Barbara Sondgerath

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Working hard to make it easy for you!

by Henry F. Childress from "The History of Erlanger" KY Post February 16, 1924.

First Definite Record
First Formal School
Southern Railway Influence
1888 - 1897 Notable Events

First Definite Record
The first definite record we have of the territory now occupied by Erlanger dates back to the year 1807 when Bartlett Graves, a member of the  Kentucky legislature and High Sheriff of Campbell County in 1814 and 1815 (Kenton County was a part of Campbell County until 1840), built a log house of 18 rooms, each room being 18 feet square with walls 18"  thick, on the site know known as 215 Commonwealth Avenue.  In that year, Mr. Graves purchased a large tract of what would become Erlanger for the price of $2.50 per acre.

No significant development occured in the area until the building of the Covington to Lexington Turnpike, now known as the Dixie Highway.  This was one of the first major roads chartered by the Kentucky General  Assembly and was approved in 1829.  Construction was completed about 10 years later.  This is still about the same length of time it takes to get a road approved, designed, and completed today, a current example (in 1924) being the expected improvements to Turkeyfoot Road.

This historic road provided a commercial outlet for Central Kentucky and thousand of hogs, sheep and cattle were driven over it each year as farmers sold their goods in Cincinnati.  In addition, many famous figures, such as Henry Clay, traveled this road.  Stagecoach lines were established alon with stores, livery stables, and taverns.  A post office was establlished and was named in honor of Mjor Thornton Timberlake, another pioneer settler.  Mjor Timberlake's house was situated on what is now Stevenson Road and faced Dixie Highway.  It is presently occupied by the family of Mr. Rod Fussinger who is a local businessman and former member of the Erlanger City Council.  Stevenson Road is named after Dr. John H. Stevenson, a son-in-law of Major Timberlake, and one of the most prominent physicians in Kenton and Boone Counties in the 1800's.  Dr Stevenson llived in the Timberlake home from 1855 until his death in 1883.

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First Formal School
The first formal school in Erlanger was established in 1867.  Prior to that, students had to go to Florence.  In 1867, a school was  established in a small cabin in back of Dr. Stevenson's house.  There was one samll window and students brought their own chairs and tables.  The teacher was Mill Billings, a graduate of Mount Holyoke College.  She received what was then an enormous slaray of $1000 a year.  She taught Latin, Histor, Rhetoric, Algebra, Geometry, French, and Natural Philosophy.  When the cabin was redy to fall down, the older students conducted a fund raising drive and acquired enough money to build a 15 by 24 foot building with 5 windows, a stove and a teacher's desk.  They still lacked enough money toprovide tables and chairs for the students, who continued to bring their own.

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Southern Railway Influence
On July 6, 1869 the first Board of Trustees of the Southern Railway met.  Miles Greenwood was elected President.  Construction would not begin until 1873.  However, a decision was made as to the location of the Railroad Depot.  It would be locatd between Crescent Avenue and the Dixie Highway.  The Depot continues to be in that location to this day and has been a part of Erlanger's history for over a centruy.  After making the long clumb up the hill from Ludlow and Covington, the steam locomotives needed to have their water supplies replenished.  This was accomplished at a reservoir about a half mile north of the depot.  The lake was called Greenwood lake in honor of Miles Greenwood.  However, it was determined that 5  other stations on the Southern Line had "Green" in their names, thus causing confusion for the railroad men.  So, the name was chaged to Silver Lake.  This name continues to be active in Erlanger  today as connected to Silverlake Park and Silverlake Shopping Center.  Railroad service through Erlanger officially began in 1877.

Then an application for an official post office was made, it was determined that there were serveral post offices in the country named Silver Lake.  Mrs. B.F. Bedinger, who had donated the land for the railroad  depot, suggested the name Erlanger to honor Baron Frederic Emile d'Erlanger who was head of the Erlanger Syndicate that brought the railroad to Erlanger and that promoted land development in the city.  The  Erlanger Post Office was established on May 20, 1882 and Mr. George Bedinger was the first postmaster.

The Erlanger Land Syndicate continued to be active throughout the 1880's and, as the railroad provided commuter service between Cincinnati and this flourishing suburban community, more and more people built homes here.  The first lot sold was at the corner of Locust Street and Crescent Avenue.  It sold for $16 per front foot and that was considered at fair price.  By comparison, average building lots in that location today sell for about $250 per front foot.

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Notable Events
In the fall of 1888, one of the notable events in our early history occurred. During the Presidential race between Grover Cleveland and Benjamin  Harrison, the Democratic party held a barbecue in Erlanger.  It was attended by thousands of people from hundreds of miles around.  Speakers included United Sttes Senators Joe Blackburn and John G.  Carlisle.  A grand time was had by all!  The year 1888 also saw the building of our first church.  It was built as a Union Church serving multiple denominations.  Some years later it was dedicated as a Methodist Church.  We currently have numberous churches in oour city.  Many of them began during this period in the late 1800's.  Erlanger Baptist Church was built in 1890, as was St.  Henry's Church in Elsmere.  The St. Henry School was founded in 1893.  Erlanger Christian Church was founded in 1901.

In the winter of 1890, a group of enterprising citizens petitioned the Bell Telephone Company to establsh telephone service to Erlanger.  For a sum of $100, the Bell Compnay placed a telephone in the office of  Dr. D.R. Slater.  Calls to Cincinnati cost 15 cents per call.  In-coming calls were taken at Dr. Slater's office and then relayed by messenger to the individual residents.

The first bank in Erlanger was incorporated on May 12, 1893 and was thought to be one of the strongest baks of its kind.  It was named the Erlanger Deposit Bank.  It eventually became The Community Bank in 1936.  Under the leadership of President Andy Scheben, this bank established itself as the focal point for the finiancial affairs of the city and its residents.  The Scheben family continued to be involved in this bank on Dixie Highway between Erlanger Road and Commonwealth Avenue until the 19990's.

Erlanger was incorporated as a city on January 25, 1897.  The first officers were Louis Morrelli, Police Judge, A.I Wyss, Twon Marshal, and 5 Trustees - Henry Mussman. Matthew Huerkamp, Isadore Hagan, George C.  Bloss, and Larry Nusbaum.  over the next 100 years, Erlanger would continue to grow and flourish and would establish its reputation as one of the most stable and successful communities in Northern Kentucky.

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