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The Incline District is so named because during times long gone one of Cincinnati's five "inclines" climbed the steep hill from the west end of the 8th Street Viaduct to the neighborhood at the top. Unlike the Mt Washington incline in Pittsburgh the Nati's inclines were all gone before 1950. The one to Price Hill was shut down long ahead of the last one (which served Mt Adams.) You may be able to see some remnants if you're willing to hack through the underbrush and risk poison ivy, but why would you want to? (LOL)
Price Hill, one of the city's largest neighborhoods in land area, is now more or less officially divvied up into three sections. Like additional parts of Cincinnati these divisions are rooted in ethnic/economic prejudice. Lower Price Hill, smooshed in between the viaduct and the hill, has been a point of entry for generations of penniless immigrants. By the time of my growing up, the wave of Germans had subsided in favor of Appalachians and a few Blacks who landed during the post-WWII Great Migration. These days the enclave has a heavily Spanish makeup. But poverty, crime, and ethnic tensions have been a consistent theme throughout its history. Climb the hill and you're in East Price Hill, which phases into West somewhere around St Lawrence Ave. The farther west you go, the less rundown and sketchy the general look and feel of the community. Once overwhelmingly German with a smattering of Irish and Greek, and a fair-sized contingent of Italians mostly to the west - not to mention Catholic with a capital "C" - Price Hill has weathered a lot of transition from the 1950's on. By and large the shifts have not been in a positive direction. When the "brars" (synonymous slur to "hillbilly") began moving up the hill much of the middle class fled out Glenway Ave. "East Price Hill" began creeping into the local vernacular as Cincinnati code for "the White trash area of Price Hill." By logical extension, the casual appellation of West Price Hill (code for "the better-off part of Price Hill" and also "the Italian section") became more fixed.
More recently - from the '80s on - the demolition of public housing "developments" and the city's manic crusade to make Over-the-Rhine a yuppie haven have brought still more change across the viaduct. The former "sundown town" now has a Caucasian percentage which is under 60% and falling. Onetime "mom and pop stores" or "pony kegs" are now bodegas. For every urban-pioneering household there are four which have pulled up stakes and bailed across the city limits for the townships beyond.
Circling back around to the point: Since a hilltop lends itself well to radio signals as well as scenic views, for a long long time one of Cincy's favorite radio stations broadcast from studios on Matson Place. And the nearby Queen's Tower high-rise has welcomed tenants who are happy to forsake a "good address" for what they can see from their east-facing windows. Some of the streets thereabouts also fared better than others in terms of homes' not falling into disrepair and crime escalating. A small corner of Lower Price Hill that faces south at the base of the hill (rather than east) has kept its appeal as a tucked-away yet convenient place to have a townhome. From these patchwork pieces there are groups working to knit them together and rejuvenate that part of the community under the Incline District name. With most redevelopment funds being poured into OTR, progress has been slow and fitful. But a coffee shop and a fish n' chips restaurant have opened their doors and home renovations are underway.
You can decide for yourselves whether this "revitalization" project in its infancy is worth a detour. Unless you're into catching a sweeping vista of the city from every possible angle there's little to recommend crossing the viaduct. If you do head out that way, the best places for a look are from Matson Place and Mt Echo Park.
Ice cream sampling tip: Go first to the only Aglamesis Bro's location in the city, on Madison Rd, and taste test a few of their flavors before buying single-scoop cones. Then proceed down Madison to Edwards Rd, turn left, and go to Hyde Park Square (the intersection of Erie Ave and Edwards.) Walk in to the Graeter's on Erie and repeat the process. Or vice versa.
The National Exemplar is in the historic Mariemont Inn located in the eastern Cincinnati suburb of Mariemont. It is a nice enough restaurant frequented mainly by bluehaired seniors, of which I am one. It is no way near anything on your itinerary, unless you decide to take the river route back home. The Mariemont Inn is on US 50 which would be one of the routes along the river. Of course if you spend too much time there eating breakfast you might not see Pittsburg on Monday.
Relative to the scenic drive along the river between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, I advise no unless you desire to arrive in Pittsburgh about midnight. It is slow as molasses with stops in every little burg along the way. I tried it a couple of times and kept asking myself why did you do this?
Several people have given you locations in our revived OTR for venues which should be compatible with your desires. If you want to do Mt Adams and surrounds, I suggest Saturday afternoon/evening. You still might want to consider using a cab since it is close to downtown but parking can be a challenge. There will be quite a few people coming to Cincinnati for the Riverfest so expect crowds larger than usual.
I have always considered Pittsburgh to Cincinnati as a 300 mile trip. So if you average 60 miles per hr it is 5 hours. Back when I-70 was brand spanking new and smooth as silk, and I had a new Dodge Monaco Hardtop with a 385 hemi engine I did it in a little under 4 hours but I guarantee I was seldom under 85.
I hope you have a good time in Cincinnati. As stated, Sunday will rapidly become a zoo. But earlier in the morning you may get some driving sights in before being advised to get back to town, park the car, and just walk around.
If you would still like to consider visiting the Cincinnati Zoo, a world class facility, I would advise Monday. The zoo is open on Labor Day beginning at 9:00 AM. A 5 or 6 hour period at the zoo is a reasonable time. The zoo is relatively close to I-71 so you can jump on it and head home. Even if you stretch things out and don't really get on the road until 5/6:00 PM you will still arrive in Pittsburgh around midnight. A far better deal to me than thromping all over southeast Ohio with no real goal.
Relative to the scenic drive along the river between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, I advise no unless you desire to arrive in Pittsburgh about midnight. It is slow as molasses with stops in every little burg along the way. I tried it a couple of times and kept asking myself why did you do this?
Relative to the scenic drive along the river between Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, I advise no unless you desire to arrive in Pittsburgh about midnight. It is slow as molasses with stops in every little burg along the way. I tried it a couple of times and kept asking myself why did you do this?
I agree! It can be kinda fun, but also verrrry tedious.
One nice little scenic backroad -- that doesn't transform a 5-hour drive into a 12-hour drive -- is to take I-71 north and I-70 east as usual, and then get onto U.S. 40/U.S. 22 east, just west of Zanesville. You'll go across the Y-bridge
and through downtown Zanesville, past my favorite pottery outlets, through New Concord (home of John Glenn), and into Cambridge. At Cambridge, U.S. 22 splits off from U.S. 40; stay on U.S. 22 and that will take you northwest through some pretty country, past Cadiz (pronounced "Caddish", birthplace of Clark Gable) and into Steubenville.
From Steubenville, you can continue on U.S. 22 back home, or you can go north on Ohio 7 along the Ohio River to East Liverpool (home of the Ohio Ceramics Museum) and catch U.S. 30 back to da burgh.
This little detour only adds about 45 minutes to an hour to the usual trip.
I agree! It can be kinda fun, but also verrrry tedious.
One nice little scenic backroad -- that doesn't transform a 5-hour drive into a 12-hour drive -- is to take I-71 north and I-70 east as usual, and then get onto U.S. 40/U.S. 22 east, just west of Zanesville. You'll go across the Y-bridge
and through downtown Zanesville, past my favorite pottery outlets, through New Concord (home of John Glenn), and into Cambridge. At Cambridge, U.S. 22 splits off from U.S. 40; stay on U.S. 22 and that will take you northwest through some pretty country, past Cadiz (pronounced "Caddish", birthplace of Clark Gable) and into Steubenville.
From Steubenville, you can continue on U.S. 22 back home, or you can go north on Ohio 7 along the Ohio River to East Liverpool (home of the Ohio Ceramics Museum) and catch U.S. 30 back to da burgh.
This little detour only adds about 45 minutes to an hour to the usual trip.
Never understood why it takes people five hours to get to Pittsburgh, or Cleveland for that matter. Are you guys chartering Amish buggies?
Never understood why it takes people five hours to get to Pittsburgh, or Cleveland for that matter. Are you guys chartering Amish buggies?
Pretty simple really, Pittsburgh is a 300 mile drive. So if you average 60 mph it is a five hour drive. As I said, I made it in less than 4 hours when I-70 was new but guarantee
I was seldom under 85. So what low lying airplane do you drive to get there?
Since you have made reservations at the Garfield Suites for Sat. & Sun., I would concentrate on getting the most out of Cincinnati proper. I again recommend spending your Sat. afternoon/evening time in the Mt Adams district to soak up the atmosphere. You should like this. On Sunday morning you can do some roaming, but believe me by mid-afternoon you want to be settling down with the car in the parking garage. Walking up to OTR and some of the bars catering to your likes should be just fine. Strolling down through the gangle of people who will be assembling along the riverfront is just an experience. So sense, just an experience. But you should be able to have a good time.
On Monday everything is pretty well toned down. As I suggested, you can go to the Cincinnati Zoo and then jump on I-71 to go home. Depending on when you leave the zoo you may arrive back in Pittsburgh at a dcecent hour or one not so decent. But regardless I hope you enjoy your time in Cincinnnati.
I am not sure whether you reognized Labor Day is the Riverfest celebration in Cincinnati.
Louisville has the Thunder over Louisville celebration timed with the Kentucky Derby. Memphis TN has their 4th celebration along the river. But Riverfest will match any of them. Enjoy your time in our city that weekend.
Wow! While I was initially concerned by a slow start I see this thread has now generated many very helpful and insightful replies.
goyguy, thanks so much for all of that great historical information! I really love history (hence why I live in such an old rowhouse), and part of the reason why I want to visit Cincinnati again is because it reminds me so much of Pittsburgh in terms of having so much to offer for a history buff such as myself! I would actually also love to hear of any recommendations for a bookstore in/around Downtown/Mt. Adams/OTR/Newport that may have a good selection of books with local history. I'm sure the Barnes & Noble at Newport-on-the-Levee would also have such titles to satisfy my cravings, but I'd prefer to patronize one of the few remaining "little guys" while they're still in business. It's a shame to hear that Cincinnati's former leaders didn't have enough foresight to preserve your inclines---the two in Pittsburgh (with a third possibly in the works in the city's East End) are VERY popular with tourists and have helped to buoy the vitality of businesses in surrounding areas. Thanks, also, for that tip about the ice cream!
P.S. I hope to respond to your private message later tonight.
kjbrill, I appreciate all of the effort you've extolled in this thread to guarantee we have a pleasant trip! We're not big on breakfast (shameful, I know!), so we'll probably just end up munching down on muffins or cereal at the hotel on Monday morning. I've decided against taking the "scenic route" back to Pittsburgh; however, that diversion Ohiogirl81 recommended to me sounds great. My ulterior motive in wanting to drive along the Ohio River was wanting to see if Marietta was worth a visit, but that can be for a separate trip. I drive a hybrid (great fuel efficiency) and deliver food as my second job (love driving), so I don't really care if it takes 3.5 hours or 5.5 hours for that matter to get between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. I'm really looking forward to exploring Mt. Adams and Over-the-Rhine. Is Mt. Adams walkable from Downtown? If not, then how much would cab fare be (or would the bus be easier)? As a frame of reference I currently live 1.5 miles from Downtown Pittsburgh and consider that close enough to walk back-and-forth on a regular basis.
Keep the great insight coming, everyone!
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