Our Neighborhood
Over-the-Rhine is a welcoming community where people of all socioeconomic backgrounds shop, live, work and play. By coming here, patrons are embracing the diversity that makes our neighborhood special and supporting businesses that are the backbone of our community.
Since the early nineteenth century, Over-the-Rhine, a 360-acre neighborhood, has been home to people of all economic classes and ethnic backgrounds. Over-the-Rhine has long been physically defined by its characteristic compact streets, three- to five-story brick buildings, churches, and meeting halls, which was heavily influenced by its first inhabitants, German immigrants.
The neighborhood's name is also a nod to its earliest residents. The first portion of the Miami and Erie Canal completed in 1827, and the canal flowed between downtown and Over-the-Rhine, which reminded German immigrants of the Rhine River. They dubbed the canal (now Central Parkway) “the Rhine,” and from this grew the name “Over-the-Rhine.”
The revitalization of Over-the-Rhine continues to receive national attention for its clear direction with regard to development, public and private efforts, and strong will of local residents. With city-wide collaboration and determination, Over-the-Rhine is moving steadily toward a future with an economically vibrant, socially and culturally diverse, and all-around inclusive neighborhood.