Nomination for Gruen Watch Company--Time Hill

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

NPS Form 10-900 OMB No. 10024-0018 (Oct. 1990) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service : RECEIVED 2280 National Register of Historic Places 1. Name of Property other names/site number - D. Gruen and Sons 2. Location street & number 401 East McMillan Street N/A O not for publication city or town N/AO vicinity state - 3. State/Federal Agency Certification X:meets L does not meet the National Register criteria.I recommend that this property be considered significant - nationally statewide x locally. (L See continuation sheet for additional comments.) Signature of certifying official/Title Ohio Historic Preservation Office - OH SHPO State of Federal agency and bureau In my opinion, the property meets does not meet the National Register criteria. ([ See continuation sheet for additional 4.National Park Service Certification Ventered in the National Register.

- See continuation sheet. - determined not eligible for the J removed from the National - other, (explain:) comments.) Date Register. Cincinnati Ohio Registration Form National Register FEB /2 1996 entries and narrative items on continuation sheets (NPS Form 10-900a). Use a typewriter, word processor, or computer, to complete all items. code OH county Hamilton As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this X nomination 1 hereby certify that the property is: Date of Action historic name Gruen Watch Company - Time Hill Gruen Watch Company Hamilton County, Ohio Name of Property County and State 5. Classification Ownership of Property Category of Property Number of Resources within Property (Do not include previously listed resources in the count.

Xi private Kt building(s) L district - public-State - site public-Federal m - structure L object Name of related multiple property listing Number of contributing resources previously listed 6. Function or Use Historic Functions Current Functions INDUSTRY/manufacturing facility 7.

Description foundation concrete (Describe the historic and current condition of the property on one or more continuation sheets.) other roof none Total brick walls Materials Noncontributing Architectural Classification Narrative Description ceramic tile (Enter categories from instructions) Tudor Revival in the National Register EDUCATION/college stucco and wood (Check only one box) (Check as many boxes as apply) National Park Service Gruen Watch Company-Time Hill Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Description, Page 1 The Gruen Watch Company-Time Hill, also known as the Gruen Watchmakers' Guild of Cincinnati, is a 2 1/2 story industrial building constructed in 1916 neighborhood of Cincinnati, approximately one mile north of Downtown and the listed in the National Register of Historic Places in November of 1984.

Both in 1964, which offers advanced studies at the baccalaureate and doctoral headquarters. The Gruen Watch Company building was purchased in March of Two major changes have been made to the Gruen Watch Company building. A changed when a new owner remodeled the building for offices. during the Arts and Crafts Movement era, was designed by local architects, Guy and Central Parkway in Over-the-Rhine, and the Coca-Cola Bottling Works Dana Avenue in Evanston, both listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The Ferro Concrete Construction Company, 1945.

The original Gruen building, with a frontage of 150 feet and a depth of 100 feet, was basically L-shaped with a steeply pitched roof of green glazed First, he moved his expanding business "out of the dusty, dirty downtown section, which at that time was much more smoky than it is now, (to) look for the most profitable advertising investments that we made, for it has become a landmark for all tourists that come to Cincinnati." (Gruen, 1940) 1995.

Continuation Sheet Natlonal Register of Historic Places The Gruen Watch combination of office and factory built Watch another distinctive early Tudor Revival investors from Minneapolis.(Photos #12 & 13)In 1990,the interior was United Statee Depertment of the Interior Section number - - Page 1 landscaped rise on the south side of East McMillan Street, in the Walnut Hills in September of 1989, and sensitively rehabilitated for their national one-story dark brown brick addition was constructed on the east side along had two reasons for choosing an architectural style based on the Guild Halls in Brussels, Belgium, as he wrote in his memoirs five years before his death.

a place up on the hills." (Gruen, 1940) Secondly, he said that "the idea of The 1916 building has many elements of the early Tudor Revival style Iowa Street in 1953 when the Gruen family sold their interest to a group of Deeken was the architect for the Streitmann Biscuit Company at Twelfth tile.Fred G.Gruen,the son of the founder of the D.W.Gruen Watch Company, Union Trust Building in 1914 and its additions in 1915-19,1921-23,and 1926- United Statee Depertment of the Interior National Park Service Gruen Watch Company-Time Hill Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Description, Page 2 2) On the McMillan Street (the north) facade, the steeply pitched roof of doors are replacements from the 1990 remodeling, the doorway is still protected by an original copper hood which is flanked by original oval windows from the 1990 remodeling as do the huge iron griffin-headed light fixtures Coat of Arms for the Gruen family, although the one on the east side is just a which is capped by a hip roof has a double window which lights the attic from the ground level to terminate in a gable peak under one of the eyelid The factory portion of the building faced west.

(Photo #8) At a right angle to the office, the industrial wing overlooks a steep hillside which slopes down toward Reading Road, now covered by the McMillan Street overpass. The west facade has two stories of full windows set under a sloping roof which an abundance of light and ventilation, in contrast to the early years that jets going in the middle of each bench and there were no open windows or ventilation to draw out the air, so in winter with the dark hours in the morning and the evening, the air was so thick and stifling and smelly from equipment of the factory so that no workman is crowded, nor are any placed in dark corners." (Building Age, 1922) rises from the side wall and breaks through the roof's edge twice is topped by Continuation Sheet National Register of Historic Places which is loosely based on a variety of early English building traditions.

The first story walls are of dark red brick while the upper two floors are clad in stucco with decorative half timbering in grid and cross designs. (Photos 1 & green glazed tile features four eyelid dormer windows and two dormers that casement windows has a segmental arched center window which has the name GRUEN level. The smaller dormer on the east side of the facade extends two stories has four eyelid dormer windows ar the third or attic level. The windows gave Fred Gruen recalled from 1892 when "factories were lighted by hundreds of one vast well-lit room.

The workmen are seated on benches built to follow the At the south end of the factory portion where the land begins to slope toward downtown Cincinnati, a three-story pent-roofed gabled projecting facade through and remained healthy under those conditions." (Gruen, 1940) The new factory on Time Hill was built so that "the balance of the floor . .

accents the kitchen and dining area.(Photo #9)It has apoured concrete United Statee Depertment of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Gruen Watch Company-Time Hill Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Description, Page 3 Section number - & 10) In the 90% angle created by the office on the north and the factory on the west, a combination of fanciful dormers and gable details enlivens the area has two tiers of flat roofed dormers flanking the jerkin head roof vergeboards, and a stamped-tin painted roof that terminates in a point with a ornamented with cross timbering, and topped by a conical copper roof and led) into the two-story entrance hall paneled in dark wood with a beamed (Exhibit E) made by the famous Rookwood Potteries, on either side of which are evening, eating pippins and cheese and sipping sack.

- one can) ascend watchmakers intent upon the work of adjusting and casing the tiny movements of (Gruen watches)" (Cincinnatian, 1918) Further Alpine atmosphere was "given (the small village in Switzerland where Gruen time movements were made) (A Worthy Company of Watchmakers, 1918) (See Exhibit F) The interior "with a quaint charm that carries one back to the Fifteenth Century, when the Swiss guilds met in halls similar to the edifice on Time dry-walled, carpeted, paneled, wired, plumbed, and lit to suit a couple of . uncontrolled to create a new home for their company and anybody else. Page by chamois heads, and a mural panorama of the mountains near Madre-Biel." Continuation Sheet terra cotta chimney pots.

(Cincinnati #25& The only original interior imbricated shingle siding, round arched miniature windows, scalloped An octagonal three-story tower is situated between two projecting The original look of the interior spaces of the entrance, lobby, carved stairway, cross a balcony flanked by a high railing on one side and on the other by high latticed windows . . . (to) see before us rows of feature of the 1916 building left intact can be found in the third-story with The Iowa Street facade of the original building faces east. (Photos #9 window. In the 90% angle, a square tower has four steeply pitched gables of metal finial. (Photo #14) brown brick addition was built.

(Exhibits B & C) Hill"(AWorthy Companion of Watchmakers,1918) was almost totally destroyed United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Gruen Watch Company-Time Hill Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Description, Page 4 Section number _ sandblasted, while the rest of the space was dry-walled and carpeted. (Photos #28 & 31) The contract for the original landscaping was awarded to Natorp, a local hillsides and curved driveways featured decorative stone terraces. plantings included an abundance of evergreens which softened the facades and Continuation Sheet Natlonal Register of Historic Places Cincinnati is still in A& C) The steep _ Page - its steeply pitched roof and assemblages of unusually shaped windows. The framework of steeply angled trusses was painted and the steel hanger rods were were reminiscent of the Alpine environment.

While written descriptions of the landscaping exist from articles in several newspapers from 1916 and 1917, Natorp Garden Stores, Inc. does not have the original plans. Through the years and with the construction of the large addition on the east side, the landscaping was drastically altered, and the original plantings were removed. Gruen Watch Company Hamilton County, Ohio Name of Property County and State 8. Statement of Significance

Statement of significance

Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property [XA Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. Ix B Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past. Ix C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and Period of Significance distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction. 1916 -1945 - D Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history. Significant Dates (Mark "x" in all the boxes that apply.) Significant Person - B removed from its original location. (Complete if Criterion B is marked above) Gruen, Frederick D.

- C a birthplace or grave. Cultural Affiliation - D a cemetery. - E a reconstructed building, object, or structure. - F a commemorative property. - G less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past 50 years. Burroughs, Guy Channing Burroughs & Deeken Narrative Statement of Significance (Explain the significance of the property on one or more continuation sheets.) 9.

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

Major Bibliographical References (Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form on one or more continuation sheets.) Previous documentation on file (NPS): N/A Primary location of additional data: L preliminary determination of individual listing (36 -X State Historic Preservation Office CFR 67) has been requested LJ Other State agency - previously listed in the National Register - Federal agency J previously determined eligible by the National L Local government U University - designated a National Historic Landmark - Other U recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey Name of repository: - recorded by Historic American Engineering Record # Industry Bibilography Register Architecture Architect/Builder Property is: Criteria Considerations religious purposes.

A owned by a religious institution or used for for National Register listing.) Areas of Significanc Enter categories from instruction Gruen Watch Company Hamilton County, Ohio Name of Property County and State 10. Geographical Data Acreage of Property - UTM References J See continuation sheet Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property on a continuation sheet.) Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected on a continuation sheet.) 11. Form Prepared By and Barbara Powers (Ohio Historic Preservation Office) -section 8 organizationThe Union Institute - date September 1995 - telephone (513) 861-6400 city or town _ zip code45206-1947 Submit the following items with the completed form: Continuation Sheets A USGS map (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's location.

A Sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources. Representative black and white photographs of the property. Additional items (Check with the SHPO or FPO for any additional items) Property Owner (Completethis item at the request of SHPO or FPO.) The Union Institute street & number 440 East McMillan Street Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470 et seg.). Zone Northing Maps Easting Cincinnati Photographs state Ohio Additional Documentation name/title _Dr.Anu M.

Mitra,Director of University Communications,assisted by Mary Ann O1ding additional UTMreferences ona continuation sheet.) street & number 440 East McMillan Street Estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 18.1 hours per response including time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Chief, Administrative Services Division, National Park Service, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, DC 20013-7127; and the Office of OMB Approval No.

1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Continuation Sheet Section number 8 Statement of Significance industrial history and development of Cincinnati in the early 20th century and for the firm's noteworthy achievements in the fields of merchandizing and advertising in the watchmaking industry. The property is significant under Criterion B for its association with Frederick Gruen Cincinnati architecture firm of Burroughs & Deeken, the 1916 half-timbered picturesque factory to progressive-era industrial forms. began making the entire movement in Columbus. As was the common practice at the time, they sold only the watch movement, jewelers then purchased or designed cases to complete the timepiece.

During the financial panic of 1893, the business fell into finanical trouble, eventually being sold to the Studebaker family of South Bend, Indiana who operated the business as the South Bend Watch Company. In 1894 Gruen and his son Frederick started the company again Gruen joined the firm and the name changed to "D. Gruen and Sons." In 1898 the firm purchased the Queen City Watch Case Company in Cincinnati, changing its name to the Gruen National Watch Case Company and moved the watch factory from Columbus to Fountain Square in downtown Cincinnati. The company soon outgrew this downtown location and in 1914 decided to develop the recently purchased tract of land along E. McMillan Street as a new factory the firm's interests including the sales, administrative, service, and case manufacturing facilities were all consolidated under one roof.

Around 1900 the firm established the Gruen Watch Precision Manufacturing Plant in Madretsch-Biel, Switzerland to produce their Swiss-made watch The Gruen National Watch Case Company and The Gruen Watch Manufacturing Company of Switzerland. (8-86) National Register of Historic Places philosophies of the Arts and Crafts Movement in America in the early 2oth century as it relates under the name of "D. Gruen and Son." A few years later, in 1897, a second son, George J. movements. In 1922 The Gruen Watch Company was incorporated to absorb D. Gruen & Sons, his role in developing the company into a national leader in watchmaking. Designed by the building to be known as Time Hill. With the completion of the building on Time Hill in 1916, Savage,"then formed the "Columbus Watch Company."The watch movements were imported from Switzerland and finished in the Columbus factory.

By 1882, they built a larger factory and whose specific contributions advanced the Gruen Company's innovations in watch design and for took in W. J. Savage as a partner, and operated for a short time under the name "Gruen & is significant under Criterion C for its distinctive architecture reflecting the design and social In 1872,Dietrich Gruen founded his watchmaking company in Columbus, Ohio. A year later he The Gruen Watch Company -Time Hill is significant under Criterion A for its role in the Page - NPS Form 10-900-a Gruen Watch Company - Time Hill, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Gruen Watch Company - Time Hill, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH and styling.

Dietrich Gruen, founder of the Gruen company, is considered the American pioneer more common method of watchmakers merely selling the movement to jewelers. Gruen was the Dietrich Gruen died in 1911. Under the direction of son Frederick, until his death in 1945, the The Gruen Company had always taken a very active role in the merchandising and distribution of their product. In addition to their innovative production of the complete watch, movements and through wholesale jewelry houses. By the 1920s, Gruen had over 2500 retail dealers across the The Saturday Evening Post, the first watch company to do so on a national level. The ad was for Gruen's Precision Verithin Watch, stating it, "Fits your pocket like a silver dollar." The ad made a style for men.

(8-86) grade movements sold complete with 14k and 18k gold cases, a practice which differed from the Page provided comprehensive advertising campaigns, newspaper ads, and display window kits (another displayed on a tag, and offering a guarantee certificate. They sold directly to retail stores, not first company to introduce the wrist watch, first in 1908 with a ladies version then later offering Gruen Watch Company established its world-wide reputation, particularly in the advertising, merchandizing, and distribution of watches. During this period, the company continued to produce Since its early years, the Gruen name has been associated with innovation in watch manufacturing Frederick Gruen.

Gruen's advertising ideal and work philosophies of a guild approach to craftsmanship, working In 1911, Gruen started their first national advertising campaign with a three-quarter page ad in produced a thinner watch without lose of the accuracy or duribility of the parts. Other Gruen United States as well as in Canada and Europe. Gruen developed a Retail Service Department that conditions, and production of a quality product were translated into an architectural statement of Dietrich Gruen and a special "Fiftieth Anniversary"pocket watch model in 1924, designed by Gruen first in the business). and quality of pocket watches, a pentagon-shaped pocket watch patented in 1922 was advertised case, they also were leaders in displaying their merchandise in a box, providing a fixed price pinion device in 1874.

His son, Frederick, invented in 1904 the Verithin mechanism which mountains asa background scene. With the completion of the Time Hill complex in 1916, reference to the Gruen Watch Makers Guild and featured a quaint European village nestled in the Section number 8 innovations included the production of the"Precision"and"Extra Precision"movements, high high quality and innovative watch designs. The Ultra-Verithin series improved on the thinness to be used, but still maintained a thin appearence, as well as a high priced line named in honor of the"Curvex"line in 1935where the movement itself was curved which allowed larger parts that it "Won't tip over in your pocket."Advances in wrist watch styling with the introduction manufacturer of the size 16 (railroad standard) pocket watch, receiving a patent for a safety NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No.

1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Continuation Sheet Gruen Watch Company - Time Hill, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH reflecting the broader influences and philosophies of the Arts and Crafts Movement of the period until shortly after WorldWar I was the Arts and Crafts Movement characterized by simple designs, natural materials, fine craftsmanship, and looking to vernacular and regional sources for influences. The movement's origins can be traced to the writings and work of 19th century architectural theorist John Ruskin and English designer William Morris. Architecture reflecting the Arts and Crafts ideals often looked to the Tudor and the half-timbered sources of English and French vernacular buildings.

Social ideals of the Arts and Crafts Movement in America were seen as a reaction to turn-of-the- Ruskin and Morris, a "new industrialism" was formed to offer an alternative to the factory system and its product. The goal was to rebeautify daily life and labor and to counter the present factory than factories. The craftsman ideal advocated for more satisfying labor and a holistic environment it was seen as combining craftsmanship with a simpler life. University of Chicago professor Oscar Craftsman, that this new industrialism should seek for labor to be both artistic and educative and the product of labor useful and beautiful. Gustave Stickley and Elbert Hubbard were nationally and reform in the design of daily objects.

Stickley, furniture maker and publisher-editor of The Craftsman, established his firm, The United commercialized the craftsman ideal through his mail-order catalogue of items produced at the Roycroft Studio in East Aurora, New York. The Roycroft Studios also evoked the image of the (8-86) recognized promoters who addressed the reality of industrialism by attempting to find ways to National Register of Historic Places improve the workers' situation within the factory context and to spread the practice of handicraft system surrounded by filth and bad ventilation to pleasant and artistic buildings more like studios magazine featured articles on art, arts and crafts, labor, and social reform advocating "simplicity, Hubbard, writer, advertiser, businessman, printer, and creator of The Roycroft enterprise for the worker closer to nature.

The medieval guild system was looked upon as a model because style made of local stone with a series of half-timbered and stone cottages for various crafts and craftsman ideal through their architectural design.The central workshop was English Tudor in the company was a profit-sharing venture with employees receiving stock options. The Craftsman century industrialism and its impact on the worker and products. Looking to the writings of workrooms featuring large halls with beamed ceilings. A major design influence in American architecture and decorative arts at the turn-of-the-century plans for bungalow-type homes brought the Arts and Crafts ideals to the middle class.

individuality, and dignity of effort." Stickley's solid, bulky straight-lined furniture designs and Crafts, as a guild of cabinet makers and metal and leather workers.For a short period of time, Page - 3 Lowell Triggs wrote in an essay entitled "The New Industrialism"in a 1904 issue of The Section number - NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Continuation Sheet Gruen Watch Company - Time Hill, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH Frederick Gruen provided a working model of the Arts and Crafts philosophy of combining art, ideals, and business through his development of the Gruen Watch Makers Guild and the creation of Time Hill.

In 1940 Frederick Gruen recalled in his memoirs, Historical Facts About the The idea to build a guild structure to house the watch company came to Frederick when he saw public the feeling that there is something more in a Gruen watch than merely a machine, that Gruen Spirit." (E.

Gruen, 1940) Gruen's goal of improved working conditions and the sense of the worker in connection to the is one of our biggest arguments with our dealers and the public, that it wasn't merely a watch under ideal surroundings and conditions,' one can work much better and produce a better article Frederick Gruen's concept was reinforced in a February 1922 article in Building Age, "An Unusual Design for Factory" that described Gruen's intent as "...their one idea in building this factory was to make it comfortable for the workmen, as they firmly believe that contented the green tiled gable roof, and the use of locally produced Rookwood decorative art tiles.

Shortly also designed Frederick Gruen's home at 3460 Oxford Terrace in the Clifton neighborhood of In addition to the Gruen buildings, a number of residential designs published in the September 1919 issue of Architecture further show Burrough's work as a reflection of Arts and Crafts on to state, "Our advertising and our manufacturing facilities were all built on the idea of carrying Cincinnati. National Register of Historic Places company but a Guild, which put dignity, quality, and craftsmanship behind the article." He goes influences of the early 20th century. The large country estates display the influence of English under these surroundings, 'make a useful article - a watch - in a beautiful way.'" (F. Gruen, 1940) Switzerland based movement factory using a similar picturesque, half-timbered design.

Burroughs Hill is "an approriate workshop for a modern guild" (A Worthy Company of Watchmakers, 1918) across the idea of quality, and that is why we always said 'Make a useful article, like a watch, workmen are the finest tools of the factory." after the completion of the Time Hill workshop, Burroughs designed a new building for the product reflect a craftsman ideal. He states, "The Guild tradition in connection with Time Hill concept was seen as an advertiseing investment. The landmark building was intended to"give the displaying Arts and Crafts inspired design through its use of half-timbering and tapestry brick, Designed by Guy C.

Burroughs of the firm Burroughs & Deeken, the Gruen building on Time out of the dusty, dirty downtown section..,and look for a place up on the hills." pictures of"the beautiful Guild halls in Brussels ."(F Gruen,1940)The creation of the guild hall Section number _ 8 Page - NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Continuation Sheet Gruen Watch Company - Time Hill, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH Section number _ 8 - Page -5 architects such as Edwin Lutyens and C.F.A. Voysey in Burrough's use of stone, half-timbering, and stucco, multi-paned casement windows, clipped gables, and rambling designs evoking the feel of the English Cottswold cottage. Guy Channing Burroughs was born in Oregon, Illinois in 1881.

He received his architectural training from the University of Illinois and Lake Forest University Cincinnati, graduating in 1906. Within the industrial context of Cincinnati, the Gruen Watch Company on Time Hill reflects the 19th and 20th century development of Cincinnati as a center of craftsmanship and art. In part due to the large number of German and Swiss immigrants who made Cincinnati their home, Cincinnati developed a large number of craft-related industries producing watches, clocks, jewelry, and pottery. Architecturally, Gruen's picturesque workshop is part of a significant aspect of Cincinnati's industrial architecture at the turn-of-the-century. Other local workplaces reflecting this same Arts and Crafts inspired architecture are the 1892half-timbered Rookwood Pottery Studios in Mt.

Adams (NR: 12/5/72) and the 1921 Tudor style Procter and Collier/Beau Brummel building (NR: 10/18/84) located directly across McMillan Avenue from Gruen, designed by following this, in 1949, the Gruen Watch Company becomes a subsidiary of Gruen Industries, company moved to New York City and the Cincinnati facilities were sold. century Arts and Crafts Movement in America as it relates to the worker and the workplace. The building also provides a greater understanding of Cincinnati's contribution to the industrial reform inspired by the Arts and Crafts Movement. (8-86) National Register of Historic Places workshop." (The Craftsman, 1904) sold their interests in the company to a group of investors from Minneapolis.

In 1958 the Cincinnati architects Elzner and Anderson.In Professor Triggs article,"The New Industrialism", Inc., showing the diversification of the company into other products.In 1953 the Gruen family Deeken, a Cincinnati native, was born in 1888.He studied architecture at the University of The Gruen Watch Company - Time Hill is a significant addition to understanding the early 20th The period of significance ends in 1945 -- this is the year Frederick Gruen dies and shortly he cites The Rookwood Pottery of Cincinnati, Ohio as an example of "the purest type of ideal NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Gruen, Fred G. Historical Facts about the Development of the Gruen Watch Makers Guild. unpublished manuscript. September 1940. Gruen, Robert Dietrich. A Brief History of the Gruen Watch Company.

Indianapolis: KenRo Hover, John C., ed. Memoirs of the Miami Valley. Vol. III. Chicago: Robert O. Law Company. Kaplan, Wendy, ed. "The Art that is Life": The Arts & Crafts Movement in America, 1875-1920. Boston: Museum of Fine Arts. 1987. An Anthology. Edited by Barry Sanders. Santa Barbara: Peregrine Smith, Inc. 1978. 150 Years of Industrial Cincinnati. Cincinnati: The Cincinnati Post. 1938. and its Neighbors. Cincinnati: The City of Cincinnati. 1943. 1920. 1945. Printing Company. October 1991. "The Building of Time Hill". The Cincinnatian. Vol. 4. August 13, 1917. Page 8. Triggs, Oscar Lovell. "The New Industrialism". The Craftsman. Vol. V. 1904. In The Craftsman, Works Progress Administration. "Tour 14, Walnut Hills". Cincinnati: A Guide to the Queen City Works Progress Administration in Ohio, Cincinnati Federal Writers' Project. They Built a City, "Real Estate - Time Hill".

Cincinnati Magazine. May 1990. Page 15. Gruen Watch Company, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Continuation Sheet "An Unusual Design for Factory". Building Age. Vol. 44. February 1922. The Ferro Concrete Construction Company.Architecture and Design.Vol.IX.No. 2. February Major Bibliographical References "A Worthy Company of Watchmakers, Gruen Watch Company,"Time Hill", Cincinnati". Guild National Register of Historic Places Book A. 1918.

Section number 9 Page -1 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Gruen Watch Company, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Section number -10 Page - Verbal Boundary Description: Situate in the City of Cincinnati, County of Hamilton and State of Ohio: And being the east 15 feet of Lots 2 and 4, all of Lot 6, the east 75 feet of Lot 8, the east 45 feet of Lots 10, 12, 14, and 16, all of Lots 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, the north 20.25 feet of Lots 69 and 70 of William F. Irwin's Subdivision as the same is recorded in Plat Book 1, page 174, of the Hamilton known as William Street and as Lewis Street) as dedicated on the plat of William F. Irwin's Subdivision as aforesaid and subsequently vacated by Ordinance Nos.

169-1934 and 359-1946, which is contiguous to Lots 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16, and also the east one-half of said street 20.25 feet of Lot 69. Being the same premises conveyed to the grantors herein by deed recorded in Deed Book 4033, Page 790, of the Deed Records of Hamilton County, Ohio. Property Address: 401 East McMillan Street, Cincinnati, Ohio 45206. Verbal Boundary Justification: The boundary includes the property historically associated with the Gruen Watch Company. (8-86) Continuation Sheet County Recorder's Records, together with all the west one-half of Bennington Street (formerly National Register of Historic Places which is contiguous to Lots 41, 43,45,47,49, 51, 53,55,57,59, 61, 63, 65,67 and the north NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 Page OMB Approval No.

1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Gruen Watch Company-Time Hill Photo 1 of 31 D. Gruen and Sons and Company September 14, 1995 View showing front facade and one side elevation. View showing front facade. View showing close-up view of front facade. 45206 Continuation Sheet National Register of Historic Places (8-86) Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Mary Ann Olding Brown, photographer The Union Institute, 440 East McMillan Street, Cincinnati, Ohio NPS Form 10-900-a Section number Photos Page 1 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Continuation Sheet Gruen Watch Company-Time Hill Section number Phetes Page _2 Photo 6 of 31 D. Gruen and Sons and Company Mary Ann Olding Brown, photographer September 14, 1995 View showing front facade. View showing Bennington Street side facade and rear elevation.

View showing Bennington Street facade and rear elevation. View showing rear elevation and Iowa Street facade. 45206 National Register of Historic Places Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio The Union Institute, 440 East McMillan Street, Cincinnati, Ohio NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 NPS Form 10-900-a United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Gruen Watch Company-Time Hill Photo 11 of 31 September 14, 1995 View showing rear and Iowa Street side elevation. View showing Iowa Street elevation. View showing detail from Iowa Street elevation. 45206 Continuation Sheet D.

Gruen and Sons and Company National Register of Historic Places Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Mary Ann Olding Brown, photographer The Union Institute, 440 East McMillan Ohio Section number Photos Page 3 View showing detail from Iowa Street side elevation. (8-86) OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Continuation Sheet Gruen Watch Company-Time Hill Photo 16 of 31 D. Gruen and Sons and Company September 14, 1995 View showing close-up from Iowa Street side elevation. View showing detail of rear elevation. 45206 (8-86) National Register of Historic Places Mary Ann Olding Brown, photographer Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio View showing rear elevation.

The Union Institute,440 East McMillan Street, Ohio NPS Form 10-900-a Section number Photos Page - NPS Form 10-900-a United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Gruen Watch Company-Time Hill Photo 21 of 31 Mary Ann Olding Brown, photographer September 14, 1995 View showing rear elevation. View showing Iowa Street side elevation. 45206 Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Section number Photos Page National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet View showing front lobby. View showing front entry. D. Gruen and Sons and Company OMB Approval No. 10240018 The Union Institute, 440 East McMillan Ohio (8-86) NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park service Gruen Watch Comnany-Time Hill Section number Photos Page -6 Photo 26 of 31 D.

Gruen and Sons and Company Mary Ann Olding Brown, photographer September 14, 1995 View showing front lobby. 45206 (8-86) National Register of Historic Places Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio View showing side of lobby area. Continuation Sheet View showing close-up view of third floor trusswork. The Union Institute, 440 East McMillan Street, Cincinnati, Ohio View showing third floor trusswork. NPS Form 10-900-a United States Department of the Interior National Park Service Gruen Watch Company-Time Hill Section number Photos Page 7 Photo 31 of 31 D. Gruen and Sons and Company Mary Ann Olding Brown, photographer September 14, 1995 The Union Institute, 440 East McMillan Street, Cincinnati, Ohio (8-86) National Register of Historic Places Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio Continuation Sheet OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 View showing third floor trusswork.

45206 401 East McMillan Street Circled numbers with arrows refer to photographs Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio BENNINGTON (The Gruen Watch Co. Building) THE UNION INSTITUTE TIME HILL FACILITY Gruen Watch Company, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio THE SATURDAY EVENING POST Gruen ad which appeared in a 1911 Saturday Evening Post. silver dollar' "Fits your pocket like a VERITHN WATCH And the best jewelers in From: Gruen, Robert D. A Brief History of the Gruen Watch Company, 1991 GRUEN Gruen Watch Comnany-Time Hill SLINGSBY BOY LOSES H Love Edelweiss? You May Find It Next Spring in 'Alps Garden' of Watch Firm FACTORY AND GARDEN LAST FIGHT FOR FORTU THE WATCH ALPINE MCMULLENS Gruen Watch Company, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio GRUEN WATCH MAKERS GUILD, TIME HILL. CINCINNATI. OHIO.

Mary Ann Olding 2453 Fairview Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45219 EXHIBIT A POSTCARD DATED 1925 Gruen Watch Company, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio EXHIBIT B A Brief History Of the Gruen Watch Company Gruen Watch Co. Time Hill Cincinnati, Ohio East View EXHIBIT C Gruen Watch Comnany, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio THE QUEt t of Icin- 1 to AGUIDE: Boy nery rder tory nes, ison train into ture ents. Her- has fac- lant, 1943 GRUEN :ured rica's WPA )any iuild, rices ratch CINCINNAT :eet. inati sug- time iem- A WORTHY COmPANY oF WATCHMAKERS Gruen Watch Company, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio EXHIBLT D OF WATCHMAHERS Gruen Watch Company, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio A WORTHY COMPANY Gruen Watch Company, Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio EXHIBIT F GRUEN WATCH COMPANI principal supplier of gold-filled cases for Gruen. The Star Case the other watch companies a cruel blow.

To offer lower-priced offered in 15, 17 and 21 jewel models. items, stainless steel cases were made and some of the gold-filled Switzerland. cases while a number of specialty shops in New York City provided At this point, the Gruen National Case Company was produc- gold-filled models as well. The Wadsworth Watch Case Company The deepening depression of the 1930's dealt Gruen and all ing only solid gold cases, but then they started to make some of the Company of Ludington, Michigan, was another supplier of filled model. In 1925, Gruen brought out its "Quadron" movement, a rectangular shape that permitted larger parts to be used in a slimmer some of the platinum cases encrusted with jewels. of Dayton, Kentucky, just across the river from Cincinnati, was the The Precision Plant of the Gruen Watch Mfg.

Co., S.A., Biel, width rectangular case.This was an immediate success and was DCT 1941 A BRIEF HISTORY OFTHC rectangular and square designs were introduced, such as the Tank EXHIBIT G Gruen Watch Company,Hamilton Co., OH MCMILLAN ST. PARKING AREA . 800 MAP OF 1/10 Mile BERT PROJECTION FOR OHIO SOUTH ZONE 825 AREA WILKINSON READING WAYNE WATCH 336) STREET 1,432E 1,433E 1000 Feet CINCINNATI 1:2400 GRUEU 750 ROAD AVENUE CUMBERLAND 1990 BLD6.

215 = READING 106 107 04 105 102- 36 310 108 150 153 145 101 149 158 154 197 156 152 64.25 176 AVE 100FT.TO 178 109 137' 112.30E 218 i 24 SEWER 180 182 194 183 319 169 148 STREET 216 174 328 199 139 138 196 179 157 315 166 PIPE 392 BENNINGTON 171 317 110 177 4 262 351, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET NAME : DATE RECEIVED: DATE OF 16TH DAY: DATE OF 45TH DAY: NOMINATOR: STATE REASONS FOR REVIEW: N PDIL: N PERIOD: PROGRAM UNAPPROVED: ABSTRACT/ SUMMARY COMMENTS : REJECT TELEPHONE RETURN MULTIPLE DATE DISCIPLINE 2/02/96 3/01/96 Entered in the 3/18/96 REVIEWER RECOM./CRITERIA OTHER: National Register COMMENT WAIVER:N DATE OF WEEKLY LIST: UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR VACCEPT DOCUMENTATION see attached comments Y/N see attached SLR Y/N 36 W.E 100 100 04 105 310 108 158 106 148 215 149 107 150 145 155 153 199 156 154 BENNINGTON AVE 152 64.25 103 2003 102 112 98.85" 137' 141 109 212 4 262 6"W.PIPE1 3/,7 319 20"W.

PIPE 328 201 175 197 139 195 178 104 157 196 313315 READING STREE 99.42 171 129.11' 138 172 311 213N 700 S1 65 1,20SCYC. 131 Time Hill 3/31 5/31 8/31 9/31 10/31 11/3 16/31 Hanilton Couaty, 19/31 22/3l ENTRANCE FOR TALBERT HOUSE LOCATED ON IOWA STREET ONLY PLEASE WATCH YOUR STEP 23/31 25/31 Services 28/31 30/31 NOR 00+02 GNNNN-03AM 495 31/31 UNITED STATES 7.5 MINUTE SERIES (TOPOGRAPHIC) DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR CINCINNATI WEST QUADRANGLE CINCINNATI WEST, OHIO Ohio OHIO-HAMILTON CO. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY