City - Cincinnati, OH - Heart of Cincinnati's financial district 1906
by Mike Savad
Title
City - Cincinnati, OH - Heart of Cincinnati's financial district 1906
Artist
Mike Savad
Medium
Photograph - Colorized Photo
Description
Hand colored photo from 1906
Original title: Fourth St. [Street], Cincinnati, Ohio
Photographer: Detroit Publishing
Location: 16 W 4th St, Cincinnati, OH
Along Cincinnati's storied Fourth Street, a snapshot from the early 1900s reveals a corridor brimming with commercial vitality, architectural ambition, and cultural memory. Anchored by iconic structures on both sides, this stretch of downtown served as a testament to the city's prominence during the early 20th century. The buildings, many still standing and others long gone, together formed a vibrant cross-section of business, style, and innovation.
On the left side of the street, one of the most architecturally significant structures is the Herschede Building, originally constructed in 1857. Designed by architects William Walter and James Keys Wilson, it began as the Suire, Eckstein & Co. Pharmacy, later housing Mullane's Candies, and eventually becoming home to Herschede Jewelers from 1939 through the 1990s. Known for fine watches and jewelry, it was a refined retail destination in its own right. From 1997 to 2002, it also served as the temporary home of the American Classical Music Hall of Fame, bringing new cultural life into its historic walls.
Nearby stood J.M. Gidding & Co., an upscale women's clothier known for its elegant merchandise and signature Rookwood Pottery tile trim. This fashionable storefront later became Gidding-Jenny, maintaining its reputation for refined apparel and taste.
Further down was the Third National Bank, a once-prominent financial institution whose imposing structure has since been demolished. At the time, it helped define the street's strong banking presence.
Also contributing to the financial character of the block was the German National Bank, a symbol of the city's 19th-century economic ties to its German-American population and a key player in Cincinnati's banking history.
Finally, on this side of the street, the Ingalls Building stood out not for its ornamentation, but for its pioneering engineering. Completed in 1903, it was the first reinforced concrete skyscraper in the world, a bold experiment that proved to be a lasting triumph. Located right at Fourth and Vine, it's a landmark not just for Cincinnati, but for architectural history worldwide.
On the right side of the street, McAlpin's Department Store was one of downtown's retail giants. Established in 1850, the flagship location opened at this site in 1880 and expanded steadily in the early 20th century. It was a place where Cincinnatians of all backgrounds came to shop for clothes, housewares, and holiday gifts, often with multiple generations in tow.
Not far from McAlpin's stood the Sinton Hotel, one of the city's most luxurious accommodations in its time. Known for catering to wealthy travelers and hosting elegant gatherings, the hotel eventually closed and was later demolished, but it remains a fixture in the city's hospitality lore.
The Chamber of Commerce Building once stood nearby as a center of business activity and networking, an essential piece of the city's economic engine. Like many of its contemporaries, it no longer stands today, but it played a vital role in shaping Cincinnati's downtown commercial identity.
Towering over much of this scene was the Fourth & Vine Tower, formerly the Union Central Tower, completed in 1913. Designed by Cass Gilbert, fresh from his triumph with New York's Woolworth Building, it stood at 495 feet and was once the fifth-tallest building in the world. It was known in its day as "Ohio's Sky King." Originally brown in tone, the building was whitewashed in the 1940s, giving it the bright neoclassical appearance that defines it today. It replaced the old federal building on this site and became a defining feature of Cincinnati's skyline.
Collectively, these buildings formed the beating heart of the city's early 20th-century commercial district. Their styles ranged from neoclassical grandeur to modern innovation, and their purposes spanned from retail and hospitality to banking and civic life. Many of them now contribute to the West Fourth Street Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, where echoes of Cincinnati's architectural and economic heyday still resonate in stone, glass, and concrete.
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May 1st, 2025
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