Tuesday, January 14, 2014

The History and Names of 1313 Vine Street

This building has a long and interesting history. Some call it Tivoli, others Cosmopolitan Hall, still others remember it as the Warehouse.

1313 Vine Street in the center with the rounded windows and fire escape
Photo Credit - 3CDC
The history begins around 1850, when Peter Noll started the Cincinnati Brewery here. The building is estimated to have been constructed around 1855 and four years later, Jacob F. Flattich operated a "coffee house", which was a place to gather and partake of drinks of all kinds. In 1863, Peter Dilg took over operations and the next year, it was listed as a saloon in the city directories. From 1866 until 1870, Edward Koppe ran the saloon. In 1870, the following groups used the hall as a meeting place:
A.O. Good Fellows - Washington Lodge, No. 1. Meets every Thursday evening at 469 Vine
“ Humania Lodge, No. 8, Meets every Friday evening at 469 Vine
Seven Wise Men - Cincinnatus Conclave No. 1, Meets every Wednesday evening at 469 Vine street
“ Rueckert Conclave, No. 2. Meets every Sunday evening at 469 Vine street
“ Germania Encampment, No. 1. Meets every first and third Wednesday in each month, at 469 Vine

More operators over the year were:
1870-1874 - Albert Forster
1875 - Peter Brehm
1876 - now called Saenger Hall, Herman Heyne

In 1877, Frank Rottger named the building Tivoli and the name stuck, even through changes in management, until 1885. In 1880 William Riedlin was the manager and many more groups found it at great place to hold their meetings:
CINCINNATI LIEDERKRANZ. meets every Tuesday at 469 Vine
CINCINNATI SAENGERBUND. meets first and third Wednesdays in each month at 469 Vine
DRUIDEN SAENGERCHOR , meets every Thursday evening, at 469 Vine
GERMANIA MAENNERCHOR, meets Thursday evening at 469 Vine
GOODFELLOW SAENGERCHOR. meets every Monday at 469 Vine
KNIGHTS OF ST. MARTIN, meets every Monday evening at 469 Vine
KNIGHTS OF ST. THOMAS, meets every Friday evening at 469 Vine
MUTUAL AID SOCIETY No. 6, meets at 469 Vine
PLATTDEUTSCHE VOGELSCHIETEN GESELLSCHUP, meets first Monday in every month, at 469 Vine
SCHWEIZER MAENNERCHOR, meets at 469 Vine
A.O. Good Fellows - Humania Lodge No. 8. Meets second and fourth Wednesday evenings, at 469 Vine
A. O. U. W. - Herman Lodge No. 15. Meets second and fourth Thursday evenings at 469 Vine street
Heptasophs or Seven Wise Men - Cincinnatus Conclave No. 1. Meets first and third Wednesday evening at 469 Vine street
Independent Order Foresters - Court Cincinnati, No. 3. Meets first and third Fridays at 469 Vine
Knights of Honor - Herman Lodge No. 92. Meets first and third Friday evening at 469 Vine

1887 Sanborn Insurance Map - Source
Between 1884 and 1886, F. Schaepperle called it "Music Hall" but Fred Schaub changed it to Central Union Hall from 1887 until 1891 and rightfully so with the number of groups meeting there in 1890:
EMMET GUARDS, meet every Thursday at 469 Vine
GOODFELLOW SAENGERCHOR, meets every Tuesday at 469 Vine
HAUDEGEN UNTERSTUETZUNGS VEREIN, meets second and fourth Saturdays of each month at 469 Vine
HIBERNIAN RIFLES, meet every Monday at 469 Vine
INTERNATIONAL WORKINGMEN'S ASSOCIATION, meets second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 469 Vine
LIGA ZUR WAHRUNG DER BUERGERRECHTE, meets second and fourth Fridays of each month at 469 Vine
PRIVATE POLICE ASSOCIATION, meets first and third Fridays at 469 Vine
REGULAR ARMY UNION, meets first and third Thursdays of each month at 469 Vine
VICTORIA LODGE (WOMEN'S), meets the third Wednesday in each month, at 469 Vine
WASHINGTON (WOMEN'S) LODGE NO, 1, meets last Sunday in each month at 469 Vine
AMALGAMATED COUNCIL OF BUILDING TRADES, meets at 469 Vine
BRICKLAYERS' UNION No. 18, meets every Monday evening at 469 Vine
BROTHERHOOD OF PAINTERS AND DECORATORS, meets every Tuesday at 469 Vine
A.O. Goodfellows - Jefferson Lodge No. 4, Meets first and third Friday evenings at 469 Vine.
“ Humania Lodge No, 8. Meets first and third Monday evenings, at 469 Vine
“ Guttenberg Lodge No. 10. Meets second and fourth Wednesday evenings at 469 Vine
AOUW - Wm. Tell Lodge No. 7, Meets second and fourth Mondays at 469 vine.
“ Herman Lodge No. 15. Meets second and fourth Thursday evenings at 469 Vine
“ Security Lodge No. 31. Meets second and fourth Tuesday evenings at 469 Vine
American Legion of Honor - Banner Council No. 405. Meets first and third Wednesdays of each month at 469 Vine
Knights of Honor - Herman Lodge No, 92, Meets second and fourth Friday evenings at 469 Vine
“ Concordia Lodge, No, 865. Meets first and third Wednesday evenings at 469 Vine
“ Aurora Lodge No, 3213. Meets first and third Thursdays of each month at 469 Vine
Knights and Ladies of Honor - Security Lodge No. 1350. Meets, first and third Thursdays of each month at 469 Vine
Northern Legion of Honor - Cincinnati Council No, 57. Meets second and fourth Mondays of each month at 469 Vine

1887 Sanborn Insurance Map - Source
And yet another name not listed in the city directories - Germania Hall
1892 - 1893 - Charles Groshell called it New Lincoln Hall and advertised it for halls for balls and parties
1895 - 1896 - Christian Polster is listed as operating a saloon

Wendel Meyer took over operations in 1897 and named it Cosmopolitan Hall. He also had the building remodeled and added bowling alleys.
Cincinnati Enquirer; Apr. 25, 1897
Cincinnati Enquirer; June 12, 1897
In 1900, the city directory had the following listing:
MEYER WENDEL, Cosmopolitan Hall and Bowling Alleys, (Formerly Union Hall); Halls for Societies, Lodges, &c.; Connected with First-class Dancing Hall, 1313 Vine

And lots of groups were using the halls:
Ancient Order of United Workmen; Chairman Conference Committee meets first Monday of each month at 1313 Vine
Cincinnati Retail Grocers' Association meets first and third Tuesday of each month at 1313 Vine
EUTERPE CLUB, meets every Sunday at 1313 Vine
GARFIELD LADIES' VETERAN MUTUAL AID ASSOCIATION, meets second and fourth Thursdays of each month, at 1313 Vine
GRANT FRAUEN AND JUNG FRAUEN VEREIN, meets first Sunday of each month at 1313 Vine
LADIES OF THE RED CLOAK SOCIETY, meets third Wednesday of each month at 1313 Vine
LINCOLN FRAUEN UNTERSTUETZUNGS VEREIN, meets third Sunday afternoon of each month at 1313 Vine
SCHWESTERN BUND UNTERSTUETZUNGS VEREIN, meets fourth Sunday afternoon in each month at 1313 Vine.
WILLICH MUTUAL AID, meets second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 1313 Vine
BRASS MOLDERS' UNION No. 119, meets second and fourth Fridays of each month at 1313 Vine.
HORSE SHOERS' UNION No. 12, meets second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 1313 Vine
IRON MOLDERS' UNION No. 3, (Stove Molders), meets first and third Thursdays of each month at 1313 Vine.
METAL POLISHERS', BUFFERS', PLATERS' & BRASS WORKERS' UNION No. 68, meets first and third Thursdays of each month at 1313 Vine
POTTERS' UNION, meets first and third Wednesdays of each month at 1313 Vine
PRESSFEEDERS' AND HELPERS UNION No 17, meets first and third Fridays in each month at 1313 Vine
Ladies of the Union Veteran Legion, Auxiliary No. 12-Meets fourth Wednesday of each month at 2 p.m. at 1313 Vine
August Willich Camp No, 515—Meets first and third Fridays of each month at 1313 Vine
A. O. U. W.
“ Conference Committee meets first and third Monday evenings of each month at 1313 Vine.
“ Schiller Lodge No. 3-Meets second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 1313 Vine.
“ Wm. Tell Lodge No. 7—Meets first and third Tuesdays of each month at 1313 Vine
“ Cincinnati Lodge No. 19—Meets second and fourth Fridays of each month at 1313 Vine.
“ Webster Lodge No. 81—Meets second and fourth Saturdays of each month at 1313 Vine
Knights of Honor - Excelsior Lodge No. 4042—Meets first and third Mondays of each month at 1313 Vine
Knights and Ladies of Honor Ariadne Lodge No. 86—Meets second and fourth Thursdays of each month at 1313 Vine
Nation Union - W. T. Sherman Council No. 484—Meets first and third Fridays of each month at 1313 Vine
Knights of the Maccabees - Cincinnati Tent No. 365—Meets second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 1313 Vine.
Order of Mutual Protection - Queen City Lodge No. 167—Meets second and fourth Sunday afternoons of each month at 1313 Vine
Foresters of America - Losantiville Court No, 62—Meets second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 1313 Vine

Even "Mother" Jones, Mary Harris Jones, well-know labor and community organizer made a visit here in 1902.
Cincinnati Enquirer; Oct. 16, 1902; pg. 12 
Wendel Meyer had his own tokens for his establishment, a common currency of the day and useful for advertising.

Source

Source
By 1910, Wendel Meyer had passed away and Frank Duttenhofer was the proprietor, but he kept the Cosmopolitan name. He did have his own tokens pressed as well.

Source
Duttenhofer ran the Cosmopolitan through the 1920's and it remained open through Prohibition as a successful meeting hall, but also a well-known speakeasy. Duttenhoffer ran into a bit of trouble with the liquor laws prior to Prohibition, as you can read in this article from the Cincinnati Post on April 22, 1918. (Thanks to the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County for the articles.)

By 1930, Joseph Rosenberger is the proprietor and installed the Coral Gables Indoor Golf inside 1313 Vine Street. In this year, 19 groups of various types were meeting here.
1904-1930 Sanborn Insurance Map - Source
Through at least 1944, this building remained Cosmopolitan Hall, retaining the same name for almost 50 years. In 1947, the building was no longer a place of recreation, and Bellonby Furniture Store, run by Ray E. Bellonby, took over. He is the one who added the marble name in the entry.
Source - Digging Cincinnati History
By 1956, furniture was replaced with Welsbach Sales Co, dealers in electrical equipment and supplies. There is a gap in my information from this time until about 1990, when Hollywood came to Cincinnati to film scenes for the movie, A Rage in Harlem inside the hall. Then around 1992 a nightclub, The Warehouse, opened here.
Cincinnati Enquirer; July 7, 1995; pg. 34, weekend
The Warehouse remained open for at least 10 years, lasting through the riots of 2002, but it closed in 2004. For approximately the last 10 years, the building has been vacant. 
The paint scheme on the walls are left over from the movie, A Rage In Harlem. Source - Digging Cincinnati History
Owned by 3CDC since 2006, the building was opened for tours and stories by American Legacy Tours from 2010 until 2012, including their Queen City Is Haunted Tour, where paranormal activity was observed. Renovations plans are now underway to convert the building into office space for Cintrifuse. Since the building has qualified for historic tax credits, care will be used to maintain the building's character while updating it for modern use. The following pictures by Nathan Hammitt were taken on a tour in 2012. Be sure to check out more on OTR Blog. They are amazing!
2nd Floor Ballroom/Dance Floor
Source - Nathan Hammitt, OTR Blog
View of one of the upper floors, looking toward the front of the building
Source - Nathan Hammitt, OTR Blog
Also, be sure to read this article from Soapbox, from 2009, which outline much of the same history shared here. They were also able to explore the two sub-basements, where beer was brewed and/or stored in the building's past.
Credit - Scott-Beseler for Soapbox

5 comments:

  1. terrific job on the article, have been on the haunted tour, at the Wharehouse....really enjoyed reading this!

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  2. Be sure to update this with photos when the construction crews have finished. I toured the site on 8/21/15 and was impressed. It's great space with its original features and modern amenities combined in creative and beautiful ways.

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  3. The movie A Rage in Harlem filmed the bar scenes in the upstairs ballroom.

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  4. What a fantastic old building! It's such a shame when these special buildings get neglected and full into disrepair. It's nice to see that this one has been saved for now, hopefully it will be around for future generations to enjoy. Hopefully one day it will be bought back to life again and enjoyed in the way that it once was.
    It's terrible when old buildings are knocked down to make way for new retail parks. They should be incorporated into the landscape so that it's unique!

    Bernice Parsons @ Badger Anodising

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  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

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