Cincinnati's Union Terminal Mall

The Queen City's grand art deco train depot served as a railway station between 1933 and 1972...and then from 1991 to the present. The structure also housed a boutique-type shopping mall in the 1980s. After this went under, the building was converted into today's museum complex.
Photo from City of Cincinnati Comprehensive Annual Report 2008

In this early 1930s snapshot, the CINCINNATI UNION TERMINAL is in the throes of heavy construction. It would take 4 years -and nearly 42 million (1930) dollars- to complete the facility.
Photo from Library of Congress

A 1930s layout of the Concourse level of the 8-story structure. North and South Wings serve as conduits for streetcars, buses and taxi cabs. These enter the north portals where passengers disembark. Vehicles then move through a tunnel to the South Wing, where passengers board and vehicles exit through the south portals.

The completed CINCINNATI UNION TERMINAL encompassed 535,000 square feet and twenty-two separate buildings. This temple of transportation was heralded, by the Cincinnati Post, as "A work of art embodying all that is finest in various fields of art and science known today."
Photo from Library of Congress

Flanking the main entrance into the building's Rotunda are two bas relief carvings. On the north end is "Mercury."
Photo from Library of Congress 

On the south end is "Progress."
Photo from Library of Congress

This snapshot, and the one that follows, show the terraced fountain at the front of the structure. 
Photo from Library of Congress

At night, this stunning water feature is bathed in colored lights.
Photo from Library of Congress

A 1930s interior view of the main entrance into the Rotunda. When growing up, I heard an urban legend which stated that a person could speak at one end and be heard by someone standing all the way over on the opposite side. I tried this, but it didn't work.
Photo from Library of Congress

A view of the Rotunda roof almost looks abstract.
Photo from Library of Congress

A westward view of the massive Rotunda Concourse. The entry into the equally huge Train Concourse & Waiting Room is visible in the distance. The 2 main UNION TERMINAL mosaics are also in view. On the left is "The Development of the Nation." On the right , "The Growth of Cincinnati." These and other interior works were created by German artisan Winold Reiss.
Photo from Library of Congress

In this Rotunda view, "The Growth of Cincinnati" mosaic may be seen almost in its entirety. From right to left, it chronicled the development of the Queen City from its Fort Washington settlement (1788), through the riverboats of the 19th century, and ending with construction of the TERMINAL structure in the early 1930s.
Photo from Library of Congress

On the opposite side of the Rotunda, "The Development of the Nation" told the story of transportation in the United States...this proceeding from left to right.
Photo from http:www.cincymuseum.org / Cincinnati Museum Center

A ticket booth in the Rotunda. There were 18 in all.
Photo from Library of Congress

A vintage view of the Lunchroom in CINCINNATI UNION TERMINAL. Today, it is occupied by the Losantiville Cafe. "Losantiville" was the original name of the city, which was settled in 1788. This was a convoluted amalgamation of words, with the general meaning supposed to be "City at the mouth of the Licking River." The city's name was changed to "Cincinnati" in 1790. 
Photo from Library of Congress

The Rookwood Tea Room featured tiles designed and made by Cincinnati's famed Rookwood Pottery. During WWII, it was used as a USO headquarters. Today, the room serves as the Rookwood United Dairy Farmers Ice Cream Parlor.
Photo from Library of Congress

A detail from the Rookwood Tea Room. When installed in the early 1930s, the tile work cost 6 thousand dollars. Today, it is priceless.
Photo from Library of Congress

The taxi boarding area in the South Wing.
Photo from Library of Congress

A vintage postcard view of the Train Concourse & Waiting Room, which was demolished in 1974. The murals along the sides were fortunately removed and reinstalled at a new terminal at the Greater Cincinnati International Airport (now the Cincinnati / Kentucky International Airport). Unfortunately, the large US map mosaic was destroyed along with the Concourse structure.
Drawing from Curteich & Company, Incorporated

Above and below, we have snapshots of the Director's Office at the CINCINNATI UNION TERMINAL.
Photo from Library of Congress

When decor such as this was in vogue in the 1920s and '30s, it was known as "style moderne." It began to be referred to as "art deco" in the 1960s. 

Photo from Library of Congress

And, speaking of the early 21st century, we view a (2005) snapshot of what purported to be the Cincinnati Amtrak Station. It was put into use in October 1972, as rail service was halted at the CINCINNATI UNION TERMINAL. This tiny structure, in the veritable middle of nowhere, was closed when passenger train service returned to the CINCINNATI UNION TERMINAL, in July 1991.
Photo from www.trainweb.org

One of the Winold Reiss mosaics, which once graced the Train Concourse & Waiting Room. This one depicts an employee at the Ault & Wiborg Varnishing Works, who is making yellow printing ink. The 14 Train Councourse mosaics were painstakingly removed from the UNION TERMINAL and transported to their new home at the airport, beginning in August 1973.
Photo from http://www.cincymuseum.org / Cincinnati Museum Center

With part of its original structure demolished, the remainder of the "white elephant" CINCINNATI UNION TERMINAL awaited some type of repurposing. Here we see a rendering of a proposed vertical lift-off airport, which would have had 2 newly-built office towers flanking it on the north and south.
Rendering from "Those Were The Days" featurette / The Scripps Company

A logo for a late '70s repurposing project, which would have turned the TERMINAL structure into THE LAND OF OZ. Promoted as "the world's most unique shopping & entertainment complex," it was to include a roller rink, bowling alley and several other amenities. The plan was only partially implemented, with a boutique type shopping mall being created. The skating rink and bowling alley were omitted from the final plan.
Logo from the Joseph Skilken Organization

A circa-1980 poster commemorates the history of CINCINNATI UNION TERMINAL and its new boutique mall, which would open for business August 3rd.
Graphic from http://cincinnativiews.net / Marlene Steele

The logo used at the time of the boutique mall's August 1980 dedication featured the original Land of Oz trademark...but the name of the complex had morphed into the (quote / unquote) CINCINNATI UNION TERMINAL. 

Graphic from the Joseph Skilken Organization

Logos of some of the boutiques and bistros which operated at the CINCINNATI UNION TERMINAL mall between 1980 and '84. Gourmet Fare was a 13-bay food court.

Graphics from the Joseph Skilken Organization

A circa-1980 drawing depicts the Concourse Level of the CINCINNATI UNION TERMINAL shopping mall. A matter of note: Lincoln Park Drive had been renamed Ezzard Charles Drive in 1976...this in honor of the champion Queen City prizefighter (1921-1975). 

CINCINNATI UNION TERMINAL TENANTS 1980:

LOEHMANN'S / F.A.O. SCHWARZ / GIGGLES COMEDY CLUB / 2001 Disco / Candle Shop / Card Dock / Christmas Forever / Diamond Exchange / Doubleday Book Store / G.D. Ritzy's Ice Cream Parlor / Glenda's Place /  Koch's Sporting Goods / Latabagie's / Le Clique VIP Club / Les Moins Restaurant / / Les Palmiers French Restaurant  / Professor Bloodgood's Photo Fantasy / Provident Bank / South Market Push Carts & Kiosks / Western World / What On Earth / Wicker Works / Wood You Remember

GOURMET FARE:
A Different Twist / Das Wurst und Kraut Haus / Don's Rib House /  Jimmy's Pizza / Mr. Whipple's Saloon / Natural Horizons Yogurt & Ice Cream / Over The Rainbow Fresh Fruit Cups / River City Chili / Take-A-Taco / The Cincinnati Chip Yard / The Green House (salads) / The Meating Place Sausage Shop / Vantage Point Jewish Deli 

By 1982, a new mall logo was created. It omitted any reference to The Land of Oz.
Graphic from the Joseph Skilken Organization