1. Waldo Apartments (1891)
An eclectic design with wonderful details including a Romanesque arched doorway, a Second Empire roof, and Queen Anne colonnettes. 2. Mercantile Library (1905)
3. Walnut Hills including Alexandra Apartments (1904) at 921 E. William H. Taft Road, Gilbert Row (1889) at 2152-2166 Gilbert Avenue, and Verona Building (1900) on Park Avenue.
4. Pearl Market Bank Building (1910) at 707 Race Street
5. Xavier University original campus buildings including Hinkle Hall (1920), Alumni (now Edgecliff) Hall (1920), Schmidt Library Building (1926), Biology Building (1929), Elet Hall (1924), and the Field House & Gymnasium (1928). The Football Stadium (1928) was also by Steinkamp but was demolished.
I actually think the campus is much more powerful while driving along Victory Parkway.
6. America Building (1927)
6. America Building (1927)
Later work by the firm is Art Deco, including the Queen City Avenue Western Hills Pumping Station (1936).
Honorable mentions include Haddon Hall (1930) at 3418 Reading Road and Melbourne Flats (1898) at 39 W. McMillan Street.
I honestly do not know much about the personal history of Joseph Steinkamp and his brother Benjamin Steinkamp. I know they practiced architecture in Cincinnati from the 1890’s and into the 1930’s. And Joseph Steinkamp was president to the Cincinnati Chapter of the American Institute of Architects from 1921 - 1924. But beyond that, I have not found too much information on the brothers. I do not know date of births, nor when they died. All I currently have are the buildings they left behind. And I really appreciate and admire their work. (I’ll make trip to the Cincinnati Historical Society Library at some point to see what I can find.)
Professionally we do know that the brothers were longtime collaborators with Thomas Emery Sons’, the real-estate and development firm begun by Thomas Emery. Thomas Emery came to Cincinnati in the mid-1830’s. After 1837, he started a company manufacturing candles, using the by-products of the local meat-packing industry. He eventually developed a dripless candle and profits from the company were used to purchase land. He died in 1857 in an accident at his factory and his three sons – Thomas J., John J., and J. Howard – took over the business. (Mary Emery, founder of Mariemont and well known benefactor of many Cincinnati institutions, was the wife of Thomas J. Emery.) It was under their leadership in the 1880’s that the company began speculative development of apartment buildings downtown and eventually other neighborhoods in Cincinnati. (And they grew the original family candle business into a global chemical company.) Originally partnering with Samuel Hannaford, they eventually worked with Joseph G. Steinkamp and Brother on a number of projects over a span of 30 years. In fact all apartment buildings listed above were built during their partnership.
The Emery’s are buried in Spring Grove Cemetery, Section 36, Lots 80 and 81.References:
Cincinnati: A Guide to the Queen City and Its Neighbors
Historic photos from Library's Cincinnati Memory Project.
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10 comments:
I learn so much from your posts - they are informative, interesting and entertaining. Keep up the great work!
They did some outstanding work.
Thanks Veggie!
This was great! Joseph Steinkamp was my great, great grandfather, so it was nice to see this mini-tribute to him. He also designed St. Williams Church in Price Hill, as well as some very interesting residential homes, also in the Price Hill suburb of Cincinnati.
My mother asked me to post this information for her:
Joseph Gerhard Steinkamp was my Grandfather, b. 10/15/1868 died fall 1948. I never heard of a brother Benjamin, but he had a brother Bernard. Also George, a priest and sisters Ceil, Kate Ann and Rose. His father was John possibly born in Germany. He had 2 sons, Albert, my father b. 11/14/1896 died 1/ 1963 and Eugene. He designed St. Williams Church and many homes including the little stone house on Suire Ave. P.H. which contains his family crest and his home on Anderson Ferry Rd. Delhi and the one across the street for his sister-in-law Martha Siefke and her husband Ed. His wife was Laura Menke whose family were from Mercer County, Ohio. He had 4 grandchildren 3 of whom are still living. Thanks csm.
Susanlee - I am just now seeing your comment. Thank you so much for the post! That is so wonderful to have that information. It is interesting because I now have seen both Benjamin and Bernard listed as the brother on different sites. I am going to think Bernard is correct since you are related! I saw one comment that Joseph's father was Bernard and may have worked on Old St. Mary's Church. You indicated John. Interesting. I need to go out to Price Hill and look for those houses. Do you know where Joseph is buried?
Joseph G. Steinkamp, died 10/21/48 and is buried in St. Mary’s cemetery, St. Bernard, Ohio in “Menke lot” Section 2 Lot 40.
The homes he designed are : the stone house at 916 Suire Ave. Price Hill. He lived in it a short time but before and after that he lived next door at 912 Suire Ave. (the Old house).
My father grew up in this house and I remember it as a small child. Joseph did not design the “old house” but I think he could have changed it. The house he designed on 1022 Anderson Ferry was built later and I spent a lot of over-nights in it as a preteen and teenager. The one, he designed, across the street at 1011 Anderson Ferry belonged to my great Aunt and I visited there many times. They were all very unique but could have been changed. I was inside the one at 1122 years later and found that the pegged wood floor had been covered with vinyl. The outside had originally been White cinder block. Any more questions I will gladly answer. Thanks csm.
The Steinkamps were also responsible for several apartment buildings in Clifton - including my old home, the Roanoke on Ludlow.
Check out my updated post!
http://queencitysurvey.blogspot.com/2008/05/survey-says.html
I live in that little house on Suire. It is my understanding that the white house next door was the family home. The house was built in 1928 and sold in 1929. The Steinkamps brothers went bankrupt in 1929, I presume due to the crash.
Tom
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