The Cincinnati Subway

Cincinnati emerged from a tumultuous 19th century as a growing metropolis committed to city planning. The most ambitious plan of the early twentieth century, the Cincinnati Subway, was doomed to failure. Construction began in 1920 and ended in 1927 when the money had run out. Today, two miles of empty subway tunnels still lie beneath Cincinnati, waiting to be used. The Cincinnati Subway tells the whole story, from the turbulent times in the 1880s to the ultimate failure of "Cincinnati's White Elephant." Along the way, the reader will learn about what was happening in Cincinnati during the growth of the subway-from the Courthouse Riots in 1884 to life in the Queen City during World War II.

What of those ghostly catacombs that lie dormant below city streets? Those subway tunnels, never finished, never filled with the screeches of trains and the busy commotion of commuters. Just there. Dead. You've heard of the subway's demise. The tunnels were too narrow. The city was too broke. A grand miscalculation. Well, most of what you've heard is, sorry to say, untrue. The popular story of the subway's demise is myth-laden and as incomplete as the original plan. The full story, long buried in mounds of public records dispersed in libraries, is now revealed. Local author Jacob R. Mecklenborg emerges from those dusty tomes with a fresh, thought-provoking, full examination of the subway's demise and what its future might hold.

There is a dark history in southwest Ohio that some people would much rather forget. A riot tore through downtown Cincinnati in 1884, a fire burned relentlessly at the Salvation Army orphanage on Front Street, and one of the largest mass murders in history occurred in a small, unassuming home in Hamilton. Many of these tragedies have begun to fade away, forgotten in dusty books hidden on library shelves. The spirits of those involved in these tragedies, though, are not so easily forgotten. Many of the most popular historic sites and some of the lesser-known and forgotten corners of southwest Ohio are haunted by the spirits of those who lived and died there. Haunted Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio examines the ghostly history of more than 30 such locations. It tells ghost stories and reports historic events from area theaters, cemeteries, museums, parks, roads, railroad tracks, and even a castle through narrative and photographs. Perhaps the ghosts are history's way of remembering the past--even those dark corners of the past that few would like to relive.

For those looking to visit Cincinnati or considering moving there, Insiders' Guide to Cincinnati is the essential source for information about this thriving Ohio city. Written by locals with first-hand experience in the region, this exceedingly useful and practical guide offers a personal perspective of Cincinnati and its surroundings and includes three maps of the area.

A visual exploration of the transit histories of twenty-three US and Canadian cities. Every driver in North America shares one miserable, soul-sucking universal experience—being stuck in traffic. But things weren’t always like this. Why is it that the mass transit systems of most cities in the United States and Canada are now utterly inadequate? The Lost Subways of North America offers a new way to consider this eternal question, with a strikingly visual—and fun—journey through past, present, and unbuilt urban transit. Using meticulous archival research, cartographer and artist Jake Berman has successfully plotted maps of old train networks covering twenty-three North American metropolises, ranging from New York City’s Civil War–era plan for a steam-powered subway under Fifth Avenue to the ultramodern automated Vancouver SkyTrain and the thousand-mile electric railway system of pre–World War II Los Angeles. He takes us through colorful maps of old, often forgotten streetcar lines, lost ideas for never-built transit, and modern rail systems—drawing us into the captivating transit histories of US and Canadian cities. Berman combines vintage styling with modern printing technology to create a sweeping visual history of North American public transit and urban development. With more than one hundred original maps, accompanied by essays on each city’s urban development, this book presents a fascinating look at North American rapid transit systems.

Cincinnati on the Go explores the various modes of transportation that helped people get around in the first half of the 20th century, providing a unique view of the Queen City through the eyes of her everyday commuters. This volume features historic images of river transportation, street railways, city buses, steam railroads, the first automobiles, and wonderful, rare street scenes. Author Allen J. Singer expands on the transportation photographs in the previously released The Cincinnati Subway, inviting the reader up and out of the abandoned subway tunnels and on a visual tour through the historic streets of the Queen City on her riverboats, streetcars, cable cars, railroads, interurbans, and buses.

Cincinnati chills are on the menu, as two ghost tour guides serve up the most terrifying tales from this Ohio River city’s haunted history. A ghostly captain who forever guards her steamboat, an elusive lady in green who roams Carew Tower, spectral lovers who reunite in museum halls, these are among the souls who walk Cincinnati’s forgotten paths. Take a chilling tour with Teri Casper and Dan Smith, owners of Cincinnati Tours, Inc., as they recount the infamous murder of Imogene Remus by her bootlegger husband and recall the tale of a young World War II soldier who is still searching for a way home from Union Terminal. Wander among the lonely mausoleums of Spring Grove Cemetery and listen for strange echoes in Music Hall to meet the otherworldly residents of the Queen City. Includes photos!