Crescent Springs

Description

Years before the mid 1890's Crescent Springs was one of many "unscheduled" train stops along the Cincinnati Southern Line, which ran from Ludlow to Somerset Kentucky. When trains "passed through" our town, it did not have a name. We were considered just part of the country south and west of Cincinnati, Ohio. If you traveled via train from Ludlow through Crescent Springs, you had to request a special stop in order to be off-boarded along the route. "Unscheduled" stops were discouraged because of the close proximity of our community to Ludlow. By the time cargo was transferred via boats onto railroad cars, not many conductors wanted to take the time to stop so close to the starting point. As a matter of fact, unbreakable merchandise, such as, groceries and newspapers were tossed off the train as it passed through town. Sometime during the 1890's, regular stops were scheduled to meet the needs of more and more passengers who found life "out in the country" more meaningful. A railroad depot was built at the "Y" intersection currently located where Western Reserve meets Crescent Springs-Erlanger Road and Crescent Avenue. In the 1850's, four families, the Clevelands, Scotts, Andersons and Griffins owned most of the land in the area. By 1883 a total of 35 families lived in the area. Today our night time population is around 3,900, which is attributable mainly to the new homes being built and the increases of businesses. Because of a strong business interest, our current daytime population grows to approximately 5,000. Almost all the original families in town in the early 1800's were engaged in farming activities and some of their names are still familiar to us. The Eubanks, Niemeyers, Ramblers, Hons, Scotts, Thirs and Reinharts still have relatives living in the area. About the time the Cincinnati Southern Railroad changed its name to the Queen and Crescent Railroad, land auctioneers, such as, J.G. Anderson and John Bullock were scheduling regular Saturday morning auctions in and around town to sell parcels. People began to take notice of Crescent Springs. A name was needed. It is not totally clear how we became know as Crescent Springs, but there are two widely circulated stories. According to one story, "crescent" refers to the crescent the railroad tracks make as they pass through town. Another story holds the "crescent" was taken from the Queen and Crescent Railroad name. Three springs were located in the general area of the railroad tracks. The most prevalent one is the one about 100 feet north of the old firehouse location, one near the Karen’s Consignment Store and one where the Tewes’ farm is now located. These springs became important to local commerce when train engines began using steam as a power source instead of burning logs. It is important to note during the Civil War acres and acres of trees were cut down throughout Northern Kentucky to provide a source of energy and to build forts and other embankments. Locomotive engines, which needed wood were being built for trains and steamboats as our new country continued to grow in population. Homes were being constructed of logs and bridges were being built everywhere as people moved westward. Crescent Springs became an integral part of that movement. Prior to the 1890's several dairies were located in and around Crescent Springs. Colonel J.G. Anderson operated one of two dairies in town. The other was known as the List Dairy. The other three dairies in the area are now part of Villa Hills. The Echo Dairy run by Joseph Cleveland was located on the old Summe farm, now Amsterdam Village. Amos Collins ran a dairy on the property now home to Villa Madonna Academy and Madonna Manor. The Thirs Dairy was founded in 1883 and closed in the mid 1980’s. This is now the Thirs Landing subdivision on Buttermilk Pike. As the dairy farmers routinely transported their milk product along the bumpy dirt road on high humidity days, the milk would begin to thicken from all the “churning”. As a result buttermilk would form in the horse drawn wagons thus the name Buttermilk Pike.

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