Great Cincinnati Families moves to Park + Vine

Part one of Great Cincinnati Families at Home has ended its run at the Betts House Research Center, but the exhibit is still available to view at Park + Vine in Over-the-Rhine through January 4.

Through the use of historic prints and photographs, the exhibit features an intimate look at the private residences of the Taft, Probasco-Rowe, Hauck and Huenefeld families, with recent photographs of the homes by Alice Weston.

The nearly twenty homes include a range of architectural styles, time periods, and designers, including well-known national and local architects such as James K. Wilson, Samuel Hannaford and James W. McLaughlin.

"For me, I think the variety of exceptional residential architecture in the exhibit, and in Cincinnati, is a big draw," says Betts House executive director Julie Carpenter.  "Some families used traditional design and materials, others really tried to innovate using cutting edge architects and new technologies.  I think the exhibit is really revealing of the high quality of domestic architecture in Cincinnati."

She says the new venue was a natural choice.

"We know lots of folks aren't familiar with the Betts House and that there are some lingering misperceptions about the neighborhood, so we try to have the exhibits visit other parts of town to share them with different audiences," Carpenter says.  "We worked with Park + Vine on our Endangered Cincinnati exhibit last year and it was well received, so we're there again."

Part two of Great Cincinnati Families at Home opens at the Betts House in April.

Following its run at Park + Vine, part one of the exhibit will move to City Hall.

"I'd like to have the exhibit up throughout 2009 so people can see both halves of the exhibit," Carpenter says.

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: Julie Carpenter, executive director, Betts House Research Center
Photography by Scott Beseler