Avondale is full of a rich history! And right here, where the 5th Annual Walk begins is a tale in itself. Avondale has been an area in Cincinnati that thrived with wealth families. It housed white families, Jewish families, and African American families. When you drive through this neighborhood, you can see large and beautiful homes throughout. This neighborhood was home to many wealthy people.
Did you know that the Avondale Town Center was open to the public in 1983?
This new construction was the first attempt to revitalize the community and bring commercial property since the 1968 riots. These riots were a response to Dr. Martin Luther King’s death and race relation issues in Cincinnati.
The town center was equipped with 11 stores and was about 40,000 square feet of commercial space. Today, the town center looks a lot different. There is a a laundry mat, food options, and now a black owned grocery store, The Country Meat Co. Marketplace. This helps Avondale to no longer be a food desert. This neighborhood hasn’t had a grocery store since 2008. Predominately African American neighborhoods typically are food deserts and this is a huge contributing factor to the high obesity rates in these neighborhoods. Families are forced to eat snacks from convenience stores instead of nutritious meals prepared from home.
What do you know about this statue at Reading at Rockdale?
The statue at Reading and Rockdale is of Abraham Lincoln standing tall with Lady Liberty. This statue was placed here in 1902. This statue was purchased by a Civil War Veteran, named Charles Clinton who saw these figures in Philadelphia, purchased them and had them shipped to his retired city of Cincinnati. The statue bears the words, “With malice toward noone.” This quote was part of Lincoln’s inaugural speech from his second term. May we all move through life with this quote as our moral compass.
How has the Urban League helped you?
Since 1948, The Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio has been making moves for the African Americans of Cincinnati. The initial goal of this organization was to help African Americans with job training. It has since expanded its mission to help with not only job training and placement, but also youth development, financial literacy, businesses and entrepreneurship, and many more! I remember coming here and receiving job training. My step daughter recently completed a program for Black Women In Tech. This organization has really been committed to making sure African Americans get the support they need. Learn more here. Can you think of ways the Urban League has helped you?
Check out more Avondale History here:
Thank you so much for this walking tour. I will try to add more information! if you can remember some things about Avondale and want to share, please leave it in the comments. We would all love to share stories of this area!
Sources
Curnutte, Mark. “A Decade-by-Decade Look at How Avondale Came Back after the 1968 Riots.” The Enquirer, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Apr. 2018, www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/04/04/decade-decade-look-how-avondale-came-back-after-1968-riots/394991002/.
Editor-in-Chief, Dan Yount |. “Grand Opening of the Country Meat Co.. Marketplace Draws Hundreds.” The Cincinnati Herald, 6 Mar. 2025, thecincinnatiherald.com/2025/03/06/country-meat-co-marketplace-grand-opening/.
“Scene near Walnut Hills: Abraham Lincoln Monument: Walnut Hills Historical Society.” Walnut Hills Historical Society | Stories and Images from Walnut Hills, Cincinnati, 28 July 2020, walnuthillsstories.org/stories/scene-near-walnut-hills-abraham-lincoln-monument/.
“Welcome: Urban League Greater Southwestern Ohio.” Welcome | Urban League Greater Southwestern Ohio, www.ulgso.org/. Accessed 14 June 2025.
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