One of the reasons I love being a real estate agent is I love history. I love Cincinnati. As a lifelong resident I’ve learned a lot of very interesting things about the city. Some informational, some quirky, some fun and we’re going to share those with you. So, today we’re going to start off with a place that’s very near and dear to my heart and that’s Ault Park.
Did you know that Ault Park was once overrun by the Iron Horseman, a vicious motorcycle gang? In 1966 the Iron Horseman Motorcycle Club, which was founded right here in Cincinnati, took over Ault Park. One of the group’s leaders lived nearby and members of the Iron Horseman cruised around the park riding around the Pavilion and generally doing motorcycle club related activities. Not what you see at the park now. This behavior intimidated regular park goers and the number of visitors dramatically dwindled. In 1971 a rival motorcycle club leader wanted to oust the Iron Horseman, threw a stick of dynamite through the leader’s window & caused the Iron Horseman to abandon the park. The park was stuck in a state of decay. The beautiful Pavilion, which is now home to wonderful weddings, was almost at risk of being torn down. There was a lack of funding to make necessary repairs – A group of neighbors got together and said we’re not gonna let them tear it down we’ll raise half the money and the park board can raise the rest the Ault Park Advisory Council was formed and funding was secured. The Ault Park Advisory Council officially formed in 1987 and raised 1.5 million dollars to fund fixing the Pavilion. Even before the nonprofit was officially formed locals were hard at work trying to restore Ault Park to its former glory. It’s hard to imagine Ault Park, one of the gems of our Cincinnati park system, being in such a state of disrepair. The next time you’re at a wedding in the Pavilion or enjoying the Rose Garden or enjoying one of the many green spaces just remember that 40 years ago a motorcycle was probably being driven over that area.
I hope you enjoyed learning about Ault Park and stay tuned for more Did You Know? from the Draznik Group.