The story of Westwood is closely intertwined with the mid-nineteenth century rise of Cincinnati in southwestern Ohio. As Cincinnati prospered and agriculture transitioned to manufacturing and commerce, the compact city center could not contain the growing population of the "Queen City of the West." The city's surrounding hilltops attracted many of the city's newcomers with space to grow and prosper. Five miles west of Cincinnati, settlers discovered the advantages of an emerging community of farms, homes and country estates, with their abundance of fresh air, fertile land, and tranquility located in the southeastern corner of Green Township, Hamilton County Ohio. This would later become the Village of Westwood.
As the nineteenth century neared its end, the City of Cincinnati annexed the Village of Westwood. Today, Westwood is Cincinnati's largest neighborhood encompassing over 5.7 square miles with a population nearing 30,000 people. Historical character resonates from its earliest residential structures to its historic business district and the town center along Harrison Avenue which is recognized by the National Register of Historic Places as the Westwood Town Center Historic District. The seven civic buildings that comprise the Historic District reflect a legacy of civic and community wellbeing that continues to present day.
