Digging Cincinnati History

While traveling along Pleasant Avenue (Route 127) in Fairfield today, I noticed these two stone entrances and the stone wall along the side of the road. But the houses behind the wall looked like they were built in the 1970s-1980s. Very strange!

It turns out that this was the border of an estate of over 42 acres, whose owners included Freeman G. Cary, noted horticulturist, and prominent business owners from Hamilton, including John C. Hooven (who named the estate "Hoovenden"), George Rentschler, Joseph Lowenstein, and Alvin Hock.

In 1973, the land was developed into a subdivision, but the stone wall remained. While the original estate house was destroyed by multiple fires in 1909, the caretaker's house remained and was added onto over the years. I was surprised that it was even still there! Read more about Hoovenden here: https://www.journal-news.com/news/history-column-hoovenden-j-c-hooven-s-summer-estate/article_6700f407-d418-5599-b47c-cd6cbea5edbb.html

But this wasn’t the only one in this area! Just across Pleasant Avenue is Calumet Way, and another historic home, the Hunter House, was also saved, and the neighborhood built around it.

I love that these were believed to be worth saving at a time when so many buildings were lost to new developments. History hiding in plain sight!

🌿 Did you know?
ARI and OXBOW, Inc. are teaming up for a free Summer Hiking Series — and our first hike kicks off this Wednesday, led by the Oxbow! Come explore wetlands, wildlife, and the stories held in the Oxbow Nature Preserve.

And mark your calendar:
June 17 is our first ARI‑led hike — The First Farmers: The Adena Culture. Learn about early plant use and the transition to farming during the Early Woodland period on a scenic walk along the trail.

Come explore the landscape with us all summer long.

https://exploreari.org/summer-hiking-series/?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=2026-summer-hiking-series&utm_content=may-20