Our fourth walk was, yet again, in Mount Adams. At least this time we made our way there from downtown officially. I'll be honest - I was feeling like I was ready to get the heck outta Dodge (a.k.a. Mt. Adams). But as usual, the walk pleasantly surprised us and taught us still more things about the city in general and this neighborhood in particular.
Here are some of the fun facts we learned along the way:
- According to this book (and no where else, at least from my comprehensive eight minutes of internet searches), Cincinnati is known as "Landslide City, USA." I did find a UC News story that calls us "Landslide Capital of the Country." While the moniker may be disputable, the actual landslide in 1973 isn't - according to the book it caused $22 million worth of damage. The book says the landslide was set off by excavations for the I-471 ramps between it and I-71.
Apparently, between 1974-1993 Cincinnati landslides cost $2.9 million per year. We may be a city of hills, but apparently the hills are trying to kill us.
- Of the four walks through Mt. Adams, this one gives the most extensive coverage of the Mount Adams Incline ruins. For this incline, there are also the ruins of steps that ran alongside the incline. I may or may not have climbed around on these.
- If you would like to purchase a piece of the Mt. Adams Incline, you can buy a lot that is part of the ruins from David McDonald at Comey & Shepherd. It's only $225,000 - really, a steal considering how many places on the same road run in the millions. I'm thinking of buying it and putting up a tent.
- There are rooks - "an Old World bird resembling the North American crow" - on the original gateposts going into Rookwood Pottery. Rooks. Rookwood. It makes sense. The Rookwood even uses a little image of a rook for their web icon.
- Supposedly just past the Highland House, to the east, is a small gray-brick cottage set back off the street that Arctic explorer Charles Francis Hall is believed to have once lived in. We couldn't find it.
- Legendary actress and singer Doris Day has a Cincinnati past - and you can see remnants of it in Mt. Adams. At 1033 Monastery was the Hessler Studio of Dancing, which was supposedly Doris Day's favorite school. She, like the Clean Air Climbers, was apparently a fan of public transport: the book says she rode four street cars from her home in Evanston to get to the school.
Don't worry about further landslides! Chris has got you covered!
