DeSales Corner

It’s time to say good-by to Eden Park and start making our way along the Buckeye Trail. Head north on Eden Park Drive and make a right on Victory Parkway then a right on East McMillan St. (slightly altering the route of the Buckeye Trail). Veer left onto Woodburn which will take you to the heart of DeSales and as you will see, a perfect view of the impressive Gothic Revival Saint Francis De Sales Church.

This small neighborhood has seen its share of change, for the good and the bad, over the years. It wasn’t that long ago that this was a small black eye in our area. When dad took his runs with our dog, broken glass littered the streets making travel on foot treacherous. Today, broken glass along the sidewalks has been replaced by decorative bricks. New shops, eateries and boutiques, even an art gallery or two line Woodburn Avenue. The neighborhood, as you will see, is still in transition but the positive steps forward are far outweighing the small hiccups along the road to revitalization.

This is a great little neighborhood to explore on foot; mostly so you can appreciate its fabulous architecture. The area, part of Walnut Hills, is the result of two distinct cultures coming together; the wealthy entrepreneurs who built lavish mansions often on 5-10 acres (occasionally much larger) and German, middle class workers.   Most of the buildings you see of historic and architectural significance were built between 1865 and 1910. The area is a fine example of blending large, single family estates, businesses and multiple family houses well.  What I found interesting is that of the original buildings all were of stone/brick construction with the exception of two wood frame structures (a 1865 Greek Revival single family home and a 1880 three-story Italianate building.)

This area, was for a time, the suburbs, an oasis from the dirt, grime, noise and pollution of Cincinnati. The idyllic setting was attractive to those acquiring large tracks of land. In 1849 the Marianist Brothers arrived from France and established the Saint Francis De Sales church (the church you see today is the second church built for the parish) for the neighborhood’s German Catholic families.  By the 1860s the primarily residential neighborhood was developing a thriving business district. The horsecar service of 1872 opened up this area to new residents, making it easier for them to commute from Woodburn to East Walnut Hills and downtown. Cable cars soon replaced horses and faster electric streetcars replaced the cable cars. The quiet area that was once apart from the city was now tightly connected by modern transportation.

To accommodate the influx of new residents and the shops and services to cater to them, multifamily dwelling were built, all of which (with the exception of one) included storefronts on the first floor.

What is makes DeSales so exceptional is the design of the apartment buildings was as thoughtful and elegant as that of the grand estates. The San Marco Apartment building (corner of Woodburn and Madison) boasted “handsome carved stone trimmings, private halls, bathrooms fitted up with marble floors and wainscoting, butler’s pantry and one room on the top floor for servant.”

 Cincinnati: The past is still the Present, March 2, 1982.

Obviously the stigma of living with families above or beneath you was gone and grand apartment living had taken hold.

According to the Woodburn Avenue NBD Historic District Designation report.. this area boasts 26 significant buildings. No one style dominates the landscape. The district includes Greek Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Spanish Revival and Renaissance Revival Styles as well as Modern/Neo-classical buildings.

Next stop, O’Bryonville for some shopping, a cold beer and decadent pastries!