Just 12 miles north of downtown Cincinnati, the City of Wyoming is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because its historic environment is significant to the architectural history of Southwestern Ohio. Wyoming’s progression of nineteenth and early twentieth century styles set amongst grand trees and green spaces creates a unique character developed primarily due to three key factors: rural atmosphere, stability and leadership.
Rural atmosphere is the first key to the architectural character of Wyoming. Farms were the norm until 1851 and the coming of the railroad. Then, as the old farms slowly became available for sale, development began. Houses were built on 2-10 acre lots with many trees left intact.
Later in the early half of the 1900s, these big lots were again divided and newer architectural styles were built between the Victorian houses. The resulting diverse architectural mix is Wyoming’s most striking and unusual characteristic. In fact, the number of 19th and early 20th century homes is fairly equal in the District. Where at first glance this may seem surprising, look closer; it is only that the gingerbread and tall proportions of the Victorian architecture dominate the smaller scale and horizontal proportions of the later styles.
“The history of the city is very important to our community. We value our historic buildings here.”
– Rusty Herzog, City Manager pictured in the Wyoming Historical Museum
Wyoming is a distinctive suburban community, in that it contains representative examples of housing styles that range from the Early Vernacular of the 1800s through Victorian Italianate, Eastlake, Queen Anne, and Shingle styles, into early twentieth-century American Four Square, Colonial Revival, Bungalows, and Tudor Revivals, followed by Post-War Ranch homes and individually designed Mid-Century Modern homes.
It also is unique because these styles can be found in houses that range from modest dwellings built for laborers to extravagant homes commissioned by company executives, sometimes in the same block.
Many of these houses have been recognized through inclusion in the Wyoming Village Historic District, and nominated to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. In addition to the Village District, there are 18 homes scattered throughout Wyoming that are individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Here is a map of Wyoming Local and National Register Historic listings. The Yellow is both a National Register and Local Historic District.
Wyoming was listed as a National Register Historic District in 1986 and has 277 contributing buildings! The Village District has a commercial district along Wyoming Avenue surrounded by mostly residential buildings.
Wyoming Historical Society
The Wyoming Historical Society is a not-for-profit organization with the purpose of preservation, education, and appreciation of Wyoming’s history. The Historical Society played an instrumental role in listing the City’s Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
The Wyoming History Museum displays all things Wyoming and is open Tuesdays from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and by appointment. The Historical Society and the Wyoming History Museum are located in the lower level of the Wyoming City Building at 800 Oak Avenue.
In the museum, the original minutes from the first Wyoming City Council meeting are kept from April 13, 1874! Also on display is a square foot of the gym from the Wyoming Ave School Building.
The Colony School (Oak Avenue School) at 800 Oak Ave in Wyoming seen above left in its original state was a school for African American students opening in September of 1911. Additions to the building took place in 1925 and 1935. Integration with the general Wyoming student population began in the 1950’s with the building of two new elementary schools, Vermont Avenue (1953) and Elm Avenue (1955). Wyoming High School was always integrated. The Colony School closed at the end of the 1956 school year. Mr. Edward Minnis was the original principal.
Instead of demolishing this important site, the city renovated it, and it is the current city administrative building (above right). In front of the building is a plaque dedication to the school.
Learn more and join the Wyoming Historical Society by visiting their website.