16
did not interfere with traffic.
78
Until national guidelines
were formulated, the bureau agreed to handle Cincinnati's
problem as a special case in order to speed the interstate
construction. The bureau, however, felt that the federal
government should be entitled to some of the revenue
gained from selling the air rights in return for the ninety
percent of the total expressway cost that the federal govern-
ment paid.
79
Later in April, the Bureau of Public Roads
granted the request to slab over the expressway and to sell air
rights, providing the city paid for the slab. The Enquirer
stated that the city could "eventually recover most, if not all,
the added expense if it sold the air rights over the slab for
construction of buildings and also received a tax income
from the real estate."
80
To keep up the pressure for historic preserva-
tion, the Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio (HPSO)
sponsored an exhibit in the spring of 1962, entitled "Preser-
vation: The Heritage of Progress." The exhibit, at the Taft
Museum from May 20 to June 30, featured pictures and
drawings of preservation activities that had taken place around
the world.
81
It included a section dealing specifically with
urban redevelopment and historic preservation in Cincin-
nati. Projects such as riverfront development, Avondale-
Corryville redevelopment, Lytle Park "preservation in the
past, plan for the future," and old homes in Cincinnati
which "have been carefully renovated and preserved" were
contained in the exhibit.
82
The Historical and Philosophical
Society's Newsletter described the exhibit:
In the manner of Scrooge, you will, now view Cincinnati past,
Cincinnati present, and Cincinnati future. It is to be hoped that
through this program, Cincinnatians will become aware of the
need for preserving those buildings and areas that have historic
significance and architectural distinction.
83
The timing of this exhibit, purposely or not,
coincided with the controversy over preserving buildings in
the Lytle Park neighborhood as well as indicating other
preservation needs in the city. Another HPSO Newsletter
stated that at the exhibit "A special section will relate to
historic preservation (and demolition!) in Cincinnati."
84
The
Cincinnati Enquirer suggested preservation in speaking of
the display as "showing what has been done in Cincinnati
and more importantwhat still needs to be done before the
wrong kind of progress destroys everything in its path."
85
Another reporter observed that special emphasis at the exhib-
it "is given to the problem in Cincinnati where preservation
is much discussed as urban renewal projects including express-
ways bring changes to the city.
86
Queen City Heritage
In August 1962, Expressway Engineer, Joseph
Bischof (Bauer had died in 1961), sought clarification from
the Bureau of Public Roads that the federal government
would pay ninety percent of the cost of slabbing over Lytle
Park itself, with the city only paying the full cost to slab over
the adjacent area where structures might be built.
87
Soon
other problems arose as Cincinnatians learned that federal
regulations prevented any lending institution from loaning
money to a builder with air rights to a surface above an
expressway. Likewise, state regulations forbade the state to
sell or lease air space.
88
Additionally, some Cincinnati busi-
nessmen feared that new apartment buildings in Lytle Park
would compete with plans for the Riverfront and "other
core area housing," and might interfere with FHA financing
for major downtown housing.
89
After meeting with City
Manager Harrell, Dennis Durden, executive secretary of the
Citizens Development Committee (CDC), wrote to some
Cincinnati businessmen, members of the CDC, that Harrell
was under pressure from groups and newspapers to preserve
Lytle Park. According to Durden, Harrell personally felt
that there was no economic or market justification for a
Lytle Park deck (slab), but saw the main issue as being "civic
beauty and historical preservation." Harrell also expressed
concern that the city's major efforts not be diverted away
from the riverfront.
90
The Enquirer announced on January 9, 1963,
that the city was waiting for federal approval to slab over the
expressway and to sell the air rights over the tunnel, before it
began to raze the East Fourth Street buildings. The build-
ings, "cloaked in history and nostalgia," that were slated for
destruction had an estimated total value of $995,000.
91
Finally, confirmation arrived from Washington giving Cin-
cinnati ownership of the air rights over the expressway and
responsibility for leasing them on a long-term basis, renew-
able forever.
92
City Hall had been vexed with the inability
to interest a developer in the construction over the express-
way while the issue of air rights remained unsolved. James C.
Farrell, city solicitor, commented that the city might hold
the air rights in reserve until the central business district
and riverfront redevelopment programs were farther along.
The year 1965 was designated as a target date for com-
pletion of the expressway,
93
and later in January 1963, plans
were announced for the park area to be enlarged to include
the adjoining playground. Ludlow and Lytle streets would
close and become part of the park.
94
Nevertheless, the preservationists remained sus-
picious. The Woman's City Club newsletter for November-
December 196 3, carried an article entitled "Lytle Park Fight
Fall 1986 Lytle Park Neighborhood
to Continue" which called for the support of all club mem-
bers to see Lytle Park preserved as a "beauty spot,... one of
the few remaining downtown." The article told the women
that although it had long been "understood that the Park
would be preserved,... unexpected things can happen in
Council"
95
The fears of the women, however, proved to
be unfounded. On April 22, 1964, city council passed Ordi-
nance No. 159 which authorized the City Planning Com-
mission to create an Architectural Board of Review with the
purpose of delineating areas of historic and architectural
interest that should be protected. This act, which expanded
on the draft of the proposed 1961 ordinance, would enable
the city to control the development of historic areas so their
"historic value" could be preserved. The Review Board would
have direct responsibility for specifying architectural control
on a case by case basis rather than using across the board
guidelines as set for by the previous preservation ordinance.
Lytle Park was expected to be the first area to come under
the control of the ordinance.
96
In May Robert Garvey, Jr., executive director
of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, speaking to
the newly formed Miami Purchase Association, urged the
keeping of Lytle Park as it was.
You can reap the benefits of preserving elements of
this city. I contend that Lytle Park is not just trees, houses, and
vegetation. You have neighborhoods which should be kept... blocks
and streets which add character to your city. I know where there are
canyons of glass crying out for a little greenery, a little diversity.
97
Shortly thereafter, the area of Lytle Park was
declared a "Protection Area" by an ordinance council passed
July 1, 1964. In this ordinance, the City Planning Commis-
sion identified the Taft Museum, Earls Building, Anna Louise
Inn, Literary Club, and Phelps Townhouse as representative
of the "general scale and character of buildings that should
prevail around Lytle Park and with which designs for new
buildings, alterations, appurtenances facing Lytle Park and
within the boundaries of the vicinity... should be compati-
ble and in harmony." Guidelines were included for the use of
the Architectural Board of Review: building height should
be appropriate to give Lytle Park the appearance of an
enclosed park or square without domination over the Taft
Museum; materials on the exterior of buildings were to be
harmonious; doorways and windows facing Lytle Park were
to be scale; garage doors and service doors were to be
inconspicuous where openings face the Park; there were to
be no advertising signs or billboards if not compatible with
the area; exterior lighting should be limited in illumination.
98
Between 1961 and 1964, interested parties
brought before council various proposals for slabbing over
the tunnel. Council appeared to favor extension of a cover
over the tunnel between Fourth and Fifth streets. The big
concern, however, was financial. Who would pay for the
additional cost? Finally, in June 1964, the Western-Southern
Life Insurance Company offered to pay for the slab to
extend Lytle Park over Fourth and Fifth streets. After creat-
ing a park on the slab, it would be turned over to the city as a
gift.
99
Yet another offer was made that same month by a
private developer to pay for the air rights over the express-
Western-Southern offered to
pay for a slab to extend Lytle
Park over Fourth and Fifth
streets which would support a
four story building.
The Architectural Board of
Review approved the design
and character of the apartment
buildingfour stories high,
contemporary of design, yet
compatible with the other
buildings.
i8
way. He wanted to build an apartment building, provided
there was no limitation as to height. The tax revenue that
could be garnered from an apartment building made this
offer more attractive to the city than Western-Southern's
park plan.
100
Immediately upon hearing of the competing
proposal, Western-Southern quickly changed its offer to
that of a slab to support a four story building as well as a
park. Council readily accepted Western-Southern's offer by
a seven to two vote. The Citizens Development Committee
and the Chamber of Commerce supported council's deci-
sion. However, Charles Taft and Theodore M. Berry voted
against the offer on the grounds that council should have
accepted competitive bids for air rights. It was reported that
Chelsea-Moore was interested in making a bid, with plans to
erect an eight story building on Fourth Street and a twenty-
one story overview apartment building on Fifth. Taft and
Berry wanted the city to pay the $600,000 to build a slab to
support a ten story building and then negotiate air rights
with interested parties. Other council members feared, how-
ever, that the city would not be able to recoup its costs under
such a plan.
101
The Board of Directors of the Good Govern-
ment League were also displeased with what they termed a
"most unfortunate precedent set by Cincinnati's city council
in agreeing to accept payment for air rights over the express-
way through Lytle Park without competitive bidding." The
board found the decision not in the best interests of the city,
its tax base, future development, or the beauty of the "lovely
little park where so much of Cincinnati's early history was
Queen City Heritage
made." The criticism continued that council's action had
been made hastily without a public hearing and without
consideration of an offer under negotiation with the city.
The Good Government League accused council of ignoring
residential development of the park environs, and recom-
mendations by distinguished architects for the most pleas-
ing and architecturally sound development of Lytle Park.
102
At a meeting in August 1965 the Architectural
Review Board discussed the design of the park and made
some decisions concerning its future look. It decided to
dispense with the bandstand because band concerts had
been discontinued at the park and were not likely to be
resumed. The wall to be constructed at Third Street which
would provide a boundary for the park and also a shield
from the expressway would be thirty feet high. Further
discussion concerned whether or not to have a comfort
station and if so, how to blend it into the park decor. The
board also discussed the best way to deal with tunnel ventila-
tion and the means for baffling the sound of the traffic that
would be below the park.
103
The contract for the expressway project through
Lytle Park was awarded on June 27, 1967, and work finally
began on August 14.
104
The Lincoln Statue was removed
and placed at the Guilford School,
105
and work continued
throughout 1968 and part of 1969. The final inspection was
conducted on September 10,1969, and only then was Western-
Southern allowed to proceed with construction of its four
story apartment building.
106
The Architectural Board of
Review approved the design and character of the building-
four stories high, contemporary of design yet "compatible
with buildings set forth [originally] as criteria," with twenty-
five apartments, and a shop and restaurant on the first floor.
Part of the plan included open spaces and set backs, with
plantings and paving to complement the other buildings in
William T. Earls, chairman of
the United Citizens Committee
to Preserve Lytle Park, called
Lytle Park a "place where
people love to come... one of
the few places we have left that
give charm to Cincinnati."
(Photo by Michael Issacs)
The Phelps Apartment building
along with the Taft Museum,
Earls Building, Anna Louise
Inn, and Literary Club were
declared as representative of
the general scale and character
of buildings that should prevail
around Lytle Park. (Photo by
Michael Issacs)
the area. A two level covered garage was to be constructed
behind the Fourth Street facade, with plantings to screen it
from Fifth Street. Today this building is called 550 East
Fourth Street Apartments.
107
Lytle Park was completely torn apart during
the tunnel construction. In May 1970, City Manager Richard
L. Krabach announced that the Lytle Park restoration would
cost $400,000 with the city's share being $20,290. Lytle
Park, which was originally 97,000 square feet, would be
increased to an area of 115,000 square feet
108
and would not
be divided in the middle as it was before the expressway
construction because Lytle Street would not be replaced.
109
The Enquirer was pleased. It announced in March 1971, that
"another landmark" was to be returned to the city and that
Lytle Park was the "only park or other unit of this type to be
built over an interstate road system, giving us another first
for Cincinnati."
110
In August the Enquirer announced that
Lytle Park would be "almost like new," but larger and more
modern. The Lincoln Statue was to be returned within five
feet of its former spot. The World War I memorial would be
returned. Park benches would be added as well as sidewalks
in basically the same pattern as before the construction. New
flowers and shrubs were being planted. A new comfort
station was built on the western edge of the park. A plaque
giving "credit to all major figures who were important to the
Lytle area" would also be placed in the new park.
111
The park was completely restored by the end
of October 1971. A ceremony, held on November 11,1972,
to dedicate the new Lytle Park, was marked by the unveiling
of the newly restored Lincoln Statue, the work a donation
by Eleftherious Karkadoulias.
112
Senator Robert Taft, Jr. was
the main speaker at the ceremony. The Taft High School
Band played. The third grade class of the College Preparatory-
School sang, and drama students from Withrow High
School read some writings of Abraham Lincoln.
113
National recognition for the Lytle Park neigh-
borhood followed suit. In 1973 the Taft Museum, consid-
ered one of the finest examples of federal architecture in
Ohio, was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
114
In 1974 the Lytle Park area was nominated to the National
The Lincoln statue was relo-
cated within five feet of its
original spot. (Photo by Michael
Issacs)
Queen City Heritage
Register by the Miami Purchase Association with the bound-
aries of the area similar to that in the protection area recog-
nized by the City of Cincinnati.
115
In writing to Mayor
Theodore Berry of the approval given to the nomination by
the state, Judith Kitchen of the Ohio Historic Site Preserva-
tion Advisory Board explained what impact national desig-
nation would have on Lytle Park. "Its purpose was to help
protect the sites or buildings in the district from demolition
or harm from any federally funded or licensed program by
providing for a federal-level hearing in the event of such
jeopardy."
116
It did not affect property rights in any way. The
nomination was made in connection with a state plan to
identify and document "prehistoric and historic places in
Ohio which qualify for National Register status under the
National Historic Preservation Act of 1966."
117
In April
1976 the Lytle Park area was placed on the National Regis-
ter of Historic Places.
118
This act ended the controversy over the Lytle
Park area that had begun in the 1950's. The desire on the
part of many Cincinnatians to preserve what they consid-
ered a part of their heritage not only yielded a new yet
historic Lytle Park neighborhood but also provided an impe-
tus for further preservation work in the city. Lytle Park was
the first historic district in Cincinnati, and was soon followed
by the designation of the Dayton Street Historic District.
Although all the old club and apartment buildings on East
Fourth Street were not saved, most agreed that much of the
character of the neighborhood was retained because of care-
ful preservation guidelines.
In the 1970's, Cincinnatians had a beautiful
park in the downtown area. Some of the residential space in
the Lytle Park area had been retained. Additionally, the city
was served by the convenience of the Northeast Expressway.
Because of the persistence, time, and effort spent on plan-
ning for the area's future combined with a concern for its
past, the Lytle Park neighborhood continues to serve the
needs of Cincinnatians and still be a special place in the
hearts of those who remember.
1. George W. Platt, "Lytle Park," The Catholic Women's News, April 19 3 3, p.
5. The Cincinnati Historical Society.
2. See "From Home to Museum: The Taft House and Its Neighborhood:
1900-19 3 2" by Jennifer Davis, seminar paper, Frontiers of Urban Research,
Department of History, University of Cincinnati. This paper deals with the
Taft family's influence on the development of the Lytle Park area.
3. Works Projects AdministrationFederal Writers' Project, Cincinnati: A
Guide to the Queen City and Its Neighbors. (Cincinnati, 1943), p. 162. This
guide includes, in its section on tours of the downtown, a tour of the Lytle
Park area.
4. "Landmarks in Lytle Park District to be Preserved," Cincinnati Post,
March 7, 1930, p. 29.
5. Eugene Segal, "Tranquil Days in the Lytle Park Area," Enquirer, March 7,
1930, N.B. This and other noted articles in this paper were found in a
newspaper clipping scrapbook on Lytle Park at The Cincinnati Historical
Society. Most articles found in this scrapbook do not give page numbers.
Some do not give the name of the paper in which the article appeared.
Articles from this scrapbook will be cited as LP Scrapbook.
6. The Cincinnati Metropolitan Master Plan and the Official City Plan of the
City of Cincinnati. City Planning Commission, 1948, p. 8 3.
7. Ibid., p. 84.
8. Northeast Expressway: Preliminary Design Report, February 1957, p. 9.
PAMS. Cincinnati City Hall.
9. Downtown Riverfront Redevelopment Plan, City Planning Commission,
1946, p. 4.
10. Ibid., p. 47.
11. The plan mentioned "epoch making events" such as being the cross-
roads in the movement of Indian tribes, site of Ft. Washington, capital of
the Northwest Territory, and the center of the movement of settlers and
commerce on the Ohio River, p. 47.
12. Ibid., p. 46.
1 3. Ibid., p. 48.
14. Ibid., p. 46.
15. Master Plan Report on Program and Progress, City Planning Commission,
1946, p. 10.
16. "$175,000 Lytle Park Project Planned," Cincinnati Times-Star, June 1,
1950, p. 1.
17. "Park Board Signs Contract of Purchase for $175,000 Site at Fourth and
Lytle," Enquirer, June 2, 19 5 o, p. 1.
18. "Park Board Gets 'Bargain' in Purchase," Post, June 2, 19 5 o, p. 44. The
property was jointly owned by the Taft daughters. Palm mentions three or
four buildings on the property, but only two are listed in the Williams City
Directory. In 1940, both buildings 3 1 5 and 3 17 Pike were vacant. In 1934,
3 1 5 was occupied by W.T. Semple and 3 17 by Katherine Moore. In 1945,
3 17 was occupied by "Bundles for Britain," but was again vacant in 1947
and remained so until destruction which apparently took place in
1950-195 1. The building at 3 1 5 was vacant from 1948. At the same
time, Western-Southern Life bought the Woodford Building at the north-
west corner of Fourth and Lawrence, placing the company closer to Lytle
Park.
19. Memorandum, Cincinnati Engineering Department, Cincinnati Express-
way Program, November 24, 1954. Citizens Development Committee
Papers. (Hereinafter cited as CDC Papers) Box 8, Folder 8, Cincinnati
Historical Society.
20. "Northeast Expressway Plans Sent to State," Post, June 21, 195 7, p. 2.
21. Gilbert Sands, "Harrell Acts on Northeast Project; Asks Meeting of
Municipal Officials,"Enquirer, November 16, 1957, p. 5.
22. An exhibit of the history of "Cincinnati Architecture from Beginnings
in 1791 to the Present" was planned for the spring of 195 7. It was to be a
"critical evaluation of building in the Cincinnati area [to] demonstrate
different historical styles which have been manifest here." The exhibit was
the dream of John Garber, architect, and Allon T. Schoener who hoped it
would be a "valuable contribution to the community's appreciation of its
architectural history." Garber also thought it was a good time to start a
program of recording old buildings in Cincinnati. The exhibit never mate-
rialized because the individuals asked to contribute to its set up could not
arrange times to work on the project. Papers of the Contemporary Arts
Center, 1956 Correspondence File, Department of Archives and Rare
Books, University of Cincinnati Libraries.
2 3. "A Few More Years for Women's Clubs," Enquirer, September 4, 1958,
p. 3C.
24. Gilbert Sands, "Taft Fights Razing of Lytle Property," Enquirer, Septem-
ber 5, 1958,p. 8B.
2 5. "Moses Here Today For Lytle Park Talk," Enquirer, December 11,1958.
Fall 1986 Lytle Park Neighborhood
: _ U " . . ' , - ^ ' ; " > " ' ' " - " '
* v ; - - -
LP Scrapbook. The Engineering Report: Northeast Expressway (Cincinnati,
July 1960), gives some later dates for these buildings.
26. Ibid.
27. Gilbert Sands, "Expressway Plans Dim Hopes to Keep Lytle Park
Buildings," Enquirer, September 9, 195 8, p. 6A.
28. "Lytle Park, Place of Controversy," Cincinnati newspaper, September 9,
1958. This title refers to a sketch by Caroline Williams of endangered
buildings on East Fourth looking from the front gates at the Taft Museum.
Newspaper Clippings, Woman's City Club Records, Box 12, Folder 145,
Cincinnati Historical Society. (Hereinafter cited as WCC Clippings.)
29. "Turning Under Lytle Park," Cincinnati newspaper, September 10,
1958, WCC Clippings.
30. Ibid.
3 1. "Taft Vows Fight," Enquirer, November 20, 195 8, p. 7.
32. Committee consisted of: Philip R. Adams, director of Art Museum;
Mrs. Robert S. Alter, civic leader; Charles Hamlin, vice president Sons of
the American Revolution; Lucien Wulsin, Jr., president of HPSO; Charles
F. Cellarius, architect; Edward J. Schulte, architect; Richard G. Arms,
director HPSO; Mrs. J. Sterrett Caldwell, president Daughters of the
American Revolution; and Miss Katherine Hanna, director Taft Museum.
"New Committee," Enquirer, November 27, 1958. WCC Clippings.
3 3. "Art Center Asks Public Hearings on Lytle Park," Enquirer, December
4, 1958, LP Scrapbook. See also, "Lytle Park Tunnel Legal, Says Taft," Post,
December 5, 1958, p. 8.
34. "Don' t Ruin Beauty, Literary Club Asks,"Enquirer, December 3, 1958,
p. 19A.
3 5. Ibid.
36. Ibid.
37. "Residents of Lytle Park Area Move to Form Protective Group,"
Enquirer, December 10, 195 8, p. 4.
38. Ibid.
39. "Moses Here Today for Lytle Park Talk," Enquirer, December 11,1958,
p. 6F.
40. Harry Mayo, "Save Lytle Park Idea Becomes Drive to Preserve Other
City Landmarks,"Post, December 12, 1958, p. 16.
41. "On Melting Icicles, or. . . The Lytle Park Matter," Enquirer, December
11, 1958, p. 6F.
42. "Saving Lytle Park May Cost Si.4 Million," Enquirer, December 12,
1958, p. 11.
4 3. Ibid.
44. Ibid. See also Report of December 11, 1958, Meeting at Taft Museum.
CDC Papers, Box 1 o, Folder 5, Cincinnati Historical Society.
45. "Lytle Park Problem,"Enquirer, December 13, 1958, p. 4A. 46. Letter
John Garber to Charles P. Taft, December
11, 19 5 8, CDC Papers, Box 1 o, Folder 5, Cincinnati Historical Society.
47. "Lytle ParkMore Facts," Post, December 18, 195 8, p. 20.
48. Ibid.
49. Mildred Miller, "Santa Yelper," Enquirer, January 5, 1959^. 4.
5 o. Ibid.
5 1. "City Offered Tunnel Rights," Post, January 7, 19 5 9, p. 10.
52. Gilbert Sands, "Save Entire Lytle Park Area Planning Chairman Urges,"
Enquirer, January 13, 1959,p. 1.
53. Mary Weik, "The Coziest Park in Cincinnati," The Woman's City Club
Bulletin, WCC Papers, Box 5 o, Cincinnati Historical Society.
54. George Amick, "Harrell Favors Restoring of Lytle Park Buildings,"
Enquirer, February 25, 1959, p. 1.
5 5. "Visitor Urges City to Save Lytle Park," Cincinnati newspaper, March
9, 1959, LP Scrapbook.
56. George Amick, "Ladies Pounce on Council," Enquirer, April 9,19 5 9, p.
10C.
57. Official Minutes of City Council, vol. 782, April 8, 1959, p. 89. Two days
after the visit to council by the club members, Councilman William Cody
Kelly introduced a proposal to scrap the plans for the expressway and build
it via Columbia and Torrence parkways. Under Kelly's plan the expressway
would follow Columbia Parkway, widened to Torrence, then up Torrence
which would also be widened, and then go under Madison Road, then to a
new highway across part of Owl's Nest Park to around Dana and Vista
avenues and then intercept the proposed expressway. Kelly insisted that this
route would be less expensive and not disturb the Lytle Park area. Express-
way engineer Bauer's opinion on this proposal was that it was not practical
for traffic flow and would not facilitate travel for motorists going to
Avondale and Walnut Hills who would continue to use local street systems
and thus would not aid in curbing the traffic congestion. Further, Colum-
bia Parkway, already inadequate for the traffic using it, would have to be
double decked. George Amick, "Kelly Proposes Alternate NE X-Way,"
Enquirer, April 11, 19 5 9, p. 6A.
58. Mary Gorey, "Lytle Park," Cincinnati Pictorial Enquirer, December 27,
1959, P- 6.
59. "Quiet Spot," Cincinnati newspaper, July 1959, WCC Clippings, Cin-
cinnati Historical Society.
60. Engineering Report Northeast Expressway, Cincinnati, Ohio, Hazelet and
Erdal, Consulting Engineers, July i960, p. 3.
61. Ibid., p. 6.
62. Ibid.
6 3. Ibid.
64. "Harrell Asks Lytle Tunnel for Northeast Expressway," Post, July 6,
1960, p. 1.
65. "5948,000 Extension of Lytle Park Urged," Enquirer, July 7, i960, p.
6D.
66. Ibid.
67. WCC, Box 12, Folder 144, June 15, i960. Letters sent to Council
Members: Vincent H. Beckman; Joseph L. Decourcy, Jr.; Dorothy W.
Dolbey; John J. Gilligan; Gordon Rich; Eugene P. Ruehlman; Charles P.
Taft II; Mayor Donald Clancy; Vice Mayor Walton Bachrach; City Manager
Charles Harrell; and William T. Earls; chairman of Lytle Park North
Association.
68. Mrs. Clarence L. Doty, president, "The Woman's City Club of Cincin-
nati," no date, WCC, Box 12, Folder 144.
69. "Lytle Park Flavor is Cited: Planners Choose $ 1,286,000 Nun," Enquirer,
October 1, 1960, p. 1 3.
70. "Taft Suggests New Lytle Park Area Plan," Enquirer, October 18, 1960,
p. 19.
71. Inventory and Appraisal of Historic Sites, Buildings, and Areas (Cincinnati:
City Planning Commission, November 1960), p. 1.
The Cincinnati Woman's Club
at 643 Oak Street, also in the
proposed path of the North-
east Expressway, was
scheduled for demolition.
Queen City Heritage
72. Ibid., p. 14. In December i960, an article about the Taft Museum
appeared in the Enquirer. In that article Katherine Hanna, director of the
museum, was quoted as saying that "Despite encroachments of the business
district on the last stronghold of downtown residences where it is situated,
the museum continues, unmolested by time and the dynamic physical
changes of the city, both past and present." Enquirer, December 27, i960.
Newspaper Scrapbook for 1960, Library, Taft Museum.
7 3. Ibid.
74. WCC, Box 12, Folder Lytle Park 195 8- 60.
7 5. "New Plan Proposed for Lytle Park Preservation, Enquirer, January 12,
i96i,p.43.
76. Official Minutes of the City Planning Commission, vol. 26, March 10,
1961, p. 47. "Planners Approve Lytle Park Ordinance," Post, March 10,
i 96i , p. 1. City Council, through Emergency Ordinance 141,on April 26,
1961, authorized the construction of a scale model of the Northeast
Expressway at a cost of no more than $6,000. Parkway Patterns and Plastics
was awarded the job of constructing the model. City Engineering Plan
Book, Cincinnati City Engineers Office, Cincinnati City Hall. (Hereinafter
cited as City Engineering Plan Book.)
77. "Historic Sites To Be Preserved," Post, April 27, 1961, p. 3.
78. Letter to City Council from City Manager Harrell, November 7,1962,
CDC, Box 10, Folder 5.
79. "U.S. to Rule on Slab Over Proposed Expressway," Post, February 20,
1962, p. 2.
80. "Lytle Park Slab Is Approved But Cincinnatians Must Pay for It,"
Enquirer, April 11, 1962, p. 40.
81. "Taft Exhibit Shows Value of Reminders of Past," Enquirer, May 19,
1962. File on Taft Museum Exhibits, Library, Taft Museum.
82. Press Release, "Spring Show Opens At Taft Museum," File on Taft
Museum Exhibits, Library, Taft Museum.
83. Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio (Yi1?SO)Newsletter, no. 29,
May 1962, Cincinnati Historical Society.
84. HPSO Newsletter, no. 18, February 1962, CHS.
8 5. Frederick Yeiser, "Taft Museum Exhibit Is Provocative," Enquirer, May
27, 1962, p. 8.
86. "Taft Exhibit Shows Value of Reminders of Past," Enquirer, May 19,
1962. File on Taft Museum Exhibits, Library, Taft Museum.
87. "City Seeks Clarification of Lytle Park Regulations," Enquirer, November
6, 1962, LP Scrapbook.
88. "Lytle Park Plans Face New Upset," Post, November 6, 1962, p. 4.
89. Memorandum Dennis Durden to Fred Lazarus, LeBlond, Fields,
November 20, 1962, CDC, Box 1 o, Folder 5.
90. Ibid.
91. "Lytle Park's Brick and Mortar Neighbors Await a Sad Fate with
Dignity,"Enquirer, January 9, 1963, p. 6.
92. Thomas Talburt, "Lytle Park X-Way Project is Approved," Post, January
14, 1964, LP Scrapbook.
9 3. "City Sets Late 1965 Target Date for Completion of Northeast X-Way,"
Enquirer, January 16, 1963, p. 34.
94. "Bigger, Restored Lytle Park Planned," Enquirer, January 26, 1963, p.
33-
95. Rachel Brown, "Lytle Park Fight to Continue," Woman's City Club
Bulletin, November/December 1963, WCC, Box 12, Folder 5 o.
96. "Historic Area Control Law Passes Council," Post, April 23, 1964, p.
1 oA. See also Official Minutes of City Planning Commission, vol. 29, March 6,
1964, p. 39.
97. "Keep Lytle Park, Visitor Says," Post, May 24, 1964, LP Scrapbook.
98. City Ordinance No. 284, May 27, 1964, Municipal Reference Library,
City Hall, Cincinnati.
99. "Insurers Offer to Pay for Lytle Park Slab," Post, June 12, 1964, LP
Scrapbook.
100. "Lytle Park Slab Decision Delayed for More Study," Enquirer, June 16,
1964, p. 30.
I o 1. Gilbert Sands, "Firm to Defray $ 5 00,000 Cost of X-Way Slab," Enquirer,
June 25, 1964, p. 8.
102. Iola O. Hessler, Ed., Hamilton County Good Government League Bulletin,
July 1964, CDC, Box 11, Folder 6.
103. Minutes of Meeting of Architectural Board of Review, August 5, 1965.
City Engineering Plan Book. The WCC remained in residence at 5 2 8 East
Fourth Street until 1964. The CCWA remained in its building until 1966.
The Lincoln and the Lytle, both experiencing vacancies since 1964, were
vacated in 1967. (William's City Directory, 1964-1966.)
104. In preparation for the tunneling in the Lytle Park area, the Taft
Museum implemented plans to protect its treasures from possible harm due
to vibrations from the heavy equipment. Concerns were that paintings
might come loose from their frames or vases might fall off of the shelves.
Museum director, Katherine Hanna, had been assured by the city engineer
that no dynamite would be used in the tunneling. Miss Hanna told a Post
and Times Star reporter that the city said if at any time any of its valuables
were threatened, work would halt. Jan Wiegel, in touch with the Philadel-
phia Museum of Art which also had been faced with neighborhood demoli-
tion and construction, used sponge rubber behind paintings that were
wired to the walls. Vases were filled with sand and set in rubber cups. The
wall paintings were to be closely watched for cracks in the plaster. Eleanor
Bell, "Lytle Park Construction Gives Taft Museum the Shakes," Post, March
4, 1967, P- 24.
105. Motour, October 1968, LP Scrapbook.
106. Letter to William C. Safford, president W & S, from Krusling, City
Engineer, September 16, 1969, City Engineering Plan Book.
107. Minutes of Meeting of the Architectural Board of Review, September 1 o,
1968, City Engineering Plan Book.
108. "Lytle Park To Be Restored," Enquirer, May 7, 1970, LP Scrapbook.
109. Chuck Schramm, "Spring Tours of the Parks," Enquirer, March 8,
1971, LP Scrapbook.
I1 o. Ibid.
111. Sheryl Bills, "Lytle Park: Almost Like New," Enquirer, August 19,
1971, p. 22.
112. "Lincoln Restoration," Post, September 6, 1972, LP Scrapbook.
113. "Senator Taft to Speak at Lytle Park Ceremony," Enquirer, November
11, 1972, p. 19-
114. "Buildings Added to Historic List," Post, February 23, 1973, LP
Scrapbook.
115. Letter to Mary Heller, Miami Purchase Association, from Herbert
Stevens, City Planning Commission, November 7, 1974. In this letter
Stevens also said he had changed his mind about including the Pugh
Building in the protection area. He elaborated: "If we could get rid of that
old monster we would be helping the Lytle Park areaand the Taft Museum
especially." CPC file on Lytle Park, Historic Conservation Office, Cincinnati
City Hall. (Hereinafter cited as CPC file on Lytle Park.)
116. Letter Judith Kitchen, Ohio Historic Preservation Office, to Cincin-
nati Mayor Theodore Berry, October 29, 1975, CPC file on Lytle Park.
117. Letter Thomas H. Smith, Ohio Historic Preservation Office, to Theodore
Berry, CPC file on Lytle Park.
118. Ibid.