Walking Cincinnati. Danny Korman
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, one of the most influential books in the history of the United States.
Walk Description
Begin at the southeast intersection of Gilbert Avenue and William Howard Taft Road in front of the Alexandra Apartments. Before you set off, look to the northwest corner of the intersection, where you can see the lone remaining tower of the
Walk away from the tower and along William Howard Taft Road beside the Alexandra Apartments. This expansive property holds an important place in the development of Cincinnati’s hillside neighborhoods, the original suburbs. When it was built in 1904, it was the largest apartment building in the city and a symbol of development patterns, including the expansion of residential life to the hillsides, the role of the streetcar in determining development, and the impact of population growth on residential styles.
Just beyond the apartments is the
Continue on William Howard Taft Road for two more blocks until you reach the Alms Hill Apartments. Originally built as the Hotel Alms in 1925, the expansive modern hotel had 500 rooms and a number of eccentric and glamorous amenities, including the Mermaid Lounge and Tokyo Garden. The towers were also used as a TV broadcasting site for WKRC.
Turn right onto Victory Parkway, where you’ll walk through the tree-lined streets for several blocks as you approach Eden Park.
After crossing Cypress Street, a University of Cincinnati campus sits on your left at 2220 Victory Parkway. This site is home to Communiversity, a program of noncredit education programs designed for nonenrolled community members who enjoy ongoing education.
Follow the bend and keep right to continue on Victory Parkway. Take a slight left onto Eden Park Drive and enter Eden Park.
You’ll first come upon the iconic Twin Lakes. If you’d like to add a short side trip, take the loop around the lakes to Twin Lakes Overlook, where you can find breathtaking views of the city.
Just beyond and opposite Twin Lakes is the Eden Park Standpipe, also designed by Samuel Hannaford and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This historic water tower was erected in 1894 and, at that time, was an active channel in the water supply system in Walnut Hills.
Continue along Eden Park Drive and you’ll quickly come upon the
Follow Eden Park Drive around the bend and toward Mirror Lake. At this point, this walk abuts Walk 5: Mount Adams. Continue along Eden Park Drive and you’ll pass the
Stay left on the roundabout and continue along Eden Park Drive. Soon you’ll see a bed of solar panels that, along with a wind turbine, power the park’s administration building.
Exit the park and turn right onto Gilbert Avenue. Once you cross over Morris Street, you’ll continue along Gilbert Avenue in the Gilbert-Sinton Historic District. Here you will find a number of Queen Anne and Shingle-style homes built between 1880 and 1900. This area was developed along the main streetcar corridor and offered a number of amenities within a short travel time for wealthy Cincinnatians. The neighborhood was established as a national historic district in 1983.
As you continue up Gilbert to return to your starting location, you’ll pass several local businesses that reflect the history of the neighborhood’s once-prominent African American Business District. Many African Americans took residency here at the beginning of the 19th century because Reverend Kemper was one of the few property owners to rent and sell land to African Americans.
If you’re looking for a snack or a drink after all this walking, a number of great spots line Gilbert Avenue, including
Points of Interest