The beginnings of Northside are not so different from many other towns in the Midwest.
After the American revolution, the new American nation was weak and poor. The government promoted the development of the western lands to strengthen the nation. One of the first areas targeted was the Ohio territory, its flat fertile land being well suited to farming and transportation, and the Ohio river providing easy access.
The area was originally surveyed by Israel Ludlow, who was compensated for his efforts with a parcel of land by the Mill Station, where he settled. (The Ludlow Monument commemorates this location.) Ludlow went on to survey Hamilton, Dayton, Fort Wayne and a host of other towns about the Midwest.
People had been settling in the area known as Mill Station by the Mill Creek at the intersection of two old Indian trails since around 1790 but as, they were occupying Indian lands, life was not too safe. Real settling did not occur till after the Treaty of Greenville was signed, bringing an end to the Indian wars.
The settlers renamed the Indian trails after generals Arthur St. Clair and Anthony Wayne. St Clair’s Trace followed the path of what is now Hamilton Avenue, and Wayne’s Trace followed along the Mill Creek down to the Ohio and Licking rivers on what is now Spring Grove Avenue.
There originally were only a few residents, several homes, a tavern and a few businesses. It was not until the 1820s and the introduction of the Miami-Erie Canal that a real population started to develop. Growth continued with the construction of the CH&D (Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton) railroad.
Cumminsville started to gain a reputation as a place where Cincinnatians could get away from the city. Depending on one’s idea of a good time, it was called either Happy Valley or Helltown. The latter name was generally reserved for the area around the canal on the western side of Cumminsville.
In the mid 19th century, there was a great influx of immigrants to the US, as people fled the social turmoil in Europe for America’s promise. Families, many of them German immigrants, began moving to the newly subdivided area, their commutes made easy by the railroad. Businesses and churches opened up that catered to this largely German population, and more industry opened in the area, further encouraging development and population density.
Cumminsville played a role in the abolition movement around this time. The Mill Creek, which borders the west of the community, was a major escape route on the Underground Railroad. Wesleyan Cemetery, chartered in 1843, was the first racially integrated cemetery in Cincinnati and the site of the “Escape of the 28,” a well-documented Underground Railroad operation.
Cumminsville was annexed by the City of Cincinnati in 1873, and the neighborhood continued its growth through the 1920s. By the end of the 19th century, Knowlton’s Corner was one of busiest business districts in the city, and affluent businessmen renamed this part of the neighborhood “Northside” to denote its location relative to downtown Cincinnati and just north of the rail lines.
The Northside Business Association was founded in 1907 as the Northside Business Club and has been serving the neighborhood business community for over 100 years now.
Many of the homes and commercial buildings that remain in the neighborhood today were built during this time of economic prosperity and population growth, with many fine examples of Italianate, Second Empire, late Victorian, Four Square, Eclectic, and Tudor Revival architectural styles.
Industry boomed after World War II. The housing and automobile markets exploded in conjunction with the development of the highway system. People no longer had reason to live near work and shopping, as they were able to travel independently and conveniently in their automobiles across well paved roads. The passenger rail market waned. Where people had once escaped to the suburbs of Cumminsville, they now left for more rural neighborhoods and villages. As the demand for housing declined in Northside, area merchants struggled to compete for business.
By the 1960s most of the industry that had been in Northside had finally left. In 1974, the construction of I-74 effectively cut the neighborhood in half, dividing it into North and South Cumminsville.
In the 1980s, North Cumminsville officially became known as Northside and began to experience a resurgence in popularity. Its undervalued home prices and central location appealed to many first-time home buyers. The city designated the part of the business district around Hoffner Lodge as a historic district.
The city has invested in several improvement projects in recent years. The biannual Northside House Tour has celebrated our eclectic homes since 1990. The annual Northside 4th of July Parade, and Rock’n’Roll Festival and Sideshow bring hundreds of visitors to our neighborhood each summer.
Today, we have a healthy business environment, active community council and a diverse religious community. Northside boasts a business association that is over a century old.
The history of Northside is still unfolding.