East Side Meet & Greet

Columbia Tusculum, Linwood, East End

Tuesday, July 19 at 6:30pm

at Tostados

Topic: East End Garden District

Guest: Peter Huttinger

(Neighborhood Gardens Coordinator at the Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati) 

Nearly 40 years earlier, in 1927, Charles Lindbergh landed at Lunken to refuel on his way to and from New York and was also mobbed by well-wishers. Later that same year, the City of Cincinnati purchased 870 acres through a bond issue and expanded Lunken to 1,000 acres. The era of air transport had begun and Cincinnati was on the forefront when the Embry-Riddle Company was awarded one of the earliest U.S. air mail contracts.

By 1929, 29,059 flights and 8,528 passengers had made their way through Lunken Field. This marked the beginning of American Airlines with regularly scheduled flights between Cincinnati and Chicago. Embry-Riddle operated 10 aircraft as a subsidiary of Avco, a parent company of American Airlines.

In 1936, construction began on the control tower and distinctive terminal building which is still in use today. In 1937, Cincinnati's biggest flood inundated Lunken Field and flooded the new construction to the top of the control tower. A single black brick on the tower facing the airfield designates the high water mark.

Tower nearly submerged during 1937 flood

It seems ironic that the Pioneer Cemetery is located a few short steps from Lunken. This is where the first settlers of the area arrived in 1788. The land was used for farming until three Army Air Corp bombers landed there near the Little Miami River.

Dixie Davis began teaching flying lessons in 1921 and in 1925, established a permanent airfield. That same year the land was gifted to the City of Cincinnati. In 1928, the Flamingo, one of the first all metal monoplanes built in America, was produced at Lunken by the Metal Aircraft Company. The formal dedication of Lunken Airport took place in a three day celebration with such notables as Howard Hughes, Jimmy Doolittle, and Jean Harlow. At the time, Lunken was the largest municipal airport in the world. Cincinnati was clearing leading the way in air service and airplane manufacturing.

Unfortunately, the flood plain geography, frequent fogs, and construction of surrounding homes began putting a damper on Lunken's planned expansion. Civic leaders wishing to further Cincinnati's role in the aircraft industry began to promote an alternate airfield in Blue Ash. Political feuding locked Cincinnati in inaction. Leaders in Northern Kentucky sensed an opening in the fight for federal funding and quickly established an airfield there. In 1946, airlines began abandoning Lunken in favor of the Greater Cincinnati Airport. 

Today Lunken Airport totals approximately 2,000 acres for corporate and general aviation. A public biking and running trail surrounding the airport is now linked with the bike trail to downtown Cincinnati. Efforts are being made to bring smaller commuter airlines to Lunken but there are restrictions on larger aircraft using Lunken's facilities.

And who was Mr. Lunken? Eshelby Lunken was a partner in the Grisard Company which owned Grisard Field in Blue Ash. He saw the potential for an airfield in the area known as Turkey Bottoms which was only four miles from downtown Cincinnati. The Lunken family provided the financial backing to buy the Cincinnati Polo Club land and began development of the airfield in earnest dissolving their interest in the Blue Ash airfield. Federal funds furthered Lunken's development but later undermined its expansion with the funding of the airport in Northern Kentucky.

It is interesting that major transportation facilities such as commercial river traffic, railroads, and air travel began in the East End but later moved to more remote locations as business became more successful. The East End holds many firsts in innovation helping make Cincinnati the great city she has become.

AWARD WINNING CHILDCARE IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Cincinnati Early Learning Centers, Inc. (CELC) is a nationally accredited, state award winning, non-profit agency managing 7 full-day childcare locations throughout Greater Cincinnati.

CELC emphasizes developmentally appropriate curriculum, employs only the highest educated and trained individuals and mandates low teacher to child ratios.

CELC was the first agency to have all programs receive a 3 Star Rating, the State's highest possible quality rating. In addition, CELC was the first agency in Cincinnati to have all sites NAEYC accredited.

The agency serves children 6 wks through school age; depending on the location. All programs are year-round.

For more information please contact any of the following programs:

CELC-East End - Linda Doyle, Director, 513.363.3481

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