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Media Contacts: Rodger
Pille, (513) 287-7054, rpille@cincymuseum.org
Cincinnati Union Terminal Architectural Information Sheet German-born artist Winold Reiss was commissioned to design murals for the Cincinnati railroad terminal, called Union Terminal, in 1932. Reiss submitted drawings in 1931 to the architectural firm Fellheimer and Wagner. He was chosen to design and create huge color mosaic murals for the concourse and Rotunda and assist in creating the Art Deco style for the entire building. Reiss won the commission over French artist Pierre Bourdelle. Originally conceived as a Neoclassical structure, Union Terminal was eventually designed as a modern building because of the high costs of executing a Neoclassical design during the onset of the Depression. Roland A. Wank of Fellheimer and Wagner served as the principal architect on Union Terminal, which was designed for a capacity of 17,000 people and 216 trains a day. The mosaic murals in the Rotunda and concourse areas, made of mosaic tiles and painted stucco, have three distinctive styles and levels. The 12-foot foreground figures illustrate the workings of people in the developing country. The middle ground shows forms of transportation from covered wagons to steamships, airplanes and, of course, railroads. The abstract background shows the landscape from fields to bustling silver cities. Each mural is 105-feet long and more than 20 feet high. The mural to the left as you enter traces the sweep of American history, while the right-side mural depicts the development of Ohio Valley and the settlement of Cincinnati. The Rotunda itself boasts the largest half-dome in the western hemisphere, spanning 180 feet and measuring 106 feet high. Originally, Reiss designed 14 mosaic panels for the concourse area depicting Cincinnati specific industries like Baldwin Piano, Procter & Gamble and U.S. Playing Cards. Those were moved to the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati International Airport in the 1970s when Union Terminal's concourse was destroyed. A women's lounge area preserved from the Terminal's train days also shows the breadth of the building's detailed design. The noted muralist Pierre Bourdelle was commissioned to create panels for the semi-circular entrance to the women's lounge. Using his favorite motif of jungle animals, Bourdelle created carved and lacquered linoleum panels that serve as background to the deep brown leather benches in the lounge. Elsewhere, the building boasts unusual and irreplaceable art such as that found in the Cincinnati Dining Room. Named for the stylized map of the city wallpapered to the ceiling, also created by Bourdelle, the wood and marble room is now used for meetings and social functions. Restoration of the building began in 1986 after Hamilton County voters approved a 10-year, $42 million bond levy. The State of Ohio and City of Cincinnati also provided grants of $8 million and $3 million, respectively. In addition, 3,000 individuals, corporations and foundations contributed nearly $23 million to the refurbishment of the historic building. Architect Arthur Hupp II for Glaser and Associates led the restoration efforts. Much of the exhibition space was created from the transportation ramps and parking areas under the grand Rotunda. The Cincinnati History Museum, the Cincinnati Historical Society Library, the Museum of Natural History & Science and the Robert D. Lindner Family OMNIMAX Theater opened in their new home in November 1990. The organizations merged operations in January 1995 as Cincinnati Museum Center. The Children's Museum of Cincinnati merged with Cincinnati Museum Center in July 1997 and reopened as Duke Energy Children's Museum in October 1998. # # # |
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