When the University of Cincinnati was created in 1870, it was as a municipal university, and, it was always considered to be a \u201cuniversity of the city.\u201d\u00a0 This philosophy \u2013 that the university would draw from the city\u2019s rich, vibrant resources of culture and business, and in turn render service to the city through its students and educational programs – meant that the university\u2019s leaders would be \u201cof the city\u201d as well.<\/p>\n
Jacob Dolson Cox, UC president from 1885 to 1889, epitomized this thinking in how he constantly strived to integrate a more cosmopolitan notion of \u201ctown\u201d with \u201cgown.\u201d\u00a0 Cox, a lawyer and statesman as well as an educator, maintained his personal residence in the city in the Dayton Street neighborhood of the West End, an area of prominent business and professional men in the community who were very interested in the university\u2019s affairs.\u00a0 Before the end of his term, in 1888, Cox, like so many other notable community leaders, moved up the hill out of the city\u2019s basin to a house on Gilman Avenue in Mt. Auburn, close to the University Building on the Clifton Avenue hill above the original Charles McMicken property.\u00a0 A few years later, in 1895, the university would move as well, to its present location.<\/p>\n
The early presidents of UC, whether they were considered solely as the head of the university or faculty who for a few years assumed the role of \u201cinterim\u201d presidents, bought their own residences, living near the campus in Mt. Auburn or Clifton.\u00a0 A president\u2019s home has never been constructed or been created within the physical university itself.\u00a0 Howard Ayers, for instance, who was president from 1899 to 1904, lived on Burnet Avenue, just a few short blocks from campus, and Charles Dabney, president from 1904 to 1920, lived at Evans Place in Clifton, a couple blocks north of Ludlow Avenue.\u00a0 It was under Dabney\u2019s tenure as president that UC first realized its potential for research, service, and teaching in an urban environment, an educational philosophy that has re-flowered in the past several years.\u00a0 Under Dabney, too, the university created its landmark contribution to higher education in the creation of the coop program under Engineering Dean Herman Schneider.\u00a0 When Schneider himself became president from 1928 to 1932, he continued the Clifton neighborhood tradition, living on Evanswood Place.\u00a0 His predecessor, Frederick Hicks, was a Cliftonite as well, on Ingleside.<\/p>\n
However, Raymond Walters would be the last UC president to have a private residence.\u00a0 Walters, president from 1932 to 1955, first lived on Warren Avenue, and later moved to Interwood Place.\u00a0 As other presidents had done before him, and as was expected, Walters often entertained visiting scholars and speakers in his home, and, frequently put them up for the night as well.\u00a0 Walters\u2019 son Philip, often told the story of when he was a boy, going down to the kitchen late one night and finding the writer H.G. Wells in a snit because the only alcohol he could find was a cold bottle of Scotch.\u00a0 Raymond Walters was a teetotaler, and hearing that his guest was fond of his drink, bought one bottle of Scotch and placed it where he thought it was proper, in back of the refrigerator.<\/p>\n
After Raymond Walters\u2019 retirement, Walter Langsam was hired in 1955 to head the university and it was deemed time for UC to finally provide its president with a home.\u00a0 In March of that year, a resolution was adopted by the board of directors to provide a \u201cbuilding to be known as the President\u2019s Residence to be used for University purposes.\u201d\u00a0 By that October, Langsam was in a university-owned home at 3650 Clifton Avenue.\u00a0 This house remained the official university residence throughout Langsam\u2019s years as president, but when Warren Bennis succeeded him in 1971, the home was not to his liking and he asked the board to find another residence.\u00a0 In response, the board purchased an historic home at 750 Ludlow Avenue, the \u201cMorrison House\u201d, for $55,400.\u00a0 Constructed in 1875, the house sat atop a ridge with an excellent view of the Clifton neighborhood, and was large enough to provide living quarters as well as space for official university functions.\u00a0 One of the selling points for the board was that they were preserving an historic landmark in Cincinnati \u2013 again, the notion that the university and city interests were tied together.\u00a0 And, no small consideration even at that time, it was felt that guest parking was plentiful, something altogether lacking in the Langsam residence.<\/p>\n
Bennis resigned his presidency in 1977, and was succeeded by Henry Winkler.\u00a0 By this time, the community duties of UC\u2019s president had only increased, and again a move was necessary for sufficient space to accommodate important gatherings.\u00a0 Early in 1978, a new home, still in Clifton at 363 Lafayette near Mt. Storm Park, was purchased for $200,000, the funds for which were partially provided by the sale of the 750 Ludlow Avenue property.\u00a0 President Winkler, as well as President Joseph Steger, enjoyed this house until 2003.<\/p>\n
However, while it was a beautiful residence in many ways, the house left visitors with the feeling of being somewhat removed from \u201cthe university and the city.\u201d\u00a0 A fresh emphasis and dedication to ideals of a full partnership in the urban life of Cincinnati, meant it was time once more for the University of Cincinnati\u2019s president to provide a bridge between campus and community.\u00a0 In 2004, the presidential residence became a beautiful condominium in the Edgecliff Point tower near Eden Park, built on the site where the former Edgecliff College once stood.\u00a0 The condo was owned by UC benefactors Buck and Patti Niehoff, who donated its use to the university for ten years.\u00a0 Nancy Zimpher became the first University of Cincinnati president to live there, and in 2008 the Niehoffs gave the condominium as an outright gift to UC.<\/p>\n
The residence contains some interesting historical items, such as wall sconces from Cincinnati\u2019s Hotel Sinton, constructed in 1907 and demolished some decades ago.\u00a0 As the official residence of UC\u2019s president, the home serves not only as a private residence, but is also used for special events hosted by first Dr. Zimpher, and now for the university\u2019s new president, Gregory Williams.\u00a0 It is officially known as University House at Edgecliff Point.<\/p>\n
Written by Kevin Grace<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When the University of Cincinnati was created in 1870, it was as a municipal university, and, it was always considered to be a \u201cuniversity of the city.\u201d\u00a0 This philosophy \u2013 that the university would draw from the city\u2019s rich, vibrant … Continue reading