Saving History: The Dig
The Banks project is located in an area rich with history and the site is eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. Because of its location, the construction will impact archaeological deposits associated with the site. To salvage any artifacts and important historical learnings, the City of Cincinnati contracted Gray & Pape, Inc. to conduct archaeological investigations for the HAM-The Banks Street Grid Project with the lead agency being the Ohio Department of Transportation.
In May 2010, Gray & Pape, Inc., excavated at the former NE corner of Water and Race Streets—in the approximate center of the parking lot—where 116 and 118 Water Street once stood. These buildings were constructed in the early 1850s and consisted of three-storied structures with pitched roofs. The ground floor once held a saloon and grocery store, while families and individuals lived in the upper stories. At the turn of the twentieth century, much of the neighborhood was demolished as part of the construction of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. A railroad depot sat at the NE corner of Water and Race Streets until the 1960s, when it was removed for stadium construction and parking lots.
Relative to the total excavation area (3520 square feet), only a small quantity (n=605) of glass, ceramic, metal, and faunal artifacts was recovered. Most of the artifacts date between 1850 and 1900. The interpretation of the artifact assemblage focused on the participation of the building’s inhabitants in local, regional, and international markets. The results show that the residents of 116 and 118 Water Street were engaged in all three markets, as well as the cultural developments that were local, regional, national, and international in scale. This is reflective of nineteenth-century Cincinnati itself, which had reached its zenith as a national center of production and distribution. The excavation of this small portion of a remnant of what was once the heart of Cincinnati supports and enhances our knowledge of events in Cincinnati’s history.
Click here to download a pdf and read more about the archaeological investigation.
