Norwood (OH) (Images of America) [Paperback]

Christine Mersch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 19, 2006

Norwood has long used the tagline "Gem of the Highlands."

While the origin of this name is not clear, it is believed to refer to Norwood's beautiful locale among the hills and valleys of southwestern Ohio. Norwood got its start in 1809, when Samuel D. Bowman opened a tavern for travelers at the intersection of present-day Montgomery and Smith Roads. During the early 1900s, industries flocked to the area because of easy access to crisscrossing railways and highways. Increased taxes imposed by the neighboring city of Cincinnati also encouraged businesses to move to Norwood. Norwood was soon dubbed "the city that industry

built." More recently, the Rookwood Commons and Pavilion

development has helped to revive local businesses. Norwood delves into this unique city's past, uncovering the people, places, and events that have added to its colorful character.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Christine Mersch uses more than 200 vintage photographs, drawings, postcards, brochures, and advertisements to showcase this exceptional area. Mersch, a journalist in Cincinnati, has long admired the Norwood area and has had a wonderful time getting to know the community with the help of local residents, the historical

society, businesses, schools, and organizations.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (June 19, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738540382
• ISBN-13: 978-0738540382
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,417,330 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Memory Lane (for some), April 13, 2009

By 

Richard B. Schwartz (Columbia, Missouri USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Norwood (OH) (Images of America) (Paperback)

This book is part of a series. It provides a mini-history of Norwood in pictures. The pictures will be memorable to specific readers based on their age cohort and individual experience. A large number of the pictures are from the early 1900's. This will not touch many living readers' individual memories. A number are of specific individuals or of groups of individuals (athletic teams and school groups, e.g.). Again, this will not be 'memorable' for most readers. The best pictures (i.e. those which are likely to touch the widest possible audience) are those which truly encapsulate the city's history, e.g., its many factories. Others of interest are those which focus on the city's churches, particularly those which remain standing. The original layout of Montgomery Road is memorable, along with pictures of the businesses that dotted the road. There are also occasional mentions of particular individuals--not founding father types, with long beards, but local fixtures. I was pleased to see a partial picture of Max's, the men's clothing store which later moved to Swifton shopping center and I noted the mention of Freddie Zorndorf, who operated Sherman Tailors. There are pictures of some (but not all) of the city's schools, some of its parks and some of its recreation sites, including pools and one of its Little League fields. This is definitely a book that will be of interest to residents of Norwood, but it is one that most will borrow rather than purchase, since a large number of the photographs will be of limited interest.

For those interested in reading more about Norwood, I hope I can be forgiven for plugging my own book, The Biggest City in America: a Fifties' Boyhood in Ohio. Norwood is said to be the biggest city in America (without a cemetery or hospital within its city limits).

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars images of america Norwood, July 13, 2006

By 

Kathy (Norwood Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Norwood (OH) (Images of America) (Paperback)

This book jumps around too much and some information is sketchy or vauge. This book would have made a bigger impact if the author took you through past and present. Instead it mostly focuses on early 1900's then a few recent pictures dropped in.