Eggleston Steamer

Steam locomotive on Eggleston Avenue,
Nelson Ronsheim [~1940?].
Click on image for more info on this photo,
and be sure to check out other recent additions to the
Ronsheim archives while you're there!

Charley Harper Revisited

Just a quick note on some Harper artwork that has resurfaced...

Ford Times Magazine, Charley Harper.
 One of the many originals found in Ford's Archives.

Image source: News from the Harper Art Studio.

The Ford Motor Company commissioned work from Charley between the 1940s-1960s, and a new trove of more than 50 originals from their private Corporate Art Collection has been released to the public.

Personally, I'm a huge of a fan of his commercial work (industrial themes), but this newly-found compendium also includes many from his bird and fish series - some never seen before by the masses. Visit the original sources of this news below...

• All credit for this news find goes to the fantastic source for vintage/retro design, Grain Edit.

• Squidoo also has a fantastic writeup on this find, with several thumbs to preview from the collection.

• Visit the new blog, News for the Harper Art Studio, for more info on Charley's work, or the Charley Harper Art Studio (specifically, their Ford Times spread) for more on this subject.

• Lastly, Charley Harper Prints has a wide collection to view, and detailed backgound info on the Ford Times work that shouldn't be missed.
 

• • • • • • • • • •

"Cardinals Consorting" over Cincinnati Riverfront, Ford Times (cover) [1976].

More info on this particular work at Charlie Harper Prints.

Related Posts
Art Academy of Old
In Memoriam

Streetcar Update!

 Cincinnati Electric Streetcar, by rufus.ovcwa [2008].
NOTE: The above photo is to display the ongoing infatuation with
rail transit, esp. relating to Cincinnati history, though the city's recent
proposal is based on the Portland, OR, system, which showcases
the extensive benefits of contemporary streetcars.

What our new cars would look like:

I usually leave posts like this to the other hard-core pro-rail Cincy bloggers (CincyStreetcar, Phoney Coney, UrbanCincy, et al.), but I just received a notification from Protransit that looks promising!

Streetcar Project Announcement

When: Wednesday, June 10
4p.m.

Who: Mayor Mark Mallory
City Manager Milton Dohoney

Where: The Rookwood Pottery Company
1920 Race Street*
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
P 513-381-2510

The Mayor and City Manager will announce progress on the streetcar project.

This is not funding related.

*look for the Catanzaro Sons & Daughters on the side of the building

*plenty of free parking in the large lot immediately north of Findlay Market and at the street meters along Race Street

• Visit the newly-created grassroots effort, Cincinnatians for Progress (chaired by Mayor Mark Mallory), and a related article at Building Cincinnati.

• More general info on the new streetcar proposal here.

• Aside: I still don't understand why those opposing the RE-creation of local rail transit "demand a vote" for other public works projects as well (i.e. road construction) - I'm not against looking at both sides of an argument, just those that are incredibly flawed.

• UPDATE (6/10/9): Also check out the "Rally for Progress", June 11th, at the Verdin Bell Center. More info here.
 
• UPDATE (6/16/9): Great news! A review of rally at soapbox, and more information at the City of Cincinnati website.

The Eden Park Art Academy

 Registration Receipt, Art Academy of Cincinnati [9/24/1928].

From my Great Uncle Jack's time at school.

• • • • • • • • • •

After skimming over some updates regarding CAM's temporarily-shelved plans for expansion (described in Maya's post last year) last night, I was reminded about the horror-that-almost-was (+ & +) for the old Art Academy building under Rub. Thankfully, the recession hit (+) and CAM got a new Director (+), which means new life for the building.

CAM Expansion Plans (concept model) [2007].
More info on this project here (+).
Image source: Visualingual.

CAM & Art Academy [1928].

Image source.

I'm obviously not thankful that the recession in general hit (except for the drop in lofty home prices), but thinking about another stalwart of Cincinnati's skyline being torn down always stings a little - not only because I'm an obvious proponent of Cincinnati history, historical structures as related to Cincinnati's noteriety, and the preservation of them both, but because of my personal ties to them (i.e. the spotlight pic).

Coming soon: A glimpse into the Ross Family Tree.

Related Posts
Local Flora & Fauna

Oh, I Believe in Yesterday...

In reference to the recent post, The City to Scale: Unbuilt Cincinnati, there was a comment/request to see a before-and-after presentation of the works that were discussed. This is a great idea, but I just don't have time for the extensive legwork involved - though fortunately, others have tackled this feat with amazing success...

Example 1
A post last year by Kevin Kidney at Dinosaurs and Robots show a great mashup of different eras:

Ghosts of Mt. Washington.
Click on the image to read the post, or
click here to view larger.

When I first glanced at the heading I thought he was somehow speaking of Anderson's neighbor, but not. Still, it's a great presentation, and one that I would try and duplicate if I were spending the time on this "before and after" concept.

Example 2
Check out author Robin Smith's & photographer Randall Lee Scheiber's: Ohio: Then and Now (2006). It has a great range of images from all over Ohio, and shows the effects of time on these specific locales in side-by-side comparison shots. In some ways it's really depressing (imo), but nevertheless, an interesting review of where we've been and an indicator of future trends.

Below is a small sampling of the Cincinnati-related content you'll find in the book (click on images to view larger)...

Cincinnati's Riverfront.

Union Terminal.
For more info, visit the series Topping Out.

Canal/Central Parkway.

Eden Park.
Which reminds me of the post, Lost & Found.

Additionally, the book has great coverage of my undergrad alma mater, Ohio University, and the surrounding Athens locale...

Court Street.

Alumni Gate.

The Ridges.

A related post on this one coming soon.

I found the Athens section particularly interesting because of my own research surrounding OU years ago. While attending college, whenever I had a couple of extra dimes in my pocket, I'd peruse old stores (e.g. Secondhand Rose) for vintage paraphernalia relating to the local history, and occasionally come up with gems like this:

Selections from the Ohio University Undergraduate Catalog (1899-1900).
Compare those yearly rates to the 2009 catalog & fees!

Click images to enlarge.

Lindley Hall, Ohio University (undated).

Compare with today's Lindley Hall.

Click on image to enlarge.

Chubb Hall on College Green, Ohio University (undated).

Compare with today's Chubb Hall.
Click on image to enlarge.

Again, I may someday give this concept a whirl - especially depicting unrealized visions - but until then, give your attention to the great content that others painstakingly produce (at Queen City Discovery, Building Cincinnati, Queen City Survey, etc.).

• Preview more images from the book "Ohio: Then and Now" through Google Book Search, then read it in its entirety by purchasing it (preferably through a local seller).

• Additionally, if you've never been, be sure to make a day or weekend trip to Athens sometime (pref in the Fall) - it's a historically-interesting town in the middle of the poorest county in Ohio (but arguably the most beautiful).