The Beginning of the...Terminal

 Perspective rendering of the CUT.
Fellheimer & Wagner (1930-31).
Source.

Hello from Cincinnati!

...from the noodled concrete urban wasteland of the midwest to you!

  

Postcard (198x).
Source.

Kings Island: An Introduction

The first Kings Island Brochure, cover (1972).
Source.

I've been wanting to post on Kings Island for awhile now, especially after my son's amusement park watershed event this summer, but I'll wait for another day when I can do a full writeup. In a nutshell: Times have changed.

Regarding this brochure cover, it really creates an empathetic feel for the amusement park experience - at least the ones I used to know - which is lent by the illustrated mid-century aesthetic that I tend to drool over; a brightly-colored hand-drawn montage of simple enjoyment. 

The great thing about KI, in the early years at least, is that it was obviously trying to emulate Disney's park model: in general, a main promenade leading to a hub & spoke design, an iconic central structure, themed quadrants, associative popular culture references, a monorail, and corporate sponsorships to keep operating costs in tow.

A beautiful midwestern Disneyland.

The WCET of Lore

WCET-TV logo (198x).
Source: Here or here.

A great retro logo + iconic snapshots of the local culture in its heyday.

My heart aches a little every time I watch this. I loved this era, not only for the countless hours of PBS programming that I associated with my younger years, but for bazillions of other reasons.

My wife's heart also aches, but for something completely different. She thinks I need to spend more time in the present...

...and she's so right.

Midnight Mass

"The Midnight Mass" by E.T. Hurley (1911). 
A nice shot of the towering Church of the Immaculate Conception in Mt. Adams.
And what's not to like about Edward: Rookwood decorator, lover of Cincinnati
architecture and landscapes, and pupil of Duveneck - one heck of a life.

I've visited the CAM a thousand times, as far back as I can remember, and of all the works shown, I think this is my favorite. It currently sits in the Cincinnati Wing (2nd floor), positioned perfectly for its notoriety.

Showcasing an incredibly empathetic environment that harkens an era I repetitively like to recall: When the Queen still demanded some respect without being authoritative, all due to the natural progression of her statured denizens thriving in a meaty core.  And it has a nice, subdued palette with thick brush strokes.

The coolest thing about it:
You can almost hear the city's collective Black Lung wheezing.

• Read more about Hurley and this particular painting here, here, and here. And to give this painting its due credit, you have to see it in person... but be warned, it's addictive.

CUT's Flyer is On Track

CUT 75th Anniversary Gala Express flyer (front).

CUT 75th Anniversary Gala Express flyer (back).

Aw, what the heck - I'll act as promoter and post both sides.

I'm not getting paid by CUT, but I'd happily work there if they paid me enough to do what I love to do. Nevertheless, this ties in with the series earlier this year on my visit to the station's 75th Anniversary Gala events.

• Whoever made this: Thanks for eliciting my recurring adoration for the terminal (and its once held mode of travel). Keep up the good work. 

• Side note: If the rails were still alive and the building upheld its intended purpose, I'd easily live there.