It’s Day 192 of “365 Things to do in Cincinnati” and today we are featuring the Cincinnati Subway Stops Walking Tour.
This is a seasonal tour which takes place each Saturday in October (2010). The tour starts at Findlay Market at 10:30am and 1pm. The tour is led by tour guides Paige and Leland (seen below in their period costumes). Paige and Leland have performed extensive research on the abandoned subway system and have even produced a documentary called “Cincinnati’s Abandoned Subways”.
The tour is a walking tour that follows the subway route from Findlay Market to the tunnels surfacing near the Western Hills Viaduct. Along the way, you’ll get to hear about the facts and stories they uncovered in their research. You’ll learn all about our rich brewing history, how the Erie Canal lost favor with the city, and why the city constructed the subway.
Along the way you’ll pass by lots of gorgeous old architectural pieces that you’d never be able to stop and look at otherwise (as you race down Central Parkway in your car). We passed old breweries, old houses and shops.
You’ll hear all about the construction of the subway, the hurtles and the problems they encountered. You’ll hear stories of the buildings that surround that area. You’ll learn all about “Liberty Cabbage” and how this building (damaged during the construction of the subway) has a door that used to be accessible by boat…
I do want to be sure you understand that this tour does not go into the subways. It takes you along the route and you do get to see the remnants of the subway – the closed up doors, covered access areas and the old concrete structures along the road. You will hear all about city life and the history of that area of Cincinnati. But don’t expect to get to go inside. The old subway is dark and dank (no lights down there), damp in spots, and full of utility pipes in places.
Cincinnati Subway Stops Walking Tour takes place each Saturday in October, 2010 (10:30am and 1pm) and starts at the Findlay Market Biergarten. The tour is $15 per person and lasts a few hours. Wear comfortable clothing. The walk is relatively flat but the pavement is uneven in places.
Connect with Cincinnati’s Abandoned Subway on Facebook
