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Botany Hills is located between Kenton Hills and the city of Ludlow, alongside the Ohio River. You'll find links to a few sites that contain the fun history of this riverside neighborhood.
1833 Map of West Covington
West Covington was an independent city that existed from 1840 until its annexation to Covington in 1916.
Past Newsletters
Ready for a blast from the past? Want to see what our neighborhood was up to a decade ago? Visit our Newsletter Archive to learn how good people coming together has always been a part of Botany Hills.
What is Botany Hills?
Read more: www.wvxu.org/local-news/2021-06-30/oki-wanna-know-what-is-botany-hills
ABOVE: The welcome sign marks Botany Hills' eastern boundary on KY 8 at Western Avenue. Credit: Bill Rinehart WVXU.
BELOW: Botany Hills has a Futuro House, a prefabricated home first designed in 1968 as a portable ski chalet. Credit: Bill Rinehart WVXU.
WVXU Botany Hills Story highlights:
- West Covington and Botany Hills are just two of the names in the neighborhood's history. Botany Hills is now the name for the area.
- In the late 1830s, the land was owned by Israel Ludlow, one of the founders of Cincinnati. His Kentucky holdings soon became known as Forest Hill, named for Edwin Forrest.
- Edwin Forrest, an actor, fell in love with Northern Kentucky early in his career. On one visit, he played cards with Israel Ludlow and won this real estate in a fortunate hand.
- This area on the plat maps is known as the Forest Subdivision and Forest Hill, (and there is also a Forest Avenue in his name).
- Around 1846, people started calling it Economy because it was a cheap place to live. And workers in the area heeded the call.
- Economy started growing and then incorporated as West Covington in 1858.
- In 1916, our neighborhood became annexed by the City of Covington. More development milestones were achieved, including the installment of Highway Avenue.
- 2058 will mark the Botany Hills Neighborhood Bicentennial, our 200th anniversary.
Mid-Week Foto Break
The late Ron Einhaus was a cherished member of the Botany Hills community, remembered not only for his kindness but also for his remarkable talent as an amateur photo historian of our region. Long before the rise of social media platforms like Instagram, Ron’s widely beloved weekly email series captivated countless subscribers with iconic images of local landmarks and historic events.
Today, his son, Chris, honors his father’s legacy through a dedicated Facebook page, preserving and sharing Ron’s extraordinary photographic contributions. We invite you to click here to support Chris in continuing this meaningful tribute. Enjoy!
History of Covington, Kentucky
Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Covington,_Kentucky
Image by Wholtone - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php
Wikipedia Excerpt:
In 1814, John Gano, Richard Gano, and Thomas Carneal purchased 150 acres on the west side of the Licking River at its confluence with the Ohio River, referred to as "the Point," from Thomas Kennedy for $50,000.
The men named their new riverfront enterprise the "Covington Company," in honor of their friend, Gen. Leonard Covington, an American officer who was killed in the War of 1812 at Crysler's Farm.
In February 1815, the Kentucky General Assembly incorporated the land as the town of Covington. At the time of its incorporation, Covington and all of today's Kenton County was a part of Campbell County. Shortly after its incorporation, the investors began selling lots in the new city for $385 a lot. However, for the next 15 years, lot sales were slow and disappointing. By 1830, the young city had a population of only 715 and lot prices were selling for half their value in 1815.
In its infancy, most of the commerce in Covington was connected with the rivers that formed the northern and eastern boundaries of the city. Because the Kentucky side of the Ohio River was relatively shallow compared to the Ohio side of the river, Covington was never able to develop its riverfront as a viable public landing for boats and steamships, which instead moored on the Cincinnati side of the river, where steamship building facilities were located.
The city's first manufacturing concern, a cotton factory, was built near the river in 1828, and three years later, another business, a rolling mill and nail factory, was established along Scott Street near the riverfront.
The next major project that spurred the economic growth of Covington was the decade-long construction of the Covington-Cincinnati Suspension Bridge between Covington and Cincinnati. Built by John A. Roebling, construction started in 1856. Work on the bridge continued for two years before the effects of the 1857 depression brought construction to a halt. Work on the bridge resumed in 1863 but once again was delayed because of the Civil War. The bridge formally opened on January 1, 1867, promoting further commerce between Kentucky and Ohio.
In part because of depressions of 1873 and 1893, commercial construction was not significant in Covington during the latter part of the 19th century. However, that would change dramatically in the early 20th century for a number of reasons.
One of these reasons was that the Suspension Bridge – originally designed for horse cars and pedestrians – was reconstructed in the late 1890s to accommodate electric streetcars – and in a few years, automobiles. During the early 20th century, many new commercial and governmental structures were constructed in Covington.
Be sure to read all of the fascinating details! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Covington,_Kentucky
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