Post by d***@agent.comWelcome to the official website of 405 Oak St., Cincinnati OH,
the oldest AA Clubhouse in the world at the same location.
We hope you find the same miracle many of us have found when
we walked through the doors for the first time.
https://405oakstreet.com/
Oak Street History Highlights
By Steve W.
Oak Street is the oldest AA clubhouse in the world at same location.
(New York has the oldest but has moved locations.)
1838 Land purchased by Nathaniel G. Pendleton, a Revolutionary War
hero, elected to Congress in 1840 by the Whig Party
1845 Property purchased by Christian Donaldson and subdivided
1884 Because of the Civil War & burning down of the Hamilton County
Courthouse, little is known about the property until
1887 Owner James Wilson dies & a court battle ensued in which
14 people claimed rights to the property. Finally the court ordered
that the sheriff Leo Schott (probably Marges grandpa) sell the
property at public auction. It was purchased by William S. Rowe,
president of the 1st National Bank of Cincinnati as an investment
for $15,200.
1890 Lot purchased for $16,500 and construction of the mansion
began October 1, 1890, at 405 Oak St for Capt George Nelson Stone.
The mansion was designed by Samuel Hannaford, who also designed
Music Hall, Cincinnati City Hall and the Cincinnatian Hotel.
Hannaford was the most famous architect in Cincinnati history.
405 Oak St was listed on Nat'l Register of Historic Places in 1980.
The Queen Anne style George Nelson Stone house (1890-91) on Oak St
was the 2nd that Hannaford built for the owner. The first was a
wooden Stick-Style house built about 1880 in Hyde Park. The house
was featured in Walter Langsams Great Houses of the Queen City.
The second house was in the Romanesque Revival style, built of
limestone and sat in the neighborhood of Vernonville, across from
the Vernon Manor.
George Stone was a colorful businessman. A decorated Union Civil
War veteran, president of the City & Suburban Telegraph Assoc.
(later Cincinnati Bell), and director of the Cincinnati Street
Railway Co., he was also the owner of Chester Park (a competitor
of the early Coney Island), known for its race track. His horse,
Maude S., named for his daughter, broke world records seven times
from 1880-85. He sold her to William H. Vanderbuilt, another
gentleman gambler. He died in 1901.
The 2-1/2-story building is now a home for Alcoholics Anonymous.
1912 Captain Stones wife Martha & daughter Mary along with
their maid were survivors of the sinking of the Titanic. They
shared lifeboat 6 with the famous Unsinkable Molly Brown.
1920 405 Oak Street sold to Ed C. Goshorn, general manager for N
ational Lead Company. The carriage house in the rear on Burnett was
sold separately and used as a doctors office.
1923 Goshorn died & the house was sold to Myrtle & Warren Richards.
1926 Richards died & house was sold to the Kinney family who lived
there until 1940.
1935 AA started in Akron, Ohio, June 10th.
1940 405 Oak St is sold to Murray & Agnes Seasongood. Agnes started
a culinary arts school for Jewish women. 1945 Seasongoods sold to
an unknown real estate broker.
1941, March The Jack Alexander article hits the Saturday Evening
Post (was intended to expose AA) WWII & Hitler are in full swing
(Pearl Harbor has not yet happened). Ruth M., a nurse specializing
in alcoholism read the Alexander article and went to New York and
Akron to collect information on AA. She starts the first AA meeting
at the Metropole Hotel.
1942 AA in Cincinnati reaches 30 members & working with
institutions begins.
1943 Splinter group breaks off from Metropole Group group fails
and asks to return to original group.
1944 Splinter group grows dissatisfied again and starts looking
for property and finds Oak Street location currently a cooking
school for Jewish women.
1945 AA was deeded this house from a grateful wife of a deceased
member of AA valued at $25,000.
AA membership in Cincinnati was estimated to be 100 in total.
Members of AA incorporate Oak Street on Feb. 10, 1945. The original
signers were Herb Heekin, Abbe S. and Dave B. The official opening
of The Oak Street Center was July 7, 1945. The AA Central Office
was moved to Oak Street from its original location on 6th & Broadway,
where it remained until the mid 1980s.
1946 Beginner Classes started at Oak Street by Wade U.
1947 Statistic: 147 attend beginners meetings & 70 people (60%)
completed the 6 weeks of classes
1947 Saturday night becomes Family Night at Oak Street.
1947 In October, AA expands to Northern Kentucky & Valley Group &
East One start up.
1947 Oak Street hires first paid employee, Joe S.
1961 AA Advisory Board becomes Cincinnati Intergroup Council
1964 There were 7 Institution Meetings at Longview, 2 at the old
Workhouse, Rollman Hospital, Drake Hospital, Good Shepherd Hall and
Salvation Army.
1974 Oak Street is renovated and the snack bar is opened.
1974 Murder at Oak Street. Rumor has it that a sponsee shot his
sponsor after they had words about him living in the building due
to his current state of inebriation.
1986 (?) Central Office moves from Oak Street.
1987 Motorcycles are lined up 20 at a time where Handicapped
Parking is now.
1995 Oak Street celebrates 50 years.
2005 Oak Street celebrates 60 years, Don D.s last talk.
2010 Oak Street celebrates 65 years.
2015 Oak Street celebrates its 70th Anniversary
2016 405 Oakstreet.com launched