The Betts House

The Betts house is one of the hidden gems of the City. It is the city’s oldest brick building. They typically have an interesting exhibit going on, normally by a local artist. The hours are not always the most convenient. I tend to go to the openings of a new show which I think is the best time to go. The latest one was for part of FotoFocus. It is a great exhibit. Most people in the city are not aware it is even there. Even if there is not exhibit there are some interesting boards throughout the house on the history of the city, however it is best to go there when there is an exhibit.

Can we talk about how awesome The Betts House is? Not only is it CIncinnati’s oldest brick building (built in 1804), but it’s also one of it’s greatest hidden gems. Who knew this place was here? Not I!
This is a great museum to showcase what life was like in Cincinnati back then. About a dozen people lived in this small house, and you’d see how crazy that is when you walk through.
The museum is great. Many poster boards on the wall with documentation explaining all about Cincinnati life. On the first floor is where they do special exhibits, like the one on the New Madrid Earthquakes (the greatest series of earthquakes in America’s history, over 6000 by the time they were done, and something that did extensive damage here in Cincinnati.) On the second is where they talk about the house. It even has the original floor (which looks like they just chopped down a few trees and laid them down, which is awesome). In the back area, there’s the original summer kitchen fireplace stove as well, encased in glass, really crazy to see.
It’s very small and the interactive stuff isn’t going to amaze children like it would at it a bigger museum (it’s nice that they have it but honestly, I was just happier to read the signs), so just know that before you take a finicky child here.
That being said, for local history buffs, this is not a spot to miss. Go forth and learn.

The Betts House is a small museum tucked away in the West End, just off of Central Avenue. Clark Street looks like it is miles away from Downtown Cincinnati, with its Italianate houses and gigantic canopy of oak trees. This part of town looks like it’s straight out of a New England movie, with historic houses to boot.
The Betts House is the oldest house in Cincinnati and Ohio, erected in 1804, just one year after Ohio became a state. The Betts family originally owned several blocks of land on the West End, but as generations passed, Cincinnati expanded and plots of land were split. Surprisingly, when the Betts lived here, the West End was considered rural.
Just two stories tall and consisting of eight rooms, the house chronicles the history of the Betts family and the evolution of the West End in the permanent upstairs exhibit. Downstairs features a rotating exhibit, currently which is about the New Madrid Earthquake in 1811. The earthquake was felt here in Cincinnati and caused extensive damage to the Betts’ kitchen.
Sounds pretty cool, so why only three stars?
During my visit, a mother brought her toddler to visit one of the docents. Their conversation could be heard loudly throughout the house, even when I was on the second floor and they were downstairs. The toddler was screaming and crawling all over the place. The docent didn’t seem to mind that she was getting weird looks from myself and a few of the other guests.
That being said, please do not bring children to the Betts House. It’s a museum for adults or mature youth. Most of the exhibit features text and diagrams which are much too complex for anyone under age 10. Also, since there is a lot of reading, excessive noise and talking disturbs other patrons.
Lastly, when I went upstairs to view the Betts Family exhibit, the room featured a few posterboards propped up on the floor. They weren’t on stands or affixed to the wall like a normal museum. I actually had to kneel to read the end of the paragraphs.
As a historical landmark, the Betts House is worth a look. The presentation at the museum, on the other hand, I could go either way.
Cost per person: $ 2.00
Viewing Time: 1 hour
Tips:
— Ample, free street parking
— Not handicapped accessible, as it is preserved as a historic house.
— Check out the neighboring house with a placard, where the Gamble Family once resided.