Celebrate a Decade of the Clifton Branch at Parkview Manor with Historical Exhibit

Written by Mackenzie Manley, Content Specialist, Downtown Main Library 

A decade ago, the Clifton Branch Library moved from its old storefront on Ludlow Avenue, where it had been since 1954, to the historic Parkview Manor. Now, the Library is celebrating its anniversary at Parkview with a celebratory event, historical exhibit, and talk.     

And it’s a doubleheader: Parkview Manor, designed by renowned architect Samuel Hannaford, is nearing its 130th birthday.  

Historical Exhibit and Talk Details 

On May 31 at 4 p.m., enjoy a talk from Jill Beitz, manager of reference and research at the Cincinnati Museum Center (as well as the Clifton Branch’s former manager). Jill will discuss the history of the Clifton Branch, the surrounding neighborhood, and its community. 

The exhibit opens on May 31, and runs through June 30, 2025. Come walk through historic photographs and newspaper clippings related to the Library’s previous location and Parkview Manor.   

“On [May 31], the exhibit will be in the meeting room,” said Senior Branch Manager Jeanne Strauss De-Groote, “and then, after that, we will have those panels exhibited throughout the branch until the end of June.” 

Julia Gardiner, a library customer specialist at the Clifton Branch, said that the exhibit will take viewers through the history of Parkview Manor, from its first famed resident — politician George Barnsdale “Boss” Cox — to its time as a Union Bethel home for girls, then as a fraternity house and, finally, its current standing as a Library. There will also be materials that, while not directly capturing Clifton, give context to the historical period.  

“We’ll tie it back into [Clifton], covering from when the neighborhood started to have a Library branch versus just having a deposit collection, which was in 1954, through 2015 when we moved [to Parkview Manor],” Julia said.   

When looking at photographs collected from Clifton’s previous storefront, Jeanne reflected that she loved seeing the same joy from storytimes, events, and more being offered by previous generations of library staff.  

“That hasn’t changed. It’s the same mission. We still do the same thing,” Jeanne said.   

Clifton Anniversary Extravaganza  

Along with the exhibit, the Clifton Branch will celebrate a decade at Parkview Manor by kicking off Summer Reading! Starting at 2 p.m. and running through 5 p.m., the extravaganza is for all ages. Children and teens can pick out a free book to keep, participate in crafts, and play games. Refreshments will be provided.  

Explore Parkview Manor’s History & Architecture  

Samuel Hannaford is the architect behind other iconic Cincinnati buildings, including Music Hall and City Hall. According to Julia, when Boss Cox had enough prestige, he wanted the same architect to design his house. Construction started in 1894 and finished in 1895. Upon completion, it was publicized in newspapers like The Cincinnati Enquirer. Julia also noted that it’s one of the better examples of a Châteauesque building in the area.  

“It’s obviously not the Vanderbilt Mansion [the Biltmore], in North Carolina, but it is yearning toward that,” Julia added. “Some of the other [buildings in the area] are a bit rougher and more Richardsonian Romanesque.” 

George lived in the house with his wife, Caroline, until his death in 1916. Caroline survived him for another 20 years, dying in 1938.  

“I was really happy that we were able to find some photos of Caroline Cox. Boss Cox is so famous that we had portraits of him,” Julia said. “There’s a giant painting of him at the Cincinnati Museum Center, but we barely knew what she looked like before. I was really digging for this exhibit.” 

When she died, Caroline willed the house to Union Bethel, specifying that it needed to be a home for girls named after the couple. It was used in that capacity for around a decade, according to Julia. By the 1940s, it was used for fraternity events.  

Fraternity Pi Kappa Alpha (or “Pike”) moved into the building in 1947 until the University of Cincinnati condensed Greek housing to one area on campus.  

“We often get people here in the branch who used to live in the house when it was a fraternity,” Jeanne said. “And they are always happy to share stories with the staff, entertaining us and taking us on the tour in the branch of, ‘This was the kitchen. This is where I slept. This is where I first kissed a girl.’” 

A former fraternity brother and local businessman, Mike Dever, bought the house and donated it to the Library in 2010 for the sale of one dollar. After renovations, the Clifton Branch opened at the manor on May 28, 2015.  

Some of their favorite spots? Julia noted the branch’s many large windows. For Jeanne, it’s the grand staircase. Even after five years of working at the branch, she is still in awe every time she goes upstairs.  

“There is a strong interest in the community for history,” Jeanne said. “The Library did really a quite amazing job trying to balance the need to create a modern library with modern needs, but then also preserving some of the amazing historical aspects of the house. It’s an amazing gift for the community here.”