Taft Museum
The Taft Museum, 316
Pike St., built in 1819-20, is an elegant white frame mansion comprising a
2-story center unit flanked by single-story wings. Architects consider it
one of the Nation's finest examples of Early Federal style of architecture.
The center unit is fronted by a gracious portico, with Tuscan pillars, that is
reached by sandstone steps having a curred iron railing. A high basement
with grilled windows extends the length of the house.
The mansion was built for Martin Baum, early Cincinnati capitalist, who in
1825 was forced to transfer title to the property to his own bank. For a
time the Belmont School, a female seminary, operated here; then, in 1830,
Nicholas Longworth, I bought the property. The Longworth family sold the
house to David Sinton in 1871; following marriage of Anna Sinton to Charles
Phelps Taft in 1873, it became the taft home.
For more than a century socialite Cincinnatians and many artist, writers,
and musicians came here to attend receptions, dinners, musicales, and balls.
Often the guest of honor was a notable. At one time or another Robert
Owen; Frances Trollope; Bernhard, Duke of Saxe-Weimar; William Henry
Harrison, Albert, King of Belgians, and Cardinal Mercier were guests. It
was on the portico steps that William Howard Taft, half-brother of Charles
Phelps Taft, was notified of his nomination for the Presidency in 1908.
in 1927 the Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts was formed at the suggestion
of Mrs. Charles Phelps Taft and Mr. and Mrs. Taft announced that they would give
their home and art collection to the people of Cincinnati, if certain
requirements were fulfilled. These were met; the house was restored on the
basis of an 1857 color print; and drapes, andirons, fenders and
reproductions of the original carpets were installed to recreate the atmosphere
of a fine, early-nineteenth century American home. ON November 29, 1932,
the Taft Museum was formally opened to the public.
The halls and 13 of the mansion's 30 rooms hold exhibits, the remaining
rooms being used for assembly, service and storage purposes. A lecture
room in the basement seats 100 persons. The Taft art collection,
tastefully arranged in the handsome rooms and hallways, comprised about 100 oil
paintings by French, English, Dutch, Flemish, Spanish, and American artists;
some ceramics; French enamels from the thirteenth to seventeenth centuries;
Italian majolicas; sixteenth-century crystals and jewelry; about 200 Chinese
vases and porcelains; and a fascinating collection of watches dating from the
sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries.
~ from Cincinnati: A Guide to the Queen City and Its Neighbors,
1943, Tour 3, pg. 165-166
The Taft Museum continues as one of the finest small art museums in America.
From the museum's website "the
Taft is home to an extensive art collection that includes European and American
master paintings, Chinese porcelains, and European decorative arts. See major
works by Rembrandt, Hals, Goya, Gainsborough, Reynolds, Turner, Ingres,
Whistler, and Sargent, as well as the greatest Gothic sculpture in America."
The museum underwent a $20 million renovation and expansion in 2004.
The museum is listed as National Historic Landmark. The museum is open
Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Admission (includes parking):
Adults $8
Seniors 60 and over $6
Students over 18 $6
Youth 18 and under Free
The Museum is free to all on Wednesdays.