Cincinnati Exposition Hall

Engraving of the Cincinnati Exposition Hall in the 1870's. The building is also known as Saengerfest Hall or Music Hall. The Venetian Gothic music hall was built by Hannaford,Samuel, & Sons. The land was originally purchased in 1818 for $3,200 at the West Side of Elm Street and North of 12th Street (14th street). In 1821 the building was used as Ohio's first insane asylum, later the area was used as an orphan asylum beginning in 1832. Later, during a cholera outbreak the building was used to house diseased people and the surrounding area was used as a cemetery to bury the deceased. Beginning in 1859 the surrounding area was called Elm Street Park and it remained a place for recreation until 1870 when the hall was used as an exposition hall. During the years 1870-1876 when the hall was used for industrial expositions the building was able to accommodate up to 8 acres of industrial and horticulture displays. Exposition Hall was a huge wooden structure that was 250 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 80 feet tall. In 1876 the hall was converted to a music hall with no stage. It was not until 1890 when the hall installed a proscenium theater stage so that performers had a proper environment for their acts. The hall is currently still used for musical performances and it is renowned around the world for its architectural design and strangely known for its supposed paranormal activity