Towncrier 75th anniversary edition 2016

Mariemont TOWN CRIER J u l y 1 2 , 2 0 1 6 • M a r i e m o n t, O h i o

S p e c i a l

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From the Editor

Mariemont Town Crier 75th Anniversary Edition

I would like to thank everyone, past and present, who contributed to this special 75th Anniversary edition of the Mariemont Town Crier. The topics covered in this issue showcase the unique history and modern-day amenities which make Mariemont such a wonderful place to live. The theme of “The Dream Continues” reminds us this is an ongoing effort in which residents, businesses, government and organizations all play a part. A special thank you goes out to the Mariemont Preservation Foundation which provided the funds to produce this commemorative edition.

The vision which was officially begun in 1923 by Mary Emery with her silver shovel continues today due to the hard work of our residents who serve the Village as elected officials and volunteers. This year, we celebrate the foresight of those who voted to incorporate Mariemont in 1941 rather than be annexed to the City of Cincinnati. In 2023 (seven short years!) we will be commemorating the 100th birthday of the founding of Mariemont. Living in Mariemont gives us much to celebrate!

- Claire Kupferle

Editor Claire Kupferle

Contributors Tom Allman Rex Bevis Beth Biggs Matt Crawford Ellie Kapcar Joe Stoner Karen Sullivan

Layout

The Village of Mariemont thanks the many Participants, Sponsors and Donors!

Matt Weinland

Village Church of Mariemont Garden Club of Mariemont National Exemplar Girl Scouts Mariemont Inn Kindervelt #54 Mariemont Preservation Foundation Kiwanis Club of Mariemont Mariemont Civic Association Mariemont Recreation Association Marcy and Steve Lewis MariElders Mariemont Swim Team/Pool Mariemont Preschool Parents Group Mariemont Theatre National Prize and Toy Co. Dan and Barb Policastro Jan and Miriam Riker Tri-State Running Co. Warrior Coalition Woman’s Art Club Cultural Center (The Barn)

Photography

(These groups and individuals contributed to the Fourth of July Fair and Big Band dance)

The fountain in the village square was dedicated in 1991.

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Ron Schroeder Joe Stoner MPF Archives

Proofreaders Dick Adams Wes Iredale

About the Cover Gracing the covers of this publication and In the midst of Mariemont’s Town Square, you’ll find a fountain that was designed by Mariemont resident Karen Monzel in 1991 for the 50th anniversary celebration of the Village’s incorporation. The Mariemont Garden Club adopted the daffodil as the official flower of Mariemont, so bunches of daffodils decorate the fountain’s base and pedestal. The fountain is two-tiered brass sculpture with daffodil details through the design. The fountain sculpture was designed in the rich English tradition of Mariemont architecture and money for the project was donated by the Thomas J. Emery Foundation.

The fountain is bronze to insure its lasting until the 100th anniversary of Mariemont’s incorporation and beyond.

The photo on our front cover was taken

by Mariemont resident Joe Stoner. The back cover image was taken by Ron Schroeder, long-time Town Crier photographer.

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

The Dream Continues

By Claire Kupferle Mariemont officially became a village on July 12, 1941. 75 years later, a series of events to celebrate the continuation of Mary Emery’s dream of creating a new town which would offer a high quality of life for people from all walks of life.

Mariemont threw a major party on July 3, when residents gathered at Dogwood Park for an old-fashioned festival, complete with pony rides, games, prizes, music and food. The evening was capped off with a special carillon concert and a spectacular fireworks display.

Local groups on hand with games, the prizes included Kindervelt, Kiwanis Garden Club, The Barn (WACC), MariElders, Mariemont Preservation Foundation, Mariemont Rec Association, the Mariemont Pool, Warrior Coalition and the Girl Scouts.

Local businesses and organizations have embraced the event throughout the year. At the annual Town Meeting in March, a group of students portrayed the first council meeting held 75 years ago. Mariemont Preservation Foundation will incorporate old-fashioned elements from 1941 into their annual Taste of Mariemont event.

Mariemont Elementary students re-enact the first Mariemont village council meeting in 1941.

In keeping with the era, the Mariemont Inn and National Exemplar restaurant are sponsoring a Big Band beer garden dance on September 10, with ticket prices at 1941 levels ($35 a person). The event will feature live music from a 17-piece swing band, craft beers from local breweries and more! Tickets are available at the Villager or Village offices.

As Mariemont celebrates the continuation of the vision begun by Mary Emery in 1923,

we are reminded of a poem she wrote which beautifully illustrates her dream for the fledgling community: “And the children?

Do you feel safer about them?

Are their faces a bit ruddier?

Are their legs a bit sturdier?

Do they play and laugh a lot louder in Mariemont?

Then I am content.”

One of the star attractions at the 75th anniversary celebration.

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

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Why the Mayor Doesn’t Always Get a Vote and Other Fun Facts About Mariemont Government

1941 Election a Turning Point for Mariemont Voters in five areas in and around Mariemont faced a crucial decision that would affect the very existence of Mariemont. A special election was held in April, 1941, giving residents a chance to vote either for or against incorporation. The proposal to incorporate was placed on the ballot as a response to a move by the City of Cincinnati to annex the unincorporated village of Mariemont.

No Hogs Allowed In 1940, Cincinnati stepped up its program to annex areas where it would be “mutually advantageous.” Cincinnati’s Annexation Committee argued that annexation was needed because the city was losing its best citizens as they moved into residential districts outside the city limits. However, many of those affected by this growth strategy did not approve. Delhi residents who were facing possible annexation gathered for a mass meeting to protest the higher taxes that would come with annexation.

Another major stumbling block was Delhi residents would have to give up the practice of raising hogs and chicken, which would be against the law if they were brought inside the city limits.

A Divided Community Early in 1941, Cincinnati City Council authorized annexation of Mariemont, Fairfax, and Madison Place. It was estimated that Mariemont and Fairfax would add almost $6 million to the Cincinnati tax base, with Madison Place accounting for $1.8 million.

Debate raged as civic leaders and residents tried to chart the best course. In Mariemont, over 400 people attended the first meeting held to discuss annexation. The Mariemont Civic Association hosted another meeting to discuss all the options, which lasted until midnight.

After lengthy and heated discussion, a straw vote of the membership was taken. 116 voted for incorporation, 38 for annexation, 5 for no change in the unincorporated status, and eight Page 4

with no preference. One of the eight ballots was printed “None of your business”.

The Thomas J. Emery Memorial supported incorporation or annexation. They did not see remaining unincorporated as a viable option.

This group had been supplying all the Village services since the Mariemont Company was dissolved in 1929 and knew that the time had come for a change. The Board of the Memorial offered an attractive deal to turn services over to the new government, should residents choose incorporation.

Marie Jordan the Village was incorporated, an election of Village Officials was scheduled. The first Town Meeting was held as a forum in which citizens could meet the candidates. In an interesting development, the two men who led the charge against incorporation were elected as Village Officials. Mr. McArthur was elected Mariemont’s first Treasurer, while Mr. Mohlman

There was a group that strongly opposed incorporation, and at first they kept their identities secret. It was later revealed that the leaders of the opposition were prominent in the Mariemont Civic Association, Earl McArthur and Harry J. Mohlman.

Mr. Mohlman said, “Both McArthur and myself feel that the best interests of Mariemont can be served by annexing to Cincinnati.”

On Election Day, an editorial appeared in the Mariemont Messenger, stating in part: “…they are voting whether to remain legally aloof from the community of Cincinnati or to identify The first elected village council. themselves with the future growth of Cincinnati was elected to Council. E. Boyd Jordan was as a city…The citizens of Mariemont should named our first mayor, an office he held for consider whether in the long run they prefer to be associated with a great city or a crazy quilt of eight consecutive terms until his death in 1957. villages.”

The mayor’s wife, Marie Hawk Jordan, was one of the first teachers hired by the Mariemont Election Results Company for the new town of Mariemont. She On April 14, 810 votes were cast in and her husband, E. Boyd Jordan, were the Mariemont, with 522 in favor of incorporation, 286 against it, and two that were invalid. Once

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Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

first couple to be married in the Mariemont Community church. They were both quite active in the new church, where E. Boyd was the musical director. He later became carilloneur when the Bell Tower was constructed in 1929.

Through the leadership of the Jordans, a system of a mayor and six council representatives was developed. The Village was divided into six districts, with a representative coming from

each district. A map of the districts can be found in the Mariemont Directory. In order to select the candidates, Town Meeting was devised. Mrs. Jordan was responsible for the idea of having a Town Crier; the only elected Town Crier in the United States. There is no way to know what life in Mariemont would be like today had the voters chosen annexation instead of incorporation, but we can say that it would

be quite different. The system chosen by those 522 citizens in 1941 has served our community well for 75 years.

Why doesn’t our Mayor always get a vote? If a majority of council votes one way or the other, the issue is decided. The Mayor votes only when there is tie!

Town Meeting The now-familiar call of “Hear ye, Hear ye, Hear ye” opened the first Town Meeting 75 years ago. When the meeting was finished, six nominees for Council had been selected, one from each of the six district caucuses.

This process of nominating Village officials has been in place for the past 75 years and has served as an opportunity for any Mariemont resident to get involved in the democratic process. The districts are not recognized on the November ballot, so we use the Town Meeting process to nominate council members to represent each village district.

Candidates nominated by this process then put their names on the ballot for the binding election in November. Candidates who are not selected through the Town Meeting process are able to run at large and can get their names on the November ballot by following the procedures laid out by Hamilton County.

The Town Meeting Executive Committee is re-elected every two years. The positions include Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and the honorary position of Town Crier (complete with costume!). At the annual Town Meeting, held in March, nominations are accepted in an election year. In a non-election year, residents can hear a Village update from Mayor Policastro, MariElders, Mariemont City Schools and other organizations.

Town Meeting is a time-honored, unique, nonpartisan system for nominating candidates to elected office in the Village of Mariemont.

The yearly meeting is also an information and idea exchange between Village officials and citizens. All residents are encouraged to attend, but only those of voting age are able to participate in the nomination process.

The 2016 Town Meeting is opened by Town Crier Bob Keyes.

The Mayors of Mariemont Over the past 75 years, the Village of Mariemont has been fortunate to have had a series of nine people willing to serve as Mayor.

The Mayor presides over Council meetings, responds to residents’ inquiries and concerns, keeps Council informed of matters necessary for the passage of legislation, and acts as Mariemont’s official representative.

the fire and police departments, opening the Village pool, and acquiring land for construction of the Municipal Building. They were also instrumental in creating our system of government, with six council reps from six districts, plus the mayor.

April 1- December 31, 1959 John J. Farley

1941-1959 E. Boyd Jordan Mr. Jordan was Mariemont’s first mayor, and served capably for 18 years. He and his wife, Marie, oversaw the early growth of the Village, helping to create

Mr. Farley served on Council from 19531959 and completed the unexpired mayoral term of Mayor Jordan, following his death in 1959. In those eight

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

months, before stepping down to return his attention to his law practice, Mr. Farley capably led the Village and carried out the interrupted plans of Mr. Jordan.

1960-1962 Russell S. Giel A teacher at Lotspeich School, Mr. Giel served on Council twice, both before and after his tour of duty with the Navy during World War II. As Mayor, Mr. Giel helped organize the fire department and established a program of street maintenance and repair. continued on next page Page 5

Mariemont's Mayors (from previous page)

1962-1977 Charles Straley Mr. Straley was a civil engineer by profession and served as a council member from 1951-1955. Elected mayor in 1962, he held that position for 15 years. During Mr. Straley’s administration, the new Mariemont High School was built and annexed to the Village.

He is also credited with overseeing many rebuilding and landscaping projects funded by the Thomas J. Emery Foundation.

1977-1979 Arthur J. Davies Prior to becoming mayor after the death of Mr. Straley, Arthur J. Davies served on council for 19 years. One of his major projects as mayor was refurbishing the swimming pool and the solving of its plumbing problems. His expertise in tax work was quite valuable to the Village. During his term, the Village was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1980-1983 Clarence Erickson A long-time Procter & Gamble employee in the field of sales, Mr. Erickson was a 17-year veteran of council before becoming mayor. His term of office was highlighted by improvements to the Concourse and Miami Bluff, by the updating and re-codifying of Village ordinances, and by helping to found the Mariemont Preservation Foundation.

capital improvements were made, including resurfacing of streets, purchase of a new fire engine, remodel of the swimming pool, annexation of Spring Hill and the planting of lace-bark elms in the US50 median. As mayor, Mr. Adams introduced the recycling and paramedic programs.

1992-1996 Donald L. Shanks Don Shanks became the eighth mayor of Mariemont in 1992, after serving the Village as Chief of Police. He was sworn in as an officer in 1949 by Mariemont’s first Mayor, E. Boyd Jordan. When he retired from the Police Department in 1987, Colonel Shanks had served 38 years as an officer; 33 years as Chief. During his term as Mayor, he was instrumental in improving the financial well-being of the Village. He created the Parks Advisory Board to help preserve and improve our Village parks and green spaces, and he oversaw the rehabilitation of the Concourse and Hopkins Park. He was also instrumental in the development of The Strand. Through his commitment to cooperation, he fostered the working relationship with our local businesses that remains strong to this day.

1996-2000 C. Michael Lemon While working in executive management for an international manufacturer and as a public administrator,

Mr. Lemon served also as a volunteer and board member for a number of area nonprofits. He was elected to council twice, appointed vice-mayor twice and elected mayor twice. Mr. Lemon received three Keys to the Village from three different mayors.

As mayor, he revitalized the business district, taking it from a one-third vacancy to 100% occupancy, earning a designation as “Best Urban Renewal” from Cincinnati Magazine.

Mr. Lemon also arranged financial assistance to reopen the Mariemont Theatre, established fee-based waste collection and recycling program, established permanent improvement funding for infrastructure improvements and Village facilities, restored Ann Buntin Becker Park, and improved General Fund Reserves from $500K to $2,000K. Mr. Lemon has resided in the Village since 1979.

2001-Present Dan Policastro Dan served as Council representative from District 3 for seven years before becoming Mayor in 2001. He grew up in Mt. Lookout and graduated from Thomas More College with a degree in Business Administration. He has been married to his wife, Barbara, for 30 years and has lived in Mariemont for the last 28 years. Dan is particularly proud of leading the recent effort to secure $400,000 from the State of Ohio for use in expanding the Municipal Building to include room for the Tax Office, a Native American Learning Center and better accommodations for Fire and Police personnel.

1984-1992 Richard E. Adams Mr. Adams enjoyed a long career as an editor at Southwestern Publishing and is still involved in publishing as a proofreader of the Town Crier. During his term of office, a variety of much-needed Page 6

Mariemont's municipal building Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

The Tradition of the

Town Crier Portions reprinted from an earlier Mariemont Town Crier Publication The Town Crier was not always related to government, as it is in Mariemont. The first Criers walked the streets of villages and towns in advance of their tradesmen who would be visiting the communities to sell their wares. In ancient times, these forerunners would announce upcoming slave auctions, cattle sales, the arrival of imports and other commercial activities.

Later, Town Criers assumed the role of singing out the news of the day and announcing public events. A Town Crier would mingle with travelers stopping at a local inn or pub and gather news of events from other communities. At the appointed hour, he would stop at various locations and gather the attention of the citizens with his cry of “Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Hear Ye.” A prime requisite of this high position was the ability to read and write. He should also be a man in “good voice” so he could be heard by all. Before the advent of newspapers, Town Criers were important in England and Europe and in Colonial America. The tradition began to die out with the arrival of the printing press in the 1750s.

Bob Keyes

Ralph Smith Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

In Mariemont, the Town Crier is an elected public official and a member of the Town Meeting committee. The duties consist of officially opening Town Meeting each year, appearing at Village events such as the Memorial Day Parade and Taste of Mariemont. Mariemont has had a series of three individuals elected to the role of Town Crier.

Hank Kleinfeldt Page 7

Keeping Residents Informed: the Mariemont Messenger and the Town Crier

By Claire Kupferle

When Mariemont was incorporated as a village in 1941, the Mariemont Messenger was delivered weekly to residents with stories of local interest. The publication was begun in 1926 by the Mariemont Company and its first issue carried the charming sentiment written by Mary Emery titled “Greetings.”

“Good morning. Is the sun a little brighter there in Mariemont? Is the air a little fresher? Is your home a little sweeter? Is your housework somewhat easier? And the children? Do you feel safer about them? Are their faces a bit ruddier, are their legs a little sturdier? Do they laugh and play a lot louder in Mariemont? Then I am content.”

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Why is there no English Pub in Mariemont?

and in October of 1975, the Town Crier debuted under the auspices of the now-disbanded Mariemont Village Assembly. The first issue was just four pages long and was put together by co-editors Marty Bartlett and Ellen Brooks.

Over the years it has grown to 24-28 pages full of information about Mariemont organizations, residents, government actions and much more.

It is published eight times a year by a staff of volunteer writers and delivered free of charge to residents and businesses. A cadre of adorable elementary students earns extra money by taking the Town Crier to each doorstep.

A large number of residents have volunteered to write and distribute the Town Crier over the years, and several have been willing to guide the publication as Editor, with the longest tenure

The space formerly occupied by the Village Kitchen

remains vacant on the Square. sons Dan, Jr. and Bill who are key members along with Dan, Sr. in the Spinnenweber

It is quite obvious that Mariemont is an English Village. English Tudor-style homes abound, there is a prominent English-style Village Inn, and an overall English feel to the an Square and the Strand. So why isn’t there English-style pub in Mariemont?

I had the opportunity to sit down recently with Dan Spinnenweber, Sr., owner much of the Mariemont Inn, The Strand, and of the north portion of the Village Square ” to discuss “the vacant space on the Square. by Dan and I were joined in our meeting

enterprises.

It has been over ten years since the on Village Kitchen vacated their location the Square and this valuable location still remains vacant. Dan, Sr. talked me through the the history of this specific location in When context of the surrounding properties. purchased (SBI) Inc. Builders, Spinnenweber the north Square properties in 1996, the rental strategy was to develop two highof the side either on one volume restaurants, were Mariemont Theater. These restaurants

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a to produce adequate income to support the long term lower rent structure to insure 2004 retention of the Mariemont Theater. In the operator of the Village Kitchen wanted a to retire and had little interest in running Kitchen Village late evening operation. The moved out (over to the Plainville site which is now FlipDaddy’s) and Spinnenweber Builders redeveloped the location into a larger venue which would support the original goal, another high-volume restaurant compatible with the existing Quarter Restaurant.

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You won’t want to miss our 2015 House can Tour on June 7 from 1 pm to 5 pm! You have tour five distinct Mariemont homes that incorporated modern conveniences while and preserving the original Village character charm. The Barn hosts a wine and cheese in reception from 3 to 5 pm. Tickets are $25 advance and $30 the day of the event.

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Three retail shops in the Village have or graciously offered to sell tickets for cash check. Stop by lolli’s, Pomegranate & Lime, or Sara Benjamin’s. Visit Kindervelt.org to purchase tickets online. Kindervelt members

each will be available the day of the event at or of the homes to sell tickets (cash, check Karri credit). For more information, contact . at KinderveltHouseTour@gmail.com Without further delay...we would like to present the beautiful homes featured in House Tour 2015

The Waltz House 6805 Hammerstone Way

This was the house selected to be used in the movie “Milk Money”, produced in Ed 1994 and starring Melanie Griffith and

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Harris. But the history goes back much further for this 78 year old home. Former owners were member of the Taft family, and they left behind artifacts in the attic at that were donated and are now on display the Taft Museum. Today the home carries the same appeal with a few extras! The / gourmet kitchen, outstanding family room patio master suite addition and the flagstone of the nestled in the English garden are some it is features that make it the stunning home today.

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6805 Hammerstone Way

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The Mariemont Messenger carried chatty news about out-of-town guests, bridge parties and automobile accidents. The last issue was published on December 29, 1944. For several years, it was replaced by The Messenger, which covered a broader area that included Fairfax, Mariemont, Madison Place, Plainville, Terrace Park, and Indian Hill. Sometime around 1968 it was rebranded the Eastern Hamilton County Messenger, and was eventually incorporated into the Community Press collection of regional newspapers in the early 1980s.

Mariemont residents felt the need for a publication written specifically for Mariemont,

and is always willing to grab his camera and capture wonderful images of life in Mariemont.

Ron also had a big part in the creation of Mariemont Preschool Parents Group when he was a resident on Chestnut and had a young daughter. He is a graduate of Kent State University and Halloween Kindervelt Presents House Tour 2015 Fun at the has worked as Barn a photographer for Procter & Gamble and as a freelancer. A highlight of his early career was photographing Ray Kroc (the founder of MacDonald’s) at his 70th birthday party in a downtown belonging to Randy York, who served as Editor Chicago hotel, where his timing had to be perfect for 16 years! This publishing year was the 40th to capture Ronald MacDonald popping out of a for the Town Crier. giant cake.

Zipperface, shown at right, was a popular fellow at the recent Artoberfest event at the Barn. Zipperface was an entry in the pumpkin carving contest and was carved

by Tim Boone, a sculptor. The event was sponsored by the Woman’s Art Club Cultural Center, located in the former Resthaven Barn. Tim and his wife Jan are actively involved with the organization.

Photos by Ron Schroeder

By Rex Bevis

Town Crier photographer Ron Schroeder

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Focusing on Ron Schroeder Many of the fabulous images that grace the pages of the Town Crier have been photographed

by Ron Schroeder, our official photographer almost since its first issue. For the past 40 years, Ron has faithfully documented the first day of school, tree lightings, Taste of Mariemont, art events at The Barn, and too many other people and events to list. Ron takes no payment for this,

When Ron is not behind the camera he can often be found astride a bicycle on a lengthy ride –acting as photographer for events such as the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure and the Hilly Hundred in Indiana, or riding for pleasure around Cincinnati. The Town Crier is incredibly fortunate to have had Ron’s services for so many years. His contributions are greatly appreciated!

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

Mariemont : A "Garden City" Driving into Mariemont on Route 50 East, there is an immediate sense of being surrounded by trees. Green spaces crowd right up to the roadside, and Wooster Pike becomes divided, graced with grassy medians and mature lace-bark elms and ash trees.

On the right as you enter the Village are Whiskey Hollow and Dogwood Park, 20 acres of dedicated parkland. Other parks lie along this stretch of highway as it pushes through Mariemont.

Residents of our fair village are fortunate to enjoy a variety of parks, gardens, woods, and green spaces. Like so much in Mariemont, this did not come about by accident but was carefully thought out by Mary Emery and John Nolen, the town planner. A brochure from the 1920’s which advertised the “new town” of Mariemont says, “In...parts of the village there will be...’reservations’, insuring for all time... tracts of woodland, little parks, open spaces that will be used for the common welfare.” In fact, in the original plan for Mariemont, 50 acres were set aside to remain undeveloped.

Mrs. Emery and Mr. Nolen believed there was great value in beauty. They knew the “advantages of parks and ‘breathing spots’, isles of safety and floral gardens.” The design of Mariemont was based on “garden cities” in England such as Port Sunlight and Hampstead Garden Suburb, where green spaces were considered vital to the health and well being of the residents. In fact, the early brochure for Mariemont notes that children from the English planned communities were healthier and grew taller than their contemporaries living in cities.

The Concourse Deeper into the Village towards the Little Miami River is the Concourse, built in 192425. This semi-circular limestone and wisteria- Mariemont's concourse with lovely wisteria. covered structure affords an excellent view of the river valley. This serene park is the location of many photo ops, from homecoming and prom pictures to weddings and senior photos. It was part of Nolen’s plan to provide beauty and recreation throughout the Village, and he acted as architect for the structure. It is the site of the annual “Taste of Mariemont”, Easter egg hunts and impromptu picnics. continued on next page Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

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Garden City (from previous page)

Dale Park Driving along Wooster Pike, the motorist passes Dale Park, which covers about five acres on the north side of Wooster Pike. The area was originally a soggy meadow, with a layer of quicksand that threatened to swallow up a steam shovel being used to dig out the basement of Dale Park School. The quicksand was drained into the creek that runs through the old crawfish meadow. In addition to the school, now owned by Cincinnati Waldorf School, the park encompasses the area of the lich gate near the cemetery, as well as the section containing the Family Statuary group. The parkland around the charming statues is formal and well tended. Compacted limestone paths lead to the statues and seating area, and the perennial beds are kept full of color in the growing season.

The Beech Grove Proceeding along Wooster Pike, one comes to the Mariemont Square with its daffodil fountain and park benches. Just past the Square is a three-acre wooded lot dedicated in 1961 to Mariemont’s first Mayor, E. Boyd Jordan. A granite monument marks the site at the corner of Miami Road and East Street.

This small park, bounded by Wooster Pike, East Street, and Miami Road, is largely a natural landscape Dale Park with the statuary and Parish Center in featuring a fine grove of American Beech trees. The trees continue into the median dividing the Pike. the background.

Some maple, oak, and hickory fill out the park. It is important to keep the woods natural and un-mowed, since the beech trees reproduce by dropping their nuts into the fallen leaves which decompose to form new soil, nurturing the saplings and replenishing the beech grove. Efforts to remove invasive honeysuckle have been very successful and the trees seem to be thriving.

Two Mariemont Parks,

Two Famous Ladies

By Rex Bevis

Two Mariemont parks are named after iconic Mariemont women: Ann Buntin Becker Memorial Playground and the Isabella F. Hopkins Park. Ann Buntin Becker Memorial Park is bounded by Chestnut, Beech, Murray and Oak Streets immediately to the west of the Old Town Square. This open area was previously the Victory Garden plots tended by residents during and immediately after World War II.

I met with Nancy Becker recently to gain an understanding of the history of the Park.

Her husband, Dr. Robert Becker, who passed away several years ago, was the son of Ann Buntin Becker. According to local lore and detailed notes provided by Dr. Robert Becker, after WWII neighbors in the immediate area wanted to transform the Victory Gardens into a playground for their children. As Dr. Becker states in his written notes, “This suggestion was turned down by the Mayor. There followed a great battle at the American Legion arguing the pros and cons, and when the dust settled, lo and behold, trucks arrived, the Gardens disappeared, and playground equipment appeared instead!

Whether Ann Becker had a hand in this is not recorded but an educated guess might suggest some behind the scenes pressure on the Mayor in favor of child welfare.”

The plaque at the west end of the Park reads as follows:

Isabella Hopkins Page 10

Ann Buntin Becker Memorial Playground Erected by the Mariemont Civic Association together with citizens and organizations of the Village in appreciation of Dr. (Ann) Becker’s contributions to the health and happiness of our children. 1951

According to research conducted by former resident Polly Juengst in 1991, the northwest corner of Wooster Pike and Pocahontas Avenue has a colorful history. The Mariemont Filling Station and Motel occupied this space until the land transferred to the Village of Mariemont in 1966. Soon thereafter, Mr. Sidney Faxon of Faxon Development Co. was interested in obtaining the land for development purposes.

Mr. Omer Leatherwood circulated a petition requesting that the land not be developed but instead become open space. Village Council passed Resolution 25 in 1966 establishing this area as a park and dedicated the park in memory of Isabella F. Hopkins, sister of Mary Emery.

Concern for the Park resurfaced in 1991 as the Park was showing signs of age and neglect.

Donors came forth and the Isabella F. Hopkins Park was reinvigorated. In 1995 the Park came under the sponsorship of the Garden Club of Mariemont and that sponsorship continues today. Fundraising by the Garden Club in 2013 permitted additional revitalization and the Isabella F. Hopkins Park remains a vital green space on the eastern border of the Village of Mariemont.

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

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Community Gardens a Scenic River Trail

Mariemont's South 80 Park

by Karen Sullivan The river valley has always been an integral part of John Nolen’s vision for Mariemont. It continues to be vital to the character of the Village as the National Park Service noted in a Statement of Significance (Burt and McClelland for NPS 2013), emphasizing the national importance of the Lower 80 acres stating, “Nolen developed a keen appreciation of the landscape selected for the development of this community and sought to incorporate substantial portions of untouched natural landscape features into his plan.” As an outstanding example of American garden-city design, the inclusion of areas which provide stands of trees, community gardens, and passive recreation is vital to the “greenbelt” concept inherent to the design movement. Vistas across the valley are celebrated by the concourse on Miami Bluff, linking the residential and pastoral design elements.

Over the years the Lower 80, or South 80 as it is more frequently called today, has had a variety of uses, including a golf course! The community gardens add to the personality, and larger fields are planted with soy beans and other crops, contributing to a bucolic sense of place. In recent years trails have been created by a group of volunteers, providing access to the river and adjacent riparian zone. The park is now a cherished community asset for passive recreation such as hiking, biking and birding.

The South 80 acreage accounts for about 90% of Mariemont’s park land, and roughly 12% of our square mile Village. It is home to a variety of wildlife, with deer, beavers, rabbits, turtles, toads and squirrels amongst the common sightings. Coyote can be seen on occasion, and their late night howls drift up the bluff on summer nights. The area also provides important habitat for migratory and resident bird species. The bright blue flash of an indigo bunting or the crazy call of the

pileated woodpecker are typical sights and sounds while on a spring hike. Native species such as sycamore, cottonwood and sugar maple dominate the tree canopy. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognizes the area as a priority ecosystem.

Over the centuries, the Little Miami River has made major course changes, meandering throughout the valley. As recently as the late 1800s the river channel was dramatically different, with a dramatic split creating a large island where the turf fields are currently located on the adjacent properties. Geologically the area has bedrock of Ordovician limestone and shale overlain with glacial drift and an alluvial layer from the flood plain. The Little Miami River valley contains a major freshwater aquifer formed primarily by glacial meltwater.

The wealth of natural resources attracted Native Americans who made the valley their home off and on for 13,000 years. Ancestors of the Ft. Ancient culture inhabited the area from roughly 1000 to 1670 A.D. Several recognized archaeological sites are located adjacent to the Lower 80, including the Madisonville site and the Hahn District. Current archaeological investigations are revealing new insights on the structures built by the Shawnee at the Wynema site, located on the East side of the South 80, as well as their interactions with European settlers.

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

In August of 2012 the Ohio Department of Transportation revealed plans for relocating State Route 32, showing a new four-lane highway and bridge spanning the Little Miami River located just below Miami Bluff. Concerned citizens dedicated thousands of hours over the next several years to ensure that ODOT was aware of the significant negative impact which would result from placing a highway in the South 80. Other local, state and national organizations joined the grass roots efforts, including the Mariemont Preservation Foundation, Heritage Ohio, The Sierra Club, Cincinnati Preservation Association, and the Ohio Ornithological Society. In 2013 The National Historic Trust for Historic Preservation designated Mariemont as one of 11 Most Endangered Historic Places due to the threat of the proposed highway.

That same year The Cultural Landscape Foundation included Mariemont on their list of “Landslides”, acknowledging the irreparable damage that would occur if ODOT’s plans moved forward.

Fortunately in June of 2015 ODOT announced they had revisited the initial plan and would not be pursuing the relocation of SR32. Their report on the decision noted significant challenges, including noise pollution in Mariemont that could not be mitigated, environmental concerns, challenges of constructing in the flood plain and loss of parkland. Cultural resources such as the National Wild and Scenic Little Miami River and the wealth of Native American artifacts throughout the valley were also major hurdles.

Mariemont’s National Historic Landmark designation, which includes the South 80, was also an important factor. Destruction of the view that inspired Nolen was another critical factor.

While its uses have evolved since the beginning of Mariemont, its importance as a connection to bucolic landscapes remains vital to the character of our Village. We are hopeful the threat of unwanted development in the park has passed, but future generations will need to remain vigilant in order to preserve our treasured South 80.

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Dogwood Park:

20 Acres of Recreational

Fun

Hiking along Whiskey Run Creek, you can perhaps hear faint cheers from a ball game drifting into the valley, or maybe catch the stray laugh of a child swinging high at the Tot Lot. As you wind further along the trail in summertime, splashes and lifeguard whistles become audible. All these diverse activities take place in Mariemont’s largest park, Dogwood Park. Covering over 20 acres, Dogwood Park provides recreational opportunities for Mariemont residents of all ages.

One of the earliest baseball games in Dogwood Park, circa 1925.

In the 1800s, much of the land that now consists of playing fields was under cultivation to provide food for a growing settlement. A distillery was set up in the ravine near the creek to make whiskey from the corn that was grown here. It was operated by Joseph Ferris and earned his farm the name “Whiskey Hollow.”

Once Mary Emery acquired the land, it was quickly converted to recreational use. The ball fields were graded in 1925, and two years later a lagoon was created where an old millpond had been. The Boathouse was then added, and for about 20 years residents enjoyed boating and ice skating on the two-acre lagoon. It was drained in the 1940s, but the Boathouse and nature trails remain. The Carillon with 23 bells was added in 1929 as a gift from Mary Emery’s sister, Isabella Hopkins, in memory of her sister and dedicated to the youth of Mariemont.

An additional 26 bells were added in 1969.

Concerts on the bells can be heard on Sunday evenings in the summer months.

The events that take place in Dogwood Park are as varied as the imaginations of our residents. Soccer and softball, swimming and swinging, picnics and parties, are just a few of the good times people in Mariemont have enjoyed here. It was the site of the old fashioned fair commemorating the 75th Page 12

The Carillon tower in the summer sun. anniversary of incorporation held July 3, 2016.

Each fall, the popular Warrior Run begins and ends in Dogwood Park. Driving by, you may see a radio-controlled helicopter being put through its paces at one end of the field, while a

dog happily chases after a ball at the other end, and children swing and climb in the trees. We should be grateful that Mrs. Emery and John Nolen set aside such a large and varied tract of land for our recreational use!

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

A l'Enfance

in Mariemont

By Joe Stoner Although construction of Mariemont didn’t begin until 1923, Mariemont had been Mary Emery’s vision since 1910 when she was 66 years old. Part of her rationale for founding Mariemont was her love of children, made more poignant by the early deaths of both of her children, Albert in 1884 and Sheldon in 1890. She wanted children of people of modest means to have a happy and safe place to grow up, away from the pollution and problems of the city.

by the French sculptor Alliot for Dale Park Gardens. After members of the Board examined pictures of the proposed statuary and discussed the issue, they authorized Livingood to contract for the full-sized limestone sculpture and its base. Paris authorities permitted the statuary group to be made

make the base match the French limestone as closely as possible. Various mixtures of cement, sand and marble chips were tried until a fair match was obtained. After curing, the base was “bush hammered” (roughened) to give it the desired texture. Dale Park Gardens at that time had elaborately designed formal flower gardens and flagstone walks. To aesthetically integrate the statuary, the site was redesigned by Andrew Dorward, Mariemont Landscape Architect.

The day of the unveiling, Saturday, November 16, 1929, was Alliot’s 52nd birthday. It was just two and a half weeks after the devastating stock market crash and What the Village the beginning of the Great needed was a piece of Depression. But it was a outdoor sculpture to great day in Mariemont symbolize this vision. with two major dedication Charles Livingood, ceremonies attended by Mary Emery’s chief about 3000 people. The assistant, found it The statuary group officially named A L’Enfance (To the Children) graces Dale Park in Mariemont. first was the dedication of the on one of his trips to Photo by Joe Stoner Carillon Tower, itself a very Paris. It was a small major addition to Mariemont. clay model of a group and shipped to Mariemont only if Livingood The crowd then moved to Dale Park Gardens of three statues entitled A l’Enfance (To granted Paris the right to make an “original” for the dedication of A l’Enfance. Three little Childhood) and depicted three generations from the sculptor’s model (which it never did).

Mariemont girls (Susan Gallagher, Dorothy of a French peasant family. The prominent Accordingly, an inscription was put on the back Knoeppel, and Sally Trangmer) pulled the French sculptor, Lucien Alliot (1877-1967), stating the original of the monument is owned ropes that removed the veils from the statues. had previously exhibited a life-sized plaster by the City of Paris. Now barely legible due to This was followed by a bell concert from the cast of this model in the Paris Salon hoping erosion, it reads: new carillon. the city of Paris would buy a limestone version for one of its many city parks. Paris declined L’ORIGINAL DE Through all the seasons of the years, and the plaster cast was destroyed, leaving CE MONUMENT A l’Enfance has been an iconic Mariemont only the clay model. Emery was very interested APPARIENT landmark celebrating family life. It also but unfortunately died in October, 1927 A VILLE DE has been slowly disappearing. Limestone is before a deal could be arranged for a life-sized PARIS relatively easy to sculpt but is very susceptible limestone version. to erosion, especially from acidic rain. Experts While the three statues were being have told Village officials that there is little that At the February, 1928 Emery Foundation produced in Paris, their concrete base was can be done other than cleaning because that Board meeting, Board President Livingood being constructed in Mariemont under the is the nature of limestone. Perhaps a new A informed the members that for many years attentive direction of Warren Parks, Mariemont l’Enfance could be sculpted for the Mariemont Mrs. Emery had been planning a memorial Resident Engineer. Much effort was made to Centennial in 2023. to children in the form of a piece of sculpture Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

Page 13

The Dream Begins

&

Mary Emery the Creation of Mariemont Reprinted from the Mariemont Town Crier newspaper, April 2013 edition On April 23, 1923, Mary Emery pushed the famed silver shovel into the ground at a spot opposite the tennis courts, thus officially beginning construction of Mariemont, Ohio.

exemplar” town. Her ultimate vision for the project was to create a place where people of all income levels could reside, whether seeking quality rental property or purchasing single-family homes. The project became the costliest venture of Mary’s life and remains the most significant testament to her altruistic

people joined Mary with her silver spade in one hand, and a bouquet of roses in the other.

Her nurse stands close by, as Mrs. Emery was not well, and in fact, died four years later. Turning the first piece of Mariemont’s soil with the silver spade, Mary was filmed by a cameraman from Pathé News. To this

Mary Emery (center) breaks ground at Mariemont's dedication ceremony.

Whether you have lived here your whole life, are new to the Village, or simply a first time visitor, the unique landscape and rich history characteristic of Mariemont is something that often resonates with all.

Although Mariemont seems like a place torn from a page of history or whimsically recreated from a Norman Rockwell painting, much was involved in the process of bringing Mariemont to fruition. For more than fifteen years prior to its initial construction, Mariemont’s founder, Mary Emery meticulously acquired land and spent upwards of seven million dollars in the development efforts for the “national Page 14

concern for community and her devotion to human welfare. This month marks the 90th anniversary of both the official announcement of the Mariemont project to the public as well as Mariemont’s festive groundbreaking ceremony.

Although known for her many philanthropic endeavors throughout Cincinnati, Mrs. Emery was very much a private person. Nonetheless, Mariemont’s ceremonious inauguration in the spring of 1923 saw one of the nation’s wealthiest women thrust into the local limelight, as both Cincinnati newspapers and hundreds of

day, the Pathé News film is the only live footage known to contain Mary Emery. The film has been made available through the Mariemont Preservation Foundation and can be accessed on YouTube by visiting their site at www.mariemontpreservation. org. After Mary used the spade to overturn Mariemont’s first piece of soil, a three-foot granite shaft was placed at the site where the shovel broke ground. This granite shaft continues to rest at the site of the Ferris House on Plainville Road, which served as the Mariemont Company’s field headquarters, continued on next page

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

and made for an appropriate backdrop for the event. Today, the silver spade used by Mary is on display in the Village’s municipal

John Nolen

building. As one can see by walking or driving through the neighborhood, our Village continues to change as new ground breaks throughout Mariemont. Whether it is the recent completion of Mariemont Elementary School’s new facility, the construction of four condominium buildings, or the addition of new shops at the Strand, Mariemont continues to evolve.

While it is easy to look around and see these changes happening before our very eyes, it is both important and humbling to look back on the groundbreaking of the Mariemont project in 1923, and reflect on the success of Mary Emery’s great gift to us all. The new town of Mariemont was a project that ushered in the successful experiment of providing new housing for various income levels, as a muchneeded alternative to congested city living. As we know today, the experiment worked, and

Charles Livingood the result is the National Historic Landmark we now call home.

A Legacy Continued

The Mariemont Company

By Claire Kupferle What a bold idea Mary Emery had – to help alleviate abysmal housing conditions in downtown Cincinnati by building affordable housing in a brand-new town.

The creation of Mariemont and the initial management of the town was a tremendous organizational undertaking, made possible through the establishment of The Mariemont Company in December of 1922. Its purpose was to act as a holding company, responsible for everything from buying the land for the new town, building it, marketing it, and providing and managing the myriad services required by the residents. It was a completely private endeavor, with the company’s operating funds coming directly from Mary Emery. Of the 70,000 shares of stock in the company, Mrs. Emery (and later, her estate) owned 69,995. The remaining five shares were held by each of the five directors. Charles J. Livingood led the board as president, assisted

by Bleecker Marquette, Thomas Hogan, Jr., Frank H. Nelson, and John R. Schindel.

The scope of The Mariemont Company’s

responsibilities was incredibly broad. The Company was organized into departments, such as Engineering, Rental and Sales, and the Fire and Police Departments. According to minutes from the 1929 annual meeting, there were four fire alarms (runs) in the town limits that year, with an estimated $200 damage to Company property. The efficiency of the

department was praised. The two full-time firemen were also commended for making 308 house inspections “…in the interests of fire prevention….” The minutes also state, “The chief duty of the police department was to cover every part of town twice every hour.” It was noted, “…our police car averaged 4,000 continued on next page

The Mariemont Company's engineering staff.

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

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Mariemont Company (from previous page) miles per month.” The police were also used to deliver the mail before the population grew enough to warrant addition to a postal route.

The Company also built, staffed, and ran Dale Park School until 1931, when the Plainville School District assumed responsibility.

Company directors would often rent a streetcar and take the students on a field trip to the Cincinnati Zoo, which at that time was owned

by Mrs. Emery and her friend, Anna Sinton Taft.

The Company provided all the services residents needed, such as water, trash collection, sewers, and even heat from the state-of-the-art Central Heating Plant.

The Mariemont Company met more than the physical needs of its residents. It had a genuine interest in the well being of those who chose to live here and did much to foster the town’s social life and growing sense of community. Mrs. Emery and the officers hosted the first Christmas celebration in Mariemont.

It was held at The Company’s restaurant in the middle of what is now the small park in the Old Town Center. On the Fourth of July, 1925, The Mariemont Company sponsored a Field Day at Dogwood Park, with athletic competitions, a baseball game, and at the end of the day, a grand fireworks display at the Concourse. Over 500 residents and Company employees attended. On

Construction on the Recreation Center (now the Parish Center) nears completion.

Labor Day, the Company arranged for a band concert and parades. Company officers even organized a program among school children called the School Bank, where children had deposited about $600. The board members stated, “We inaugurated this idea as a means of inculcating thrift in the children.” They also published “The Mariemont Messenger,” a weekly newspaper that was delivered free of charge to every residence and served to keep the people

informed.

The Mariemont Company served as the instrument through which Mary Emery and Charles J. Livingood brought their dream into reality. The organization managed the town that it had built until December 31, 1931, when it was dissolved and its remaining duties transferred to the Thomas J. Emery Memorial, which ran Mariemont until incorporation in 1941.

Mariemont: A National Historic Landmark

In 2007, the Federal government designated the entire Village of Mariemont a National Historic Landmark. The designation was the direct result of an application submitted by the late Millard F. Rogers, Jr. His nomination of the Village was a huge undertaking, and the supporting documentation was about an inch thick when complete. Previously, Mariemont had been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but the new designation adds an additional layer of protection. Because of the efforts of Mr. Rogers, Mariemont has joined the ranks of such icons as the Statue of Liberty and the White House.

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Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

&

New Urbanism, John Nolen Mariemont

By Tom Allman It is not unusual to see groups of college students, maps in hand, walking around Mariemont, especially in the Dale Park area, at the Concourse overlooking the Little Miami river valley and around the Town Center and the new condominiums. What, you may ask, is the reason?

It is because the exemplary design and planning of the 1921 Master Plan developed by John Nolen for the Mariemont Company and its enlightened execution over the past seventy-five years.

The extraordinary aspect of that plan is that it serves as an exemplar today for what has become known as “New Urbanism.” Back in a day when walkability and compact suburban development was a little advertised virtue, the 500 acres assembled in secret for Mary Emery were transformed in ways that were not only unique and charming then, but also have served as an inspiration for the era when suburban sprawl and the tyranny of the automobile led to a need to rethink suburban design.

In 1921, Mary Emery’s representative, Charles Livingood, enlisted John Nolen’s help in developing an innovative plan for streets, public spaces and housing in a self-contained entity.

Nolen – then the leading urban planner in the United States – was noted for being obsessed with natural beauty and achieving a practical balance between residential, mixed-use and everyday needs, including the automobile. The resulting design blended a gridded plan for high-density but affordable homes, walkable access to schools, business centers and transportation and several neighborhoods of single family homes, all with convenient access to Greater Cincinnati.

The plan committed Emery to an initial heavy investment in infrastructure, including utilities, public buildings and multifamily housing which are notable for the extraordinary quality of the executed designs. The mile-long segment of

Route 50 bisecting the Village was transformed into an elegant Parkway of generous proportions, bordered by homes and parks, and culminating in a Town Center reminiscent of English villages.

Approached from either direction, the serenity and charm of the Parkway signify one’s arrival in Mariemont and provide connectivity to the neighborhoods on either side.

community within the featureless sprawl that surrounds Cincinnati, Ohio. As testimony that suburbia could have been otherwise, this new town elegantly accommodates both the pedestrian and the modern complement of automobiles.”

The design features of Mariemont have been successfully adapted by Duany and others in developments such as Kentlands (outside of DC), Celebration (outside of Orlando) and hundreds of other locations, both in standalone projects and as infill. The common attributes include (1) an emphasis on walkability (placing schools and other needs within a quarter of a mile of homes) among (2) a grid of streets with multiple points of access to the surrounding communities and with (3) a mixture of housing types in a harmonious blend of architectural styles and (5) a town center containing many of the necessities of life (think Graeters, the Mariemont Theatre, Starbucks, small business shops, five restaurants, etc).

The intent was to facilitate access to work and

Nolen emphasized the aesthetic value of the unique site, bordering on and overlooking a scenic valley containing the Little Miami River, by providing a linear park (and residential road) along the top of the bluff.

This park caps a mix of curvilinear and gridded treelined streets which culminate in the elegant Concourse, itself a short and dramatic walk from the Town Center and Inn along Center Street.

What was unforeseen at the time was that the very John Nolen values central to the Mariemont plan – mixed use community and walkability - would become lost in the decades to come, especially after World War II. When the futility and lack of charm of suburban sprawl became evident, it was to places like Mariemont that the original founders of “New Urbanism” turned for their lessons. Take a walk sometime around the charming and much-acclaimed village of Seaside on the Alabama Gulf Coast. Compare it to the plan of Mariemont and the resemblance is clear, as acknowledged by Andres Duany, one of the most successful proponent of New Urbanism, who modeled Seaside on Mariemont.

As Duany put it in his Preface to a leading reference on Town Planning, perhaps with a touch of hyperbole, “Mariemont is the only civic

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

cultural resources in Cincinnati to supplement the jobs that the “industrial” area of Mariemont would supply. That view of availability of local work was unrealistic. Today, however, in the postindustrial world, that expectation has been met in an unanticipated way; a surprising number of residents work from home and are productively connected nationally and internationally through the internet.

We all owe a great debt to the generosity of Mary Emery, and to the vision of John Nolen, both of whom would be proud to know that Mariemont is now part of a national commitment to walkability, community and the celebration of beauty in everyday living.

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Building the Village:

Mariemont's Key Architects The Village of Mariemont enjoys an international reputation as a premier example of town planning. Mariemont was designed and built with the highest standards, and the selection of its architects was no exception.

There was a concerted effort to establish a Town Plan that worked hand in hand with the architecture of each building and the intricate blending of one to another. Often, the variety of architectural styles in Mariemont gives the impression there was no overall plan. To the contrary, the variety was at the core of the plan for the “New Town.” Mary Emery and Charles Livingood, who managed her various projects, had as a guiding principle Mariemont was to serve the needs of people from all walks of life. This is also seen in the multitude of housing types that range from one-bedroom apartments in the Old Town Square to all sizes and configurations of single-family homes.

The varieties of architectural styles includes: English Half Timber Jacobean, exemplified by the Ripley and LaBoutillier groups around Oak and Chestnut Streets, the English Half Timber Elizabethan of the Atterbury group at Sheldon Close, the Georgian Philadelphia row house at Murray (designed by Gilchrist), the Colonial Elzner and Anderson Dutch gambrel roofed houses of Linden Place, and the colonial “St. Louis” units of the Cellatius units down Beech Street. Cellarius also designed the Boathouse.

styles of architecture together is an amazing feat. Blending all the right elements of town planning, landscaping, architecture, and a rich and controlled palette of materials and textures has resulted in the creation of a beautiful and successful community. Funding provided by Mary Emery and the Thomas J. Emery Memorial made all of this possible. The generous funds allowed the Village to be built to the highest standards. No matter the economic level of the

residential unit, the quality of construction was the very best.

The town planning technique of grouping clusters of the same style of units created an order and emphasis for each group’s architectural background. These styles were planned and provided each architectural team an opportunity to make its own interpretation of how to provide a sense of historic community.

Apartments on Beech Street.

Additional styles are represented by the Italianate Parish Center building and the English Norman of the “gem of the Village”, the community church.

To bring this assemblage of varying Page 18

The original town center (at Chestnut and Oak Streets) under construction.

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

Building the Village:

Mariemont Community Church Enchants crates and boxes, but the fate of the Nothing shows off the special alcohol in Prohibition-era America charm and the British roots of our remains unknown. The roof was village better than the Mariemont installed, and the church was finally Community Church. The Normanfinished. To create the illusion of a style building, with its ancient centuries-old building, the roof was stone roof, was especially dear to purposely built to look as if it were Charles Livingood, Mrs. Emery’s sagging and wavy. Parishioners principal agent in carrying out couldn’t wait for the building to be her dream of a “model town.” He finished, however, and conducted wanted to create the feel of a typical their first worship service on Sunday, English country church in the new July 11, 1926. town and studied dozens of rural parishes throughout England and When the church was first built, Normandy. The architect that he it was envisioned that more churches chose, Louis E. Jallade, was from would follow. A caption from New York and quite well known. the 1925 advertising brochure for Mr. Jallade designed the church with The Community Chuch was constructed with stone imported from England.

Mariemont read, “Other churches will many interesting details. The arch collapsed under a heavy snow. The roof had doubtless be built about Mariemont. Meanwhile, over each doorway is built differently. The gutters been hand made by monks at Kingswood Abbey Mrs. Emery…expresses the hope that the building and downspouts feature decorative touches, and (at Calcot, near Tetsbury) to cover the abbey’s will be used for ‘union’ or undenominational antique ironworks of varying design adorn the tithe barn. A cornerstone in the barn is dated services, for christenings, weddings and funerals wooden doors. Small, diamond-shaped pieces of 1300, making this undoubtedly the oldest roof by all, irrespective of sect or creed. Here should antique glass were used in the windows to recreate in America! The main structure in Mariemont be found a quiet place where resident and stranger the feel of a small 14th century church. was complete and stood awaiting its heavy roof passing by may rest and pray.” The onset of the of stone, which took many months to purchase, Depression forestalled construction in Mariemont Mr. Livingood wanted the structure to look crate up in old ammunition boxes, and ship to for quite awhile, and no other houses of worship as if it had stood there for centuries and had quite Mariemont. Some good folks in the Tetbury area were ever built. a stroke of good fortune on a trip to England thoughtfully included a cask of rum among the in 1927 when he heard of a stone roof that had

A Rich History

6776 Chestnut Street 1924: The Lutkehous family was the first to reside in the new town of Mariemont. Pictured are Carl, Irana and their sons Carl Jr. and Edward Lewis.

Mr. Lutkehous was an employee of the Mariemont Company.

2016: Current residents Courtney and Adam Sarosy moved into the same apartment in March, 2016.

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

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Familar Names

Mariemont's Early Settlers

By Claire Kupferle Between the time the Late Fort Ancient culture had died out or moved on from our area, but 100 years before Mary Emery envisioned her model town, a group of stalwart pioneers settled and farmed the area where Mariemont, Fairfax and Madisonville now stand. When traders and explorers first ventured into the area in the 1750s, there were some Shawnee, who hunted in the area but did not live here. By 1788, when the Stites and Ferris families arrived to claim the land, encounters with Native Americans were few.

courts on Plainville Road. The bricks were made of local clay, dried in the sun. It is

fallen victim to vandalism and age, giving us a limited record of the early settlers. There were quite a few small stones, inscribed with initials, which were found during a cleanup of the cemetery. These were determined to be footstones, matching the headstones. Life in the wild frontier was not easy, and there are several infants and young children buried there.

The legacy of these early pioneering families lived on for quite a long time. Miss Phebe Stites still owned a large tract of the land in the late 1800s when The Ferris and Stites families are prominent in the Pioneer Cemetary behind the Community Dr. Charles Metz began The first settlers to Church. his excavation of the arrive were eight members of one of the oldest standing brick structures Indian village. Even in the 1920s, when Mary the Stites family, led by Hezekiah Stites and in Hamilton County. Not to be outdone, his Emery began buying land for her new town of including Major Benjamin Stites. They chose brother Joseph built a grander house that is Mariemont, two of the parcels were owned by land around the current Lunken Airport also still standing. It is located on Dragon Way a Ferris and a Stites. location and called it Columbia in honor of in Fairfax.

Christopher Columbus. Eleven years later, Joseph and Eliphalet Ferris emigrated from The Ferris and Stites Connecticut with their families to begin a new life in the Columbia settlement. Unfortunately, families located their cemetery on the highest point in the the land they had chosen was plagued by floods, and their early mills were washed away area. The church adjacent to time after time. Joseph, Eliphalet and Andrew the Pioneer Cemetery was Ferris purchased land in and around modern- built much later, as part of the development of Mariemont. day Mariemont for the whopping figure of There are more than thirty $285. people known to have been buried there. The first was The brothers were farmers and also Caroline Ferris who was only operated a mill and made whiskey from the corn they grew. The creek near the Mariemont a little over a year and a half old when she died in 1822. She Boathouse is named Whiskey Creek because was a daughter of Ann and Joseph used water from the creek for his Andrew Ferris. Over the years, distillery. In 1802, Eliphalet Ferris built a many of the headstones have house that is near the Mariemont tennis The Ferris House served as the offices of the Mariemont Company.

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Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

Remnants of the Past

Mariemont's Power Plant

By Rex Bevis Located at the very eastern edge of the Village of Mariemont, down the bluff from Mt. Vernon Avenue, and adjacent to Mariemont Landing is the Mariemont Steam Plant, the former Central Heating System of the Village. As stated by former Building Commissioner Warren W. Parks in his 1967 book, The Mariemont Story, “at the inception of Mariemont, it was decided to build a District Heating System to serve a portion of the Town. This meant a central heating station where steam could be generated and from which it could be distributed through an underground system to various buildings to be served.” Centralized steam heating had previously been used in many cities, including Cincinnati, but principally in

in 1927, and the Mackenzie Apartments in 1928.

The Mackenzie Apartments were the most distant point from the Steam Plant.

The Steam Plant itself is built of brick and concrete with a height equivalent to a six story building. An eight inch well was drilled seventythree feet deep just to the east of the Plant to supply boiler water for the steam making.

Located on the rail line near the Little Miami River, the Steam Plant used bituminous coal from West Virginia, which arrived via rail car, to fuel the Plant. The coal was lifted via a track hopper to the top of the Steam Plant, then dropped over automatic weighing scales to the stokers below.

The Steam Plant had a capacity of six hundred tons of coal. On an average winter day, about 20

The steam plant in 1925.

The steam plant as it stands today.

business districts; few such systems had been used in residential areas.

tons of coal was required to operate the Steam Plant in a 24 hour period.

The houses on Albert Place were the first to be served by steam heat from the Steam Plant, coming online October 7, 1925. Subsequently in December, 1925 the steam line to the Mariemont Inn was placed in service. Later additions to the steam heat service included the Dale Park School in 1927, the Mariemont Community Church also

The underground distribution system consisted of a main line leaving the plant and three miles of steam lines. Since the distances were rather long, there was no attempt to implement a closed system (returning condensate to the Plant.) Instead, 100% of the steam was the result of new water from the aquifer. The heating

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

mains themselves consisted of wrought iron steam pipes surrounded by wood casings built of segments four inches thick bound together by spiral wire. The outside of this log-like structure was waterproofed in asphalt pitch and rolled in sawdust for insulation. Trenches were dug and layered with porous tile and gravel prior to laying the sections of wrought iron and casings. The sections of pipe were welded together as the sections were placed into the ground.

Several factors contributed to the decision to abandon the Central Heating System in 1954.

Economical natural gas was available to the residents and businesses served by the Steam Plant at a time when coal prices were increasing.

Another factor in the decision was that only a small portion of Village residences and businesses were connected to the Plant; although designed for a larger load, the demand did not materialize.

Lastly, termites had attacked the wood insulation resulting in a growing heat loss in the main lines.

According to Mr. Parks, “in some places the entire log was eaten away, leaving the spiral wire exposed to the ground.” Replacement would have been too costly. Therefore, the Steam Plant was closed, sold by the Village, and converted into a cold storage warehouse.

During its abandonment, the Steam Plant has become a liability, as Mayor Dan Policastro noted recently in the Mayor’s Bulletin, “attracting kids and others wanting to explore the dangerous structure.” Although seemingly well boarded and closed off, it remains an item of curiosity and fulfills no useful purpose today.

Since the late 1970’s there have been a few proposals by real estate developers to raze the old Steam Plant and develop the property for residential use. As of this writing, in the summer of 2016, Michael Heines of JAE Capital has purchased the Steam Plant and its 3+ acres for residential development. Mr. Heines and JAE Capital have developed five single family homes on Erie Avenue in Hyde Park and twelve townhouses in Blue Ash so they are no strangers to residential development. I had an opportunity to discuss the Steam Plant property development continued on next page Page 21

Steam plant (from previous page) plans with Mr. Heines in June, 2016 and I am able to report the following status.

The asbestos has been removed from the building and therefore, environmentally, the Steam Plant may now be demolished. Demolition is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2016 and extend into the fall. In the spring of 2017, fill dirt will be hauled in to the property and grading activities

will occur in anticipation of extending Miami Run in Mariemont Landing as a private drive. The development plan anticipates a total of 12 residences with the 6 on the south side of the private drive being single family homes, and the six on the northern uphill side of the drive being townhouses.

When this development is brought to fruition, the Steam Plant will have completely run its

course and vanish from the public view.

Much of the content of this article was sourced from The Mariemont Story, a book written by Warren W. Parks and published in 1967. For further details surrounding the Steam Plant and its operation, and the Mariemont District Heating System, I encourage the reader to consult this book.

Remnants of the Past

Early travel by trolley

By Claire Kupferle With all the discussion of the new streetcars in Downtown Cincinnati, it’s easy to forget we had a trolley system running right through Mariemont that stretched all the way to Milford from Downtown. The streetcar serving the Village ceased operation in January of 1942.

Part of its history is being kept alive by the donation of a plaque marking the location of two brick steps, which are all that is left of the Petoskey Avenue trolley platform. The Mariemont Civic Association created the plaque in order to preserve the steps and educate people about their original purpose.

Retired General Douglas Short was on hand at the unveiling to read the inscription on the plaque and relate a bit of the history of the streetcar in Mariemont. When service to Milford was discontinued, the streetcars had to turn around in Mariemont for the return trip. The spot where the tracks circled around is near the intersection of Miami and Murray Ave. General Short was instrumental in developing the spot as the Trolley Turn Around Park.

The inscription on the plaque is as follows: “These brick steps remain from a set of steps which provided access to the Petoskey Avenue stop of the Cincinnati, Milford, and Blanchester Interurban Trolley Line. The Cincinnati Street Railway Company later bought the line and ended service at Milford, eliminating the Blanchester portion of the Page 22

The trolley carried passengers from Mariemont to downtown. line. The line running to Milford was Number 71, while the line ending at Trolley Turn Around Park was Number 72, as seen on the car pictured. All streetcar operations ended on

January 6, 1942.”

The plaque is located on Rembold Avenue near Petoskey.

The trolley turnaround park plaque at Rembold and Petoskey.

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

Remnants of the Past

When the Boathouse was a boathouse

By Beth Biggs The Mariemont Boathouse and long-gone lagoon have always intrigued me. I have wished for the opportunity to go back in time to early Mariemont and paddle a small boat on what was once one of the most scenic aspects of the village. The Boathouse and Lagoon project as originally described in the plans for Mariemont called for the restoration of “an old dam, no longer discernible” in order to “make the Lagoon not only for its picturesqueness, mirroring the foliage on its banks, but to provide boating and ice skating for the children. At the shallow end, easily reached by paths from the Ballfields above, there will be a Boathouse. In the center of the lagoon will rise a miniature “Treasure Island” where the youngsters may play Indians.”

This description echoes the desires of Mary Emery to create a town with opportunities for children to explore outdoors and enjoy a healthy childhood.

Built of stone from the Indian Hill quarry and with a roof created from flat stones found in creek beds near Mr. Carmel, the Boathouse is a unique structure. Designed by Charles Cellarius, it fits into the existing curved embankment along Wooster Pike. There was a long wooden platform with benches along the Dogwood Park side and swans were placed in the lagoon as a scenic attraction. Inside the Boathouse, the boat room provided space to hold approximately 20 small rowboats and canoes, and a separate meeting room with fireplace was located on the Wooster Pike side of the building. In the winter, the shallow lagoon would freeze, and residents would strap on their skates for winter fun.

The Village enjoyed this wonderful amenity from its completion in 1927 until shortly after WWII. After various unsuccessful attempts to alleviate problems of stagnant water and mosquitoes, the lagoon was filled with dirt and a large pipe was installed to carry the stream below the dam.

Beginning in the mid 1960s, the Boathouse was used by Mariemont Boy Scout Troop 149. They felt the neglected

structure would provide a nice meeting place, and the Troop and the Village partnered to repair the building from years of neglect.

The renovation included connecting the two rooms by cutting a wide door through the stone interior wall, replacing plumbing, installing a furnace, pouring a concrete

once again. The plan got a big boost in 1998, when a group from Mariemont Preservation Foundation, led by Millard F. Rogers, Jr. and Chris Beatty, raised funds to restore the Boathouse as well as build the John Nolen Pavilion and add decorative lighting throughout the Village. Unfortunately, record

The boathouse and adjacent lagoon as it looked in 1927. floor in the boat slip room and repairing the roof. Further renovations were funded in 1978 by an agreement between the Village, the Thomas J. Emery Memorial and the Boy Scouts. At this time, earlier roof repairs were replaced with stone to match the original roofing material. The windows were closed in with matching fieldstone and the inside completely redone to create a meeting space.

Troop 149 continued to meet at the Boathouse until 1985.

The structure again became the victim of neglect and vandalism. In 1994, Mariemont resident, Lesley Hodell, organized another campaign to raise funds to restore the structure as a meeting place and special event facility. A Halloween fundraiser featuring the “haunted” boathouse and help from the Boy Scouts for initial cleanup launched a long-range plan to renovate the Boathouse

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rainfall and an ensuing flood destroyed the work that had been done on the interior.

Today, basic renovations have been completed on the interior and exterior of the building. A fire pit and concrete patio, funded by the Mariemont Preservation Foundation, area are available in front of the structure for additional enjoyment and outdoor meeting space. Although the beauty and ambiance of the Lagoon are gone, the current Whiskey Creek walking trails and the Boathouse structure still provide Mariemont residents with a unique gathering space and the ability to enjoy nature. Next time you pass by the Boathouse, try to imagine, or remember if you are a long-time resident, a beautiful lagoon with an island, gracefully floating swans and rowboats filled with young boys and girls enjoying a summer afternoon.

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Remnants of the Past

The Madisonville Site The land now known as the Madisonville Site was the location of a thriving village of Native Americans, one of the last to occupy territory in this area. The settlement existed from about 1400-1650, and covered the southwest corner of Mariemont. The rough outline of the village extended from Wooster Pike south to the Little Miami River, and ran to Center Street on the east.

Estimates place the population at 250-300 people at its peak. However, the site had long been abandoned by the time European settlers reached our area in 1788. Since there was little direct contact with Europeans, our information about the people who lived here for so many generations is very sparse. What we do know about their way of life has come through a series of digs at the

Dr. C Wesley Cowans excavation revealed a wealth of historical artifacts.

Madisonville Site, primarily in the area around the swimming pool and in the South 80.

There is evidence that people have been poking around the site since the 1850s. Certainly, “Potter’s Field” was well know to local residents in 1879, when it drew the attention of Dr. Charles Metz, a Madisonville resident, physician, and avid archaeologist. The name of the site derived from Dr. Metz’s connection to Madisonville, and the fact that it was the closest town at the time. The owner of the property, Miss Phebe Ferris, granted Metz permission to begin a scientific excavation Page 24

on her land, as she, too, was curious as to what might be found. The work at the Madisonville Site lasted for over 31 years (1879-1911). After Dr. Metz’s early, and astonishing, findings, he invited Professor F.W. Putnam of Harvard University to help continue the work. Metz and Putnam trained scores of future archaeologists as they put Harvard graduate students to work unearthing the remains of this unnamed tribe.

Artifacts continued to be discovered long after the Metz and Putnam excavations ended. In 1923, as construction of the new town of Mariemont was beginning, an engineer reported finding a skeleton adorned with copper disks and copper beads. For decades, local residents and amateur archaeologists continued to dig and remove artifacts. Some are in private collections, but many have been lost. In 1980, the Village passed an ordinance that prohibited further digging without permission. Interest in the site remained, however, and Village officials wanted to find out how much of value remained.

After contacting the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History, the Village issued a permit to Dr. C. Wesley Cowan to conduct a “short” exploration of the area. Excavation began in 1987 and an incredible wealth of artifacts began to emerge.

The 20th century team had several advantages over their predecessors of a hundred years earlier.

Advances in photography and radio carbon dating greatly aided the modern scientists in interpreting their finds, as did much greater precision in mapping and field notes. While Dr. Metz and the team from Harvard used the best methods known at the time, they were not looking for the same types of material as Dr. Cowan’s group. Artifact hunters of the 1880’s were more interested in intact and complete artifacts and remains. Small or broken items were not studied carefully. In contrast, the modern group used screens to sift every shovelful of dirt. According to Esther Power, who assisted at the dig, their philosophy was that, “Everything has a story to tell. Every piece is meaningful.” Knowledge was also gleaned by the discovery of post holes at the site, marking areas where shelters stood. The team from the 1880’s was not looking for post holes at all.

The efforts of recent scientists in no way diminish the contributions made by Metz and

A historic Ohio plaque marks the Madisonville Site.

Putnam. The skeletal remains and vast array of artifacts uncovered by the earlier team are extremely important to our knowledge of the culture known as Late Fort Ancient. Pieces from their dig are housed in 17 museums and collections around the world, including our own Art Museum and Natural History Museum, The Peabody Museum (Harvard University), The Trocadero Museum (Paris), The Wanganui

A sample of the pottery found at the site.

Museum (New Zealand), and The Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC).

For the past few years, Dr. Ken Tankersley has been conducting excavations in the South 80 area along the Little Miami. He and his students continue to unearth artifacts that help shed light on these people, lost to us in the mists of time.

If you are interested in learning more about the people and the archaeology of the Madisonville Site, stop by The Mariemont Preservation Foundation on a Saturday morning.

There are several display cases with artifacts from the site, as well as books and periodicals that cover this fascinating period in our history.

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

SAFETY

Five Police Chiefs Dedicated to You

By Rex Bevis

Chief Chris Robisch 1935 – 1946

Chief Raynor Prince 1946 – 1954

Chief Donald Shanks 1954 – 1987

Chief Richard Pope 1987 – 2005

Chief Richard Hines 2005 – Present

Over the course of Mariemont’s history, there have been five Chiefs of Police. Little is known about the second chief who served, although he had a spectacular name! Here is a brief history of our Police Chiefs.

“On November 1, 1935, Deputy Sheriff Chris Robisch, who was familiar with this part of Hamilton County, was employed by the Mariemont Company to take over the Police Department of the town. The Fire Department was then organized separately, but the joint headquarters was continued. Chief Robisch was elected Marshall at the first Village election and was named Chief of Police for the Village by the newly-elected Council.” * Mr. Christian (Chris) Robisch was a wellknown Cincinnati high school coach and assistant college coach before being hired as Mariemont’s first Police Chief. The Board of the Mariemont Company wanted Robisch to be part of the community and were pleased when he rented an apartment in the Ripley Building with his bride, Naomi Matre, an elementary school teacher and a native of Reading, Ohio. (She taught for 25 years at Dale Park Elementary, retiring in 1971.) Chief and Mrs. Robisch subsequently moved to 4009 Miami Road. Chief Robisch resigned in 1946 and continued his police work as a special investigator for the Railway Express Agency in Cincinnati. He passed away in December of 1987.

Raynor Prince succeeded Chief Robisch and became the 2nd Mariemont Police Chief. Raynor Prince served in this capacity until 1954.

Donald L. Shanks joined the Mariemont Police Department in March of 1949 and became Police Chief in 1954. When sworn in as Chief

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

on April 14, 1954, Donald Shanks was believed to be the youngest Police Chief in the State of Ohio. Chief Shanks served in this capacity for a remarkable period of 33 years! When Chief Shanks retired on June 20, 1987, his retirement lasted one day, Sunday, June 21, 1987. The following day he joined the Law Firm of White, Getgey, and Meyer as an investigator where he remained until his retirement in 2007.

In 1992 Don Shanks became the 8th Mayor of Mariemont and served one four year term, 1992 – 1995. Appropriately, the Municipal Building of Mariemont has recently been named the Colonel Donald L. Shanks Municipal Building.

Richard (Dick) Pope succeeded Chief Shanks and served the Village of Mariemont as Police Chief from 1987 – 2005. Chief Pope began his police career as a Patrol Officer for the Madeira Police Department in 1970 following four years of service in the U. S. Marine Corp. He subsequently advanced to the rank of Sergeant in 1973 before joining the Mariemont Police Department. Dick Pope was President of the Hamilton County Chiefs of Police in 1993.

Following his retirement Chief Pope was succeeded by the current Police Chief, Colonel Richard D. Hines, our 5th Chief. Chief Hines began his police career in Elmwood Place, Ohio in 1985. He joined the Mariemont Police Department as a Police Officer in 1988, was promoted to Lieutenant in 1990 and subsequently became Chief of Police on May 25, 2005. Most recently, in 2010, the Mayor and Village Council promoted Hines to the position of Police and Fire Chief thereby combining management of both Departments under his direction. Chief Hines has served the Hamilton County Association of Chiefs of Police in several capacities, including progressing from Secretary to Treasurer to VicePresident and ultimately President in 2011.

The Village of Mariemont has been fortunate to have Police Chiefs who have each served in the capacity of Chief for many years. Having only five Chiefs in the 75 years since incorporation assures consistency of management and, most importantly, familiarity with the residents of Mariemont and their policing needs. *The Mariemont Story, 1967, Warren Parks, author Page 25

THROUGH THE YEARS

Growing Up in Mariemont

By Rex Bevis Donna Lou Davis was born in 1931, making her an impressionable 10 year old at the time of Mariemont’s incorporation in 1941. Donna Lou has been a Mariemont resident her entire life originally living on Homewood Road, Elm Street, and Miami Road before settling into her current residence on Fieldhouse Way with her husband, where they have lived for 54 years.

Mom and Dad were Don and Lucy Meyers.

(Donna Lou was named after Don & Lucy!) Dad was originally from Norwood and opened a grocery on Oak Street in the Old Village Square, “Meyers Market.” On a more somber note, Donna Lou recalls her Dad dealing with the realities of World War II food rationing. As a grocery store owner, he was tasked with rationing the food. For those needing more than their rations allowed, Mr. Meyers always found a way to help them out.

Behind the grocery were the Victory Gardens where citizens planted and raised vegetables to supplement their rationed food. After WWII with the advent of television, Mr. Meyers sold the grocery and entered the retail television business just as televisions were becoming commercially available. One can only imagine the flock of customers coming in to purchase TVs from this entrepreneur! Mom was a schoolteacher who coincidentally was a college roommate with Marie Jordan, later the wife of Mariemont’s first Mayor, Boyd Jordan.

Donna Lou attended Dale Park Elementary School from Kindergarten through 6th Grade.

In 7th Grade she attended Plainville School on Wooster Pike and graduated in 1949. The following year, 1950, her sister Susan graduated from the same high school but it had just been renamed Mariemont High School.

During our conversation Donna Lou recalled many fond memories of growing up in Mariemont. The center of Village activity at this time was the area we now call the Old Town Square. “Everything happened there,” Donna Lou stated, “including the circus on the Church lawn. I rode an elephant during the circus and many photos were taken of children riding the elephants.” As a child Donna Lou remembers playing in what is now Ann Buntin Becker Park.

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Donna Lou Davis Since almost all moms allowed their children to roam broadly, Donna Lou remembers playing in the area of the Boathouse, which was an active lagoon with boats. The children would access the Boathouse area via the tunnel under Wooster Pike. Additionally, Donna Lou recalls crossing under Plainville Road at the Chestnut Road intersection. “There was an underground tunnel with steps down and up on the other side. Kids loved it."

In the summertime, the library, located in the basement of the Parish Center, had an extensive program for children. Librarians provided the children with a boat and, for every book read

and successfully reported on, a flag was added to the boat. This was a very favorite summer activity. Children were very active in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and the High School Auditorium stage served as the basketball court. There was no swimming pool in Mariemont yet so families went to Coney Island and the large pool there.

“I may be the oldest and longest continuous citizen in Mariemont, and I have loved every minute of it. I am grateful to my Mom and Dad for being foresighted enough to live here. Schools were all fun and educational. All of the moms watched over us. It was fabulous growing up in Mariemont.”

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THROUGH THE YEARS

Growing Up Today in Mariemont We thought it would be interesting to get the perspective of two residents who are currently growing up in Mariemont. Zach (16) and Megan (13) Weinland answered questions posed by the Town Crier.

What are some things you remember about celebrating the different holidays here in Mariemont?

Megan: I remember the lighting of the tree at Christmas time, carriage rides, and concerts/carolers performing at the Chapel.

I also remember the fireworks that a lot of people attend for the fourth of July. There’s sometimes an easter egg hunt around Mariemont for little kids around Easter time.

Shops decorate based on the holiday nearest to that time, and Starbucks usually has different drinks for different times of the year.

Zach: At Christmas, I like the lighting of the huge tree. I’m in the Mariemont HS Chamber Orchestra and there are village concerts we perform in that are fun.

Carriage rides at the holiday tree lighting ceremony.

What do you and your friends do when you get together?

Megan: We usually hang out at my house for a little bit, then if we get bored, we walk to other friends houses in Mariemont, or to the square for Starbucks or Graeter’s. In the summer, we go to the pool at lot in the summer.

Zach: We usually play cards or video games at someone’s house, then go out and get food. We like to explore the South 80 and it’s fun to hang out at the fountain in the square.

What are some of your favorite places to spend time in Mariemont?

Megan: I like to spend time around Starbucks, Graeter’s, the movie theatre, Lollis, The Sweeterie, Mio’s, and more recently Rooted and Jewels & Bing. My friends and I also sometimes like to walk down to the Mariemont Elementary playground and play games.

Zach: All the restaurants around the town square, the pool and the South 80.

What are some things you remember about summers in Mariemont?

Megan: I remember being able to walk

Mariemont gathers at Dogwood Park for a fireworks display every Fourth of July. to basically any shop around Mariemont, and being able to ride my bike or walk with friends to the pool. I also love how you’re able to walk from almost anywhere in Mariemont to get to shops or friends.

Zach: There are so many things to do in the summer in Mariemont. Usually my summer centers on hanging with friends as much as possible.

Are there any people in Mariemont who have had an impact on your life other than your parents?

Megan: Yes, teachers and neighbors

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

mainly, because teachers help us with our education and sometimes how we act.

Neighbors are everywhere around us. We find them at shops, at concerts, or even when you’re just walking around Mariemont, there is always at least one person out, whether you know them or not. I love how almost everybody knows almost everybody else in Mariemont.

Zach: Mr. Browning used to teach at Mariemont Elementary and he is the one who originally piqued my interest in math. He was such a fun and knowledgeable teacher and I always enjoyed my class time with him.

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What Makes Mariemont Special?

Everything!

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Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

What Makes Mariemont Special?

Everything!

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

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Special Places

The Resthaven Colony: Mary Emery's Social Experiment How would you like to retire to a cottage on a wooded hillside, with a clubhouse, your own garden, a working farm supplying fresh food and rich milk, with a hospital and convalescent home right out your back door? This was the intent of Mary Emery, who wanted to reward loyal employees of the Emery concerns with gracious retirement living. She purchased over 25 acres on the southern slope of Indian Hill and began establishing the Resthaven Colony as an experiment in social science and welfare.

This was a separate undertaking from the development of Mariemont. Resthaven was under construction before any building started in the Village. In fact, two gray horses from the Resthaven barn were used to mark the outline of the church, which was the first building begun in the Village proper.

Unfortunately, Mrs. Emery’s innovative vision was never realized. The Resthaven barn group and Resthaven Hospital (now St. Theresa Center) were the only components of the colony that were built. The hospital, begun in 1924, took a long time before serving the populace. No group of doctors could be found to operate it until the Sisters of Mercy purchased it in 1942. In the 1990s, it became a resident care facility, similar to the Convalescent Home envisioned in the original plans.

The farm was initially more successful than the hospital, but it soon became expensive and impractical for The Mariemont Company to manage. In 1929 the area reserved for pensioner’s cottages was divided into lots and sold for private homes. The farm and dairy operated until 1940, when the Thomas J. Emery Memorial voted to discontinue operations.

Hubert E. Reeves of New York, a leading architect of the time, designed the attractive grouping of buildings. The Resthaven barn group consisted of the farmer’s cottage, a barn with hangars for farm tools, a courtyard, the stables, and a model dairy. It was here Page 30

in 1933 and 1934 that Carl Lindner Sr. began Lindner Quality Milk. The small building was the milk plant, where milk from farmers in the Goshen and Milford areas was processed. All three of his young sons, Carl, Robert, and Richard, helped run the dairy operation. This enterprise ultimately led to the formation of United Dairy Farmers. The rich milk so prized by the Lindners and Mariemont residents alike was produced by

75 cents each. By Thanksgiving of 1923, there were over 2,500 trees established in the nursery. A full-time nursery manager, Mr. Fred Peck, was employed to care for the stock and oversee the transplanting. In order to transform the pastures and fields into the leafy neighborhoods we love today, a total of 80,000 trees and shrubs were brought in. A wide variety of species were chosen in order to create, “distinctive planting for each of the

The Resthaven Barn began as a social experiment, then led to the beginnings of United Dairy Farmers (UDF). a herd of thoroughbred Guernsey cows. The Mariemont Company estimated that in 1932 at least 6,000 people purchased milk, some coming from as far away as Ft. Thomas, Kentucky and Price Hill. In the rear of the buildings were the silo, cow yard, and lots of chicken coops. Part of the Resthaven Colony concept called for the farm to supply poultry, milk, and vegetables to the hospital, convalescent home and residents of the cottages.

Another notable aspect of the Resthaven development was a large nursery. Charles Livingood, Mrs. Emery’s agent, established the Mt. Vernon Nurseries in order to provide trees and shrubs for Mrs. Emery’s new town of Mariemont. Mr. Livingood was an ardent admirer of George Washington, and Mrs. Livingood served as Vice Regent (from Ohio) of the Mount Vernon estate in Virginia. In 1922, Livingood ordered 650 trees from Mount Vernon, at a cost of about

neighborhoods.” Trees were selected for their quick growth and shady canopies, as well as their beauty in spring and fall. Some early varieties included sycamores, sugar maples, oaks, lindens, lace bark elms, ginkgoes, dogwoods, and red buds. The Mariemont Company also planted virtually every variety of shrubs that grows in this climate, notably forsythia, lilac, spirea, and privet hedge.

An article from the Cincinnati Enquirer, dated April 23, 1922, described the unique concept of the Resthaven Colony as follows: “Every want of the pensioners in the matter of their living accommodations will be placed at their disposal…It is expected that many… will desire to have the satisfaction which goes with the wish of the average man – that of spending the evening of life on a little farm.” Though Mrs. Emery’s concept was compassionate and innovative, it was simply too impractical.

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Special Places

The Mariemont Inn

By Matt Crawford At the center of Mariemont’s Town Square and well known by all who live in and visit our village sits the Mariemont Inn. The three-story, half-timbered and brick Inn currently boasts 45 total guest rooms and 2 meeting spaces. The building also includes the popular National Exemplar restaurant and bar and Southerby’s Pub. All who pass by or visit here will surely notice the Tudor style of the Inn that anchors and reflects the style prevalent in the surrounding buildings throughout Mariemont. The story of how the Inn came into existence and how this became our beloved landmark is less well known but equally as intriguing.

The Mariemont Inn was designed by local Cincinnati architects, Zettle and Rapp, and construction began in April of 1925.

The building itself opened in 1926 when The Mariemont Company moved its offices into the first floor, but the Inn didn’t open to the public as a hotel until April 1929. The formal opening was marked by roses being dropped from an airplane flying overhead on April 13, 1929.

The entire structure was originally designed to be much larger than it stands today with the Mariemont Inn as the centerpiece and wings, in the shape of a V and consisting of shops, restaurants and other businesses, stretching down both Wooster Pike and Madisonville Road. The wings were originally intended to be twice as long as they stand today, but were never fully finished.

The design adjustment reasons are unclear, but Mary Emery’s death in 1927 and the Stock Market Crash of 1929 are both believed to be contributing factors to both design changes and the delay in the opening of the hotel.

Original artist's rendering of the Mariemont Inn. sunken English garden known as the Summer Garden. Visitors to The Summer Garden on weekend evenings were treated to outdoor movies and music by local orchestras with a covered, elevated dance floor in the middle.

During the winter, the dance floor was transformed into an ice skating rink. As the Inn and the Village of Mariemont grew in popularity, more parking was necessary, so

what was the site of the Summer Garden is where the parking lot exists today.

The Inn was owned and operated by the Mariemont Company from 1929 until 1945 when it was sold to Lawrence Jones of Philadelphia for $125,000. In 1962 the Jones estate sold the property to the current owners, Spinnenweber Builders.

The wing up Madisonville Road near West Street originally included a large double-deck Garage to serve both the guests of the Inn and to act as a general service station for the town.

The garage structure was eventually replaced by the current Executive Building.

Behind the Inn and between the two wings was once an attractively landscaped,

A photo of the original gardens.

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Special Places

From the Recreation Building to the Parish Center

By Matt Crawford A central piece of Mary Emery’s grand design for Mariemont was a recreation center for the children and adults of not only Mariemont but also the rest of Eastern Cincinnati. Mary Emery passed away in 1927, but had previously planned to build the Recreation Center as a memorial to her late husband, Thomas J. Emery. After her passing, the Thomas J. Emery memorial finalized the plans and construction of the building. The building was designed by George B. deGersdorff from New York, a friend and classmate of Mr. Thomas Livingood, the man who oversaw the planning and development of Mariemont. The building is a Lombard style of Italian architecture which differs from the English Tudor style buildings throughout the majority of the village.

At a cost of almost $300,000, the Thomas J Emery Memorial Recreation building was dedicated on May 17, 1930. The dedication and the ball that followed were one of the premier social events of Mariemont history attended by almost 1000 people.

The original intent of the recreation center was to provide space for both active sports and relaxation. The plans called for the recreation building, but also for six tennis courts, a swimming pool with a white sand beach and a stadium and field for football and other outdoor recreation. The stadium was to be built in the area behind the Parish Center and school. The pool and beach were never built, although the tennis courts remain.

Originally, the first floor of the building housed a two-story 650 seat auditorium, including 500 floor seats and an additional 150 balcony seats, for community events and theatrical performances. The back wall of the auditorium has three large glass doors which were intended to open on to a terrace overlooking the stadium. The terrace and the planned locker rooms a floor below, were never built. One end of the building was designated as a men’s lounge with fine furnishings of the day including oak tables, leather chairs, a fully-stocked library, a Page 32

wood burning fireplace and a billiards table.

The opposite end of the building was a women’s parlor including decorative floral wall coverings, lush, comfortable seating, ambient chandeliers and lighting fixtures and a large open fireplace.

The basement included two bowling alleys with room for two more. The bowling alleys remained in use until the late 1970’s by several Mariemont The Recreation Center (now the Parish Center) and its distinctive clock tower. bowling leagues. The Mariemont’s inter-denominational Community bowling alleys were removed in 1982 to provide space for the church’s children’s Church were connected. From the beginning, the church occupied six rooms in the south wing programs. The basement also included a pistol for church and minister’s offices. The Sunday and rifle range which housed the Mariemont School moved from the Dale Park School into Rifle Club and the Mariemont Archery Club. the Recreation Building in 1936. The Thomas One end of the basement also included a J Emery Memorial, which owned the building, wrestling and boxing room and dressing rooms offered the entire Recreation Building to the for the stage above. Between 1930 and 1949, Mariemont Community Church on a 10-year the basement included the Mariemont Branch lease. In 1954, the church purchased the building Library, which is now located on Pocahontas in its entirety for $75,000 and renamed it the Avenue, next to the high school.

Parish Center. Completed in 2009, at a total cost for $4.4 million, the Parish Center underwent In January and February of 1937, the Ohio major renovations to update the property and River flooded causing 385 deaths and wreaking to make it more suitable for a church building havoc from Pittsburgh to Cairo, Illinois. Over including turning the auditorium into a sanctuary one million people were left homeless. The for worship, adding an elevator, installing new American Red Cross housed local flood victims windows and doors to improve energy costs, in the Recreation Building during this time. updating the boiler heating system which had During World War II a District Civil Defense been in place since 1954, new electrical wiring, Headquarters was established in the building modernized plumbing systems, and a much with emergency supplies maintained until the safer, modern fire safety system. The basement late 1970’s. was renovated to better house the many different children’s programs including Sunday school, preIn the early years, a pedestrian tunnel, to school and daycare programs. provide children safe passage across Plainville Road, was built from the north side of Chestnut While the church remains the primary user Street to a stairwell at the north end of the front of the Parish Center, the Parish Center continues entrance to the Recreation Building. The tunnel to be used by the community of Mariemont and was filled by the village and closed in 1962. will continue to do so for future generations.

Since the dedication, the building and Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

SCHOOLS

Mariemont Elementary: More than a Building

BY ELLIE KAPCAR Elementary school is unforgettable.

Packed lunches, walks to school, monkey bars, skinned knees, favorite books, number two pencils… all of these contribute to that childlike innocence that hovers around Mariemont Elementary School every day.

Without the friendly faces, this district would not be what it is.

From Student to Faculty Peggy Shockey Kersker, Mariemont Class of 1973, is a part of a legacy: not only has she worked in the district for 28 years, but her father graduated from Terrace Park when it was a high school; her children, Dr. Jennifer Lang and Stephen Kersker, graduated from Mariemont High School in 1997 and 2000, respectively.

Kersker remembers a time when her siblings were in school, just before she entered high school. “In the early sixties the cupola was struck by lighting and burnt down. All the high schoolers came to help carry out books because of the water damage. It was exciting to see the text books sitting on the sidewalks airing out,” she recalled.

classes as much and have lunchtime divided up by grade level,” she says.

For the past five years she has worked in the office at Mariemont Elementary. Kersker says the most gut-wrenching part of her job is dialing 911 for the kids that come in from the playground with broken bones. “You hate to see any kid who is hurt. But I try to treat every child that comes through just like my own,” Kersker says. Kersker loves Mariemont Elementary School, its staff and students for a unique reason: “Everyone puts their heart and soul into helping every kid no matter their needs. We try to do what’s best for every kid, even the most challenging ones,” she says.

Remodeling For The Future During spring break of the 2010-2011 school year, the teachers of Mariemont Elementary boxed up their classrooms and unpacked in modular units. At this time, the district had garnered enough support and tax revenue to tackle a historic feat: constructing a new junior high in Fairfax and remodeling Mariemont Elementary.

Mariemont Elementary was built as a high school Lance Hollander was a key figure of this process, and he has been in the district for more than ten years. As principal and facilities director of Fairfax Elementary from 2004-2010, principal of Mariemont Elementary from 2010-2013, and principal of Mariemont Junior High from 2013-2014, now Hollander serves as the director of district operations. During the remodeling process, Hollander was a part of every team. There were eight different committees devoted to different aspects of the remodeling process: the transition committee and futures team, to name a few.

“Mariemont Elementary was beautiful but it had some challenges. Between electricity, plumbing, air-conditioning window units, and more, it was costing a lot of money to maintain and was draining resources,” says Hollander. One of the more difficult parts of the process was foreseeing the future of education. These predictions enabled the continued on next page

Unlike today, students didn’t text or snapchat each other during class. “We would pass notes, hoping they made it down to the front of the auditorium or wherever our friends were seated,” says Kersker. As for senior pictures, every girl was photographed in a button-down sweater accessorized with pearls. “It was a totally different environment,” Kersker recalls. “Thing were more proper back then. The girls wore dresses to school.”

Other changes included the building itself.

“Now Mariemont Elementary doesn’t seem as big as it used to be,” Kersker says. “When I was here for high school, we had different staircases for up and down— they were at opposite ends of the building. This helped to decrease hallway traffic. Now we don’t switch

An aerial view of the Elementary under construction. The two white buildings were temporary classrooms.

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Elementary (from previous page) teams to design a school fit for the needs of students to come. “We wanted to incorporate individualized thinking, changing research, global 24/7 internet access, collaboration, and critical thinking,” says Hollander.

and some who are retired even came back,” she says. “It was nice to catch up. Everything is so different now than it was when I was in elementary school.”

“Next year when I leave for college, I will miss Mariemont for its sense of community.

I love the different areas you can plug into serve: Builder’s Club at the elementary and junior high level, Key Club at the high school, and Kiwanis,” Caesar says.

These ideas came out in the reconstruction of the building. Hollander was an advocate for flexible, special spaces like small group rooms. He helped design the library, office layout, and conference rooms.

Students Past and Present Meg Caesar of Crystal Springs Road is a Mariemont alum as of May 29, 2016.

She will be studying Speech Pathology at Butler University this fall. Caesar attended Mariemont Elementary School from kindergarten through sixth grade. She shares one of her favorite memories is from Camp Kern as a sixth grader. “My older cousin Kylie was a counselor, so it was neat getting to spend a couple days with her and her friends.

It was cool to have this memory with her outside of family events. We played fun games and made creative crafts,” Caesar says.

The Dorn family of Pleasant Street loves Mariemont for their own reasons. Lucy, who will be in fifth grade, says, “I love Mariemont Elementary because it’s so close to every house.”

Max, Reid and Lucy Dorn

On the last day of school, Casear walked from the elementary school to the high school, a tradition of Mariemont for the past 37 years. “It’s fun getting together with friends and parents. I loved seeing my old teachers,

“My favorite part of first grade was my third grade reading buddy, Charlie. I like to read with him and see what the third graders do,” says Reid, a rising second-grader.

The youngest, Max, is about to enter kindergarten and is excited to go to school with his older siblings. “I can’t wait to see them in the cafeteria,” Max says.

MERRIMENT IN MARIEMONT

A Village with Amenities Galore

By Delta Crabtree “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” This particular cliché is partially true as I compare the Village recreation opportunities now and then. We are fortunate to enjoy the swimming pool, tennis courts, the public library, the Mariemont Inn and the Mariemont movie theater, along with a variety of retail shops and eateries. A copy of the Mariemont Messenger from 1941 is a delightful window into what was considered fun in 1941.

For instance, the Mariemont Tennis Association announced a mixed doubles tournament. Here are the details of what I’m sure was a fun day for all!

“Come down sometime between 12 and 2 pm on May 30th. Get your name in the hat for an impromptu Mixed Doubles Tournament. Names will be drawn as soon as there are enough players and matches will start. Try your luck at drawing a winner and winning the prize. A tournament like Page 34

The tennis courts on Plainville Road. this means laughs for the gallery too. There’s talk of a picnic party Saturday night, so come to the courts for your fun this holiday weekend.”

Summer time fun in 1941 did not include a

swimming pool. Instead, this is how kids cooled down during hot summer days: “The firemen operated “the spray”. It was an continued on next page

Mariemont Town Crier • 75 TH Anniversary Edition

arrangement of pipes with holes, about eight feet square; and one of the firemen, smoking his pipe, would vary the water pressure to everyone’s delight, making the height of the spray come to our chests or way over our heads.“ The Mariemont Inn placed a quarter page ad in the May 23, 1941 issue of the Mariemont Messenger highlighting their friendly service, delicious food, perfect beverages and moderate prices. How wonderful that 75 years later we are still enjoying this Mariemont institution! The ad goes on to advertise weekly Saturday night dancing with Cliff Burns Music. The minimum check is $1.00. They offered a “Special Sunday Dinner” ranging in price for $1.00 to $1.50 and served from 11:30am to 8:30 pm. What a shame that weekly dancing events are no more! Don’t miss your chance to relive the past at the Big Band Beer Garden Bash sponsored by The National Exemplar, Mariemont Inn and Mariemont Civic Association on September 10th. Tickets are on sale now!

The Mariemont Branch Library is a wonderful resource for our residents. The library serves Mariemont, Fairfax, Madisonville, Madison Place and other communities in the area. The fledgling Mariemont Library, which opened in 1926 in the corner of a building on Chestnut Street, had 750 books on its shelves and served 33 families. Over the next fifty years, as the community grew, the branch was housed in a variety of buildings including the Mariemont Recreation Building and the Plainville School.

The last location was where Mio’s Pizza is sited on Madisonville Road. The current building, on a one-acre site near the Mariemont High School, was dedicated in September 1972.

Today, the Mariemont Branch Library holds over 40,000 items including books, magazines, DVDs, music CDs and audio books as well as eight computers to serve over 100,000 visitors each year. And while downloadable materials are now available through the library’s website, library users still checked out and renewed close to 240,000 items last year from the Mariemont Branch Library. Visitors also took part in over 300 programs at the branch last year that ranged from story times for youth to adult book discussion groups. The staff welcomes all to the Mariemont Branch Library. Stop in and get your library card.

In the 1940s, the Library acquired 12 new books.

An article titled “Books to Suit Taste” describes the new selections: “In these times of war and horror many

people wish diversion to make them forget, while others wish to read all they can obtain to try and understand what is now taking place. For the first group the Mariemont Library has many books to offer, books of humor, detective stories, love stories, books of travel and adventure. For the 2nd group it here submits the following books which have been recently added to its collection.”

During this time, the Mariemont Theatre

ago, the Mariemont Recreation Department described their purpose as follows: “This program of recreation for Mariemont is no luxury item. It is a matter of stern necessity. It is the replacement of certain elements that have been lost from human life – elements as vital to the community life as vitamins to the body. In the course of a few decades we have uprooted our people from the farms and cooped them up in factories, offices and twenty-five foot lots. Perhaps of even greater

Mariemont Theatre circa 1938.

The current Mio's location was once the Mariemont Library. was quite active. The following films were being shown: On Friday and Saturday, “Footsteps in the Dark” staring Erroll Flynn and Brenda Marshall.

Sunday and Monday offered two Features – “Rage in Heaven” starring Robert Montgomery and Ingrid Bergman and “Six Lessons from Mme. Lazonga” starring Lupe Velez and Leon Errol.

significance we have commercialized their leisure, taking away their opportunity to create, and substituting mere amusement where everything is done for them by a few entertainers. To provide for the recreation of all the people of Mariemont, the adults as well as the children – that is the purpose of the recreation department.” It is as relevant now as it was then.

Today, the Mariemont Theatre has a selection of 5 movies with 3 daily showings each. In addition, during the summer months the theatre offers weekly free movie selections for family enjoyment. 75 years later parking is still free!

The last 75 years have been full of technological advances and societal changes. However, Mariemont continues to be an exemplary place to live with a strong sense of community and provides us lucky residents a unique opportunity to live in the 21st century while still enjoying a slice of “small town” America.

Mariemont truly has wonderful amenities that make life here more pleasant. 75 years

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