welcome back to the ancestral findings podcast
the Dixie terminal is one of Cincinnati's best kept secrets listen on to learn all
about this Landmark the architecture the artwork and of course the history [Music]
if you live in or near Cincinnati or if you're planning to visit then you should definitely check
out the Dixie terminal when you have the chance some locals are well aware of this building's
existence but for many it's one of Cincinnati's best kept secrets on the outside it can come
across as an unassuming building nestled in among Office Buildings and skyscrapers but inside you'll
find incredible architecture and beautiful artwork this place is truly a masterpiece
full of stunning sites that are definitely worth a look it's got a long fascinating
history let's take a peek at the Dixie terminal's Origins so that we can appreciate it even more
the Dixie terminal sits at 49 East 4th Street in downtown Cincinnati this historic building was
designed by Architects from Frederick W garber's Garber and Woodward firm this same company
also designed several of the buildings on the University of Cincinnati Campus there are actually
two buildings that make up the Dixie terminal both built in 1921. the structures are made of
reinforced concrete and outside you can see Brick granite and Bedford Limestone on the facades
one of the buildings the four-story south building handled traffic that's where street cars and bus
lines would pass through the second building which is the one that most people visit today housed
ticket sales offices shops and more for many years Dixie terminal served as the public transportation
epicenter of Cincinnati with streetcar traffic going in and out of the terminal continually
later on in the 1950s as streetcar usage faded away and buses became more prominent it turned
into a bus terminal in the 1960s the green lines bus company had buses going in and out of the
terminal from northern Kentucky to make the trip between Kentucky and Ohio the buses would cross
over the Roebling suspension bridge which is another interesting historical landmark within
the city bus service through Dixie terminal lasted quite a long time too all the way up through 1998.
the only reason why the building went out of service as a bus terminal in 1998 was because
two ramps from the Roebling suspension bridge that led to the terminal originally constructed at the
same time as the terminal were demolished which meant Transit had to move elsewhere early plans
for the terminal featured underground passages that were intended to serve as Transit routes
complete with underground pedestrian passages however these plans were never realized so while
there may be rumors about such things today no underground passages are leading to Dixie terminal
when it was first built the Dixie terminal was among the largest buildings in Cincinnati with
more square footage than any building that had yet been constructed in the downtown
Transportation hubs bring to mind trains or Subways and that's sort of the purpose that
the Dixie terminal served that's how it started anyway as a terminal for the streetcars that moved
in and out of Cincinnati while the buildings are named for the terminal the office space
is also historically significant that's because it included the Cincinnati stock exchange which
operated there in the same capacity until 1976 when the CSE became an electronic stock exchange
the trading floor within Dixie terminal closed that year but even after the conversion to
electronic stock trading the CSE continued to operate offices within Dixie terminal all up
until 1995. today CSC is now known as the National Stock Exchange with new headquarters in New Jersey
the most striking thing about the Dixie terminal is the artwork you'll find throughout much of it
is done in the art deco style with lots of Blues and Golds throughout to complement the Pale Stone
interior the front doors are the first hint of the Grandeur inside this building on the outside
they're trimmed in gorgeous Rockwood tiles which were made by the local Rook wood Pottery company
these are interesting because not only are they colorful but the construction method used to
produce them is quite involved they're a type of tin glazed pottery with colorful
intricate designs cast Over earthenware plates go through those doors and you'll be treated
to the arcade which is a two-story lobby with a barrel vaulted ceiling all over the ceiling
amid beautiful frescoes you'll see sculpted tiles showing children riding various animals
elsewhere marble adorns walls floors and staircases and you'll see plenty of ornate
gilded balusters It is believed though unconfirmed that Joseph Francis Beller is the man who designed
the tiles featuring frolicking children and that he did the gold leafing throughout the building
this historic space is truly beautiful featuring lots of breathtaking designs in a sweeping space
that puts you in the mind of a cathedral one of the best parts about Dixie terminal is that
the building has been meticulously maintained over the years today the interior looks just as amazing
as it did when it was first built over the years every effort has been made to preserve the Dixie
terminal as recently as 2017 restoration experts went in and cleaned the tiles and frescoes lining
the arcade ceiling to keep them colorful and beautifully preserved for the future another
interesting historical tidbit about this building was that it featured in a major motion picture
in the late 1980s the Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman film Rain Man which won four Oscar awards
was shot in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky one scene in particular the bank scene was filmed in
the Dixie terminal arcade these days the Great American Insurance Company calls this building
home and more than 1400 employees work there visitors are free to come in on weekdays to admire
the two-story arcade and all the artwork inside in it's such a beautiful old building that if you
ever happen to be in the area while it's open for viewing you should stop by and take a look
the Dixie terminal is one of Cincinnati's most precious gems
foreign [Music]
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