Newly Processed Collections related to Cincinnati History that You May Have Missed

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With the help of additional staff members and interns at the Archives and Rare Books Library, we have been working hard processing collections and publishing better descriptions of our holdings.  Here are some recently processed (or recently improved) finding aids related to the history of the City of Cincinnati that are now available to our researchers.  Most of the descriptions below were taken from the finding aids written by Brittney Lynn Smith and Julianna Witt.

Cincinnati Board of City Hall Trustees records (ON-75-18) – The Cincinnati Board of City Hall Trustees records document the planning and construction of Cincinnati’s City Hall which was completed in 1893.  Samuel Hannaford and Sons were the architects for the project and the Board of City Hall Trustees were formed to manage the budget.  The collection contains clerk’s records relating to the project, meeting minutes, reports, architectural and contractual bids and financial records.  ARB intern, Brittney Lynn Smith, processed this collection.

A color image from the front of the Findlay Market Dedication Day booklet in 1974 showing entry doors to Findlay Market and cars on the streets surrounding the market.
The Findlay Market Dedication Day booklet from the Friends of Findlay Market Committee records.

Friends of Findlay Market Committee records (US-88-04) – This collection, processed by ARB intern, Brittney Lynn Smith, documents the role of the Friends of the Findlay Market Committee between 1974 and 1986.  The Friends of Findlay Market Committee was founded by public market enthusiasts in support of Ohio’s oldest public market.  The collection contains by-laws, committee, lists, correspondence, flyers, and pamphlets along with the 1984 Over the Rhine Comprehensive plan.

A color flyer for the "Freedom Without Walls" exhibit. There is text on the left side of the flyer explains that on August 13, 1961, the government of East Germany completed a wall that split the city of Berlin in half. Over the years, people were killed attempting to escape to West Berlin over the wall. On November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall fell after peaceful marches staged by East Germans. The marches were inspired by the American Civil Rights movement. A segment of that wall was gifted to the City of Cincinnati from the City of Berlin. The exhibit "honors those everywhere, past and present, who have died seeking freedom without walls."
The Munich Sister City Association was involved with a Berlin Wall exhibit at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. This is a flyer about the project from the Munich Sister City Association records.

Munch Sister City Association of Greater Cincinnati records (US-25-03).  This collection was processed by Julianna Witt and documents efforts to establish a sister city relationship between Cincinnati and Munich, Germany, between the years 1951-2025.  The collection includes documentation of exchange programs for police, firefighters, students, teachers, artists, lawyers, and businesspeople among others.  It includes meeting minutes and reports of the association along with details of the association’s involvement with the Cincinnati Flower Show and Oktoberfest Zinzinnati. 

Norwood real estate development maps (US-23-01) – Norwood, Ohio, is a neighborhood in the Cincinnati metropolitan area that was founded in 1888 as an early suburb of Cincinnati.  The Norwood real estate development maps contain documents by land developer and businessman Edward Mills to sell land warrants for Norwood subdivisions and real estate property from 1883-1926.  The collection contains plat maps for East Norwood, Norwood Heights, and South Norwood along with maps of Leslie and Dick’s subdivision and Edward Mills’ Subdivision.  The collection also contains auction advertisements, a resolution sent to Andrew Carnegie asking him to build a public library in Norwood and correspondence.  This collection processed by Julianna Witt would be of use to researchers interested in Norwood, Ohio.

George Puchta memoir and obituary (US-24-04) – George Puchta was a Cincinnati businessman and politician who was the son of German immigrants.  Puchta became involved in Republican politics early in life.  He served as Water Works Trustee for the city of Norwood and in 1911 was appointed U.S. Assistant Treasurer in Cincinnati by President William Howard Taft.  In 1915, he was elected mayor of Cincinnati. Puchta went on to serve as a Presidential Elector for the First Ohio District, Chairman of the Committee on Parks and Playgrounds, and Secretary of the Greater Park League.  This collection consists of his autobiographical memoir and his obituary from the Cincinnati Enquirer.    This collection was processed by Suzanne Reller.

A color image of an invitation dated October 6, 1960. The invitation contains a photo of John F. Kennedy at the top with a note of greetings from John F. Kennedy. The invitation states, "Dinner in honor of John F. Kennedy, Democratic Candidate for President of the United States." The dinner took place at the Sheraton Gibson Hotel in Cincinnati.
An invitation to a fundraiser for John F. Kennedy from the Sidney Weil, Jr. papers

Sidney Weil, Jr. papers (US-80-11) – Sidney Weil, Jr. was a lawyer who was active in Cincinnati politics.  In 1964, Weil became the Chair of the Hamilton County Democratic Party.  The collection contains campaign materials, correspondence, data on local voting patterns, and meeting meetings.  This collection was processed by ARB intern Brittney Lynn Smith.

Oscar Benjamin Reemelin papers (UA-23-10) – Oscar Benjamin Reemlin (1881-1975) was a graduate of both Hughes High School and the University of Cincinnati.  He studied civil engineering at UC and was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.  The papers contain photographs of his Hughes High School graduation class, the University of Cincinnati Phi Delta Theta fraternity and other portrait and group photographs.  This collection was processed by Julianna Witt.

All the above collections are now open for use by researchers.  If you want to learn more about any of the above collections, please contact the Archives and Rare Books Library at archives@ucmail.uc.edu. 

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