Wait, can you go around the block again? I saw something interesting on that building and want to check it out.
That’s what I asked my husband when we were in Cincinnati, driving around downtown at dusk, looking for a place to eat dinner.
We circled the block and slowly came up to the building again. And I confirmed what I saw.
The building had an Art Deco look, which meant it was probably built in the 1920’s or early 1930’s (before the Great Depression hit), when Art Deco architecture was very popular across the United States.
And there were rotary telephones and headphones carved into the building!
Not surprised, I saw the sign on the side of the building, Cincinnati Bell Telephone, home of the local phone company.
I couldn’t wait to do some research and learn more about the building.
History of the Cincinnati Bell Telephone Building
The Art Deco building was designed by Harry Hake, Sr, a well-known local architect whose company specialized in public and commercial building architecture.
When the Cincinnati Bell building opened in 1931, it contained the world’s longest straight switchboard, with 88 operator positions who handled outbound long-distance calls.
The exterior of the building is limestone, marble, brass, nickel, and bronze.
I noticed the Greek gods carved into the facade above the doors.
But what stood out for me was the horizontal limestone frieze with carved telephones and headphones that encircled the building.
The Cincinnati Bell Telephone Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
In addition to designing the Cincinnati Bell Telephone Building, Hake designed the Cincinnati Masonic Temple, Queen City Club, and the Court Street Fire Station which now houses the Cincinnati Fire Museum.
Hopefully next time I’m in Cincinnati, it will be when the building is open and can see some of the details inside the building!
