Project Summary

Cincinnati, Ohio's Over The Rhine (OTR) urban neighborhood is one of the largest intact historic districts in the U.S. Historically a working-class neighborhood, OTR was predominantly developed by German immigrants in the 19th century. Many crossed the Miami Canal to nearby industrial plants for work, giving rise to the neighborhood's name in reference to Germany's Rhine River. The canal was eventually filled in by Central Avenue. As the demographic of the neighborhood changed, so did its character, but not its appearance or historical value. OTR has undergone a Renaissance since the early 2000s, and is one of Cincinnati's most popular neighborhoods today. These interviews were conducted with residents of OTR.