Friday and Saturday Morning Walks
with Buck and Bob
Join Buck Niehoff and Bob Moyer for Friday and Saturday Morning Walks
Distance: approximately about 1 mile
Duration: 90 minutes
Degree of Difficulty: Easy; a slight one block long mini-hill near the end
Route:
Meet in the lobby of the Hotel. Take stairs down one flight to Carew Tower Arcade, which connects the Hotel with the Carew Tower High-rise Office Building.
Sites:
Carew Tower
It was the tallest building in Cincinnati from 1930 to 2010, when the Queen City Square was completed. Early example of a mixed-use building, “a city within a building.” It has 5,000 doors and 8,000 windows.
Route:
Turn right on Vine Street. Walk a half block to Fourth Street.
Sites:
Fountain Square
Looking to the left at Vine and Fifth Streets see Fountain Square, which is the “center of the city.”
Ingalls Building
At the corner of Vine and Fourth Streets. Built in 1904. First steel reinforced concrete skyscraper (16 floors) in the world.
Fourth and Vine Building
Built in 1913. Fifth tallest building in the world when finished. Architect was Cass Gilbert, who designed New York’s Woolworth Building, which was also built in 1913 and was the tallest building in the world until 1930.
Being converted to condos.
Route:
Continue on Vine Street. Cross Third Street and Second Street. Vine Street becomes Rosa Parks Street.
Sites:
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Dedicated to all efforts to “abolish human enslavement and secure freedom for all people.”
Exhibits about the Underground Railroad, that ran through Cincinnati.
Route:
Follow Rosa Parks Street. Cross Ted Berry Way. (Mr. Berry was the first Black Mayor of Cincinnati. I helped him to teach a course on municipal law at the College of Law of the University of Cincinnati.)
Sites:
Carol Ann’s Carousel
Named for Carol Ann Haile, whose Foundation funded the Carousel. Open 11:00 to 4:00 Thursdays through Sundays. Forty-four, hand-carved whimsical wooden animals depict Cincinnati scenes and themes. Lots of fun to ride, even for adults
Roebling Suspension Bridge
Planning began in 1846 but not completed until 1866 after the Civil War to prevent Confederate troops from crossing the river on it. Longest suspension bridge in the world until the Brooklyn Bridge was completed in 1883. It looks like a small Brooklyn Bridge. Designed by John Roebling, who built the Brooklyn Bridge. So-called “singing bridge,” featured in the Hollywood movie “Rain Man.”
The Ascent at Roebling Bridge
Designed in 2005 by Daniel Libeskind. Condo building.
Flood Wall Historical Murals
The “History of Covington” is depicted in a series of murals painted on the flood wall.
Route:
At the end of the bridge take the steps down to the street and cross into Smale Riverfront Park.
Sites:
Smale Riverfront Park
Named for John Smale, former president of Procter & Gamble. He donated money for its construction. An example of a large urban park. It extends to other parks for three miles along the river. It is absolutely beautiful, with fountains, play areas and shady walkways.
Labyrinth
A fun maze to walk through.
Marian Spencer Statue
The granddaughter of a former slave, Marian Spencer (1920 - 2019) was the first Black woman elected to Cincinnati City Council. She was a dedicated and effective Civil Rights activist her entire life.
Black Brigade Monument
Great place to sit for a while to write haiku. This is just beyond the halfway point of the walk.
Honoring the 718 Black Union Army troops who helped to construct and defend fortifications protecting Cincinnati during the Civil War.
Route:
Cross to Main Street. At The Banks, across from the entrance to the Reds Ball Park, turn left into The Banks Pedestrian Plaza, turn right onto Marian Spencer Way which becomes Walnut Street.
Sites:
Great American Ball Park
Home of the Cincinnati Reds, the first professional baseball team.
Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum
Full of Reds memorabilia.
The Banks
Casual restaurants and bars.
Route:
Cross Second and Third Streets and follow Walnut Street up the slight hill to the corner of Fourth and Walnut Streets.
Sites:
Dixie Terminal Building
Home of the former Cincinnati Stock Exchange, the first stock exchange in the world to use computer trading.
Commercial Sky Rise Buildings
At the corner of Fourth and Walnut Streets is one of the most complete concentration of early Twentieth Century office skyrise buildings in the United States. Four of them were built by Daniel Burnham, Chicago architect who designed the 1983 Chicago Columbian Exposition and the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Fourth National Bank, 1904
Fifth Third Bank Building, 1901
First National Bank Building, 1905
Tri-State Building, 1902
Route:
Walk north on Walnut one block. Turn left on Fifth Street. Walk one block to Vine Street and cross to the entrance of the Carew Tower Arcade. Return to the lobby of the Hotel.
Sites:
Mercantile Library Building
At 414 Walnut Street. Current building was built in 1903. Established in 1835, the library is the oldest west of Philadelphia.
Fountain Square
The center of the City.
Distance: approximately about 1 mile
Duration: 90 minutes
Degree of Difficulty: Easy; a slight one block long mini-hill near the end
Route:
Meet in the lobby of the Hotel. Take stairs down one flight to Carew Tower Arcade, which connects the Hotel with the Carew Tower High-rise Office Building.
Sites:
Carew Tower
It was the tallest building in Cincinnati from 1930 to 2010, when the Queen City Square was completed. Early example of a mixed-use building, “a city within a building.” It has 5,000 doors and 8,000 windows.
Route:
Turn right on Vine Street. Walk a half block to Fourth Street.
Sites:
Fountain Square
Looking to the left at Vine and Fifth Streets see Fountain Square, which is the “center of the city.”
Ingalls Building
At the corner of Vine and Fourth Streets. Built in 1904. First steel reinforced concrete skyscraper (16 floors) in the world.
Fourth and Vine Building
Built in 1913. Fifth tallest building in the world when finished. Architect was Cass Gilbert, who designed New York’s Woolworth Building, which was also built in 1913 and was the tallest building in the world until 1930.
Being converted to condos.
Route:
Continue on Vine Street. Cross Third Street and Second Street. Vine Street becomes Rosa Parks Street.
Sites:
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
Dedicated to all efforts to “abolish human enslavement and secure freedom for all people.”
Exhibits about the Underground Railroad, that ran through Cincinnati.
Route:
Follow Rosa Parks Street. Cross Ted Berry Way. (Mr. Berry was the first Black Mayor of Cincinnati. I helped him to teach a course on municipal law at the College of Law of the University of Cincinnati.)
Sites:
Carol Ann’s Carousel
Named for Carol Ann Haile, whose Foundation funded the Carousel. Open 11:00 to 4:00 Thursdays through Sundays. Forty-four, hand-carved whimsical wooden animals depict Cincinnati scenes and themes. Lots of fun to ride, even for adults
Roebling Suspension Bridge
Planning began in 1846 but not completed until 1866 after the Civil War to prevent Confederate troops from crossing the river on it. Longest suspension bridge in the world until the Brooklyn Bridge was completed in 1883. It looks like a small Brooklyn Bridge. Designed by John Roebling, who built the Brooklyn Bridge. So-called “singing bridge,” featured in the Hollywood movie “Rain Man.”
The Ascent at Roebling Bridge
Designed in 2005 by Daniel Libeskind. Condo building.
Flood Wall Historical Murals
The “History of Covington” is depicted in a series of murals painted on the flood wall.
Route:
At the end of the bridge take the steps down to the street and cross into Smale Riverfront Park.
Sites:
Smale Riverfront Park
Named for John Smale, former president of Procter & Gamble. He donated money for its construction. An example of a large urban park. It extends to other parks for three miles along the river. It is absolutely beautiful, with fountains, play areas and shady walkways.
Labyrinth
A fun maze to walk through.
Marian Spencer Statue
The granddaughter of a former slave, Marian Spencer (1920 - 2019) was the first Black woman elected to Cincinnati City Council. She was a dedicated and effective Civil Rights activist her entire life.
Black Brigade Monument
Great place to sit for a while to write haiku. This is just beyond the halfway point of the walk.
Honoring the 718 Black Union Army troops who helped to construct and defend fortifications protecting Cincinnati during the Civil War.
Route:
Cross to Main Street. At The Banks, across from the entrance to the Reds Ball Park, turn left into The Banks Pedestrian Plaza, turn right onto Marian Spencer Way which becomes Walnut Street.
Sites:
Great American Ball Park
Home of the Cincinnati Reds, the first professional baseball team.
Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum
Full of Reds memorabilia.
The Banks
Casual restaurants and bars.
Route:
Cross Second and Third Streets and follow Walnut Street up the slight hill to the corner of Fourth and Walnut Streets.
Sites:
Dixie Terminal Building
Home of the former Cincinnati Stock Exchange, the first stock exchange in the world to use computer trading.
Commercial Sky Rise Buildings
At the corner of Fourth and Walnut Streets is one of the most complete concentration of early Twentieth Century office skyrise buildings in the United States. Four of them were built by Daniel Burnham, Chicago architect who designed the 1983 Chicago Columbian Exposition and the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Fourth National Bank, 1904
Fifth Third Bank Building, 1901
First National Bank Building, 1905
Tri-State Building, 1902
Route:
Walk north on Walnut one block. Turn left on Fifth Street. Walk one block to Vine Street and cross to the entrance of the Carew Tower Arcade. Return to the lobby of the Hotel.
Sites:
Mercantile Library Building
At 414 Walnut Street. Current building was built in 1903. Established in 1835, the library is the oldest west of Philadelphia.
Fountain Square
The center of the City.
