Old Main (1874-1955)

By Ryan Fellers

The Public Library of Cincinnati's Grand Hall as it appeared in 1900. Designed by Architect James W. McLaughlin, it stood at 629 Vine Street.

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Reference Photos

There are surprisingly few known photos of a building that stood for 80 years and almost all of them are in black and white. Many can be found in the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library's collection.

Below are some of the earliest known photos of the building. The bust of James E. Murdoch (center of Grand Hall) was dedicated in March of 1898 and the stained glass windows were installed in January of 1900. These photos were most likely taken shortly thereafter. Almost all later photos show different lighting fixtures hanging in the Grand Hall.

Photos courtesy of the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library.

The Grand Hall. Note the tables on the left were reserved for men, the tables on the right for women.

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The stain glass windows (top) are interior windows. A reading room with new electric lights was on the other side.

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The public was not allowed up into the stacks. Only library employees could pull and restack shelves.

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Last updated June 29, 2025