Last modified: 2024-02-17 by rick wyatt
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![[Flag of Mariemont, Ohio]](../images/u/us-ohmmt.gif)
image by Masao Okazaki, 6 May 2021
based on photo located by Valentin Poposki, 8 June 2020
See also:
https://mariemontpreservation.org/mariemont-flag/
See also:
The village of Mariemont (3,464 inhabitants in 2018; 231 ha) was designed a
National Historic Landmark in 2007.
The village of Mariemont was
established in 1920 by the philanthropist Mary Emery (1844-1927), who named it
after her estate located near Newport, Rhode Island.
"Although Mariemont
seems like a place torn from a page of history or whimsically recreated from a
Norman Rockwell painting, much was involved in the process of bringing Mariemont
to fruition. For more than fifteen years prior to its initial construction,
Mariemont’s founder, Mary Emery meticulously acquired land and spent upwards of
seven million dollars in the development efforts for the “national exemplar”
town. Her ultimate vision for the project was to create a place where people of
all income levels could reside, whether seeking quality rental property or
purchasing single-family homes. The project became the costliest venture of
Mary’s life and remains the most significant testament to her altruistic concern
for community and her devotion to human welfare.
[...]
Although known for
her many philanthropic endeavors throughout Cincinnati, Mrs. Emery was very much
a private person. Nonetheless, Mariemont’s ceremonious inauguration in the
spring of 1923 saw one of the nation’s wealthiest women thrust into the local
limelight, as both Cincinnati newspapers and hundreds of people joined Mary with
her silver spade in one hand, and a bouquet of roses in the other. Her nurse
stands close by, as Mrs. Emery was not well, and in fact, died four years later.
Turning the first piece of Mariemont’s soil with the silver spade, Mary was
filmed by a cameraman from Pathé News."
https://mariemontpreservation.org/gallery/212-2/
Seth Rosen.
Construction of Mariemont
Mariemont Preservation Foundation
"Mary
Emery’s vision for the new town of Mariemont was for everything to be of the
highest quality. This thinking extended to the selection of John Nolen of
Cambridge, Massachusetts as town planner. When Charles Livingood, Mary Emery’s
business manager, first approached him in 1920, Mr. Nolen was firmly established
as the top town planner in the United States. His credentials included many
successful projects, including improvements to Cohasset, Massachusetts in 1916,
the lovely Union Park Gardens near Wilmington, Delaware in 1918, and the planned
community of Kingsport, Tennessee in 1919.
[...]
Nolen was involved in the
creation of Mariemont for five years, from 1920-1925. The intention was to
develop Mariemont as an example for more towns like it to be developed across
the country. However, neither Mr. Nolen’s original blueprint, nor the idea of a
“national exemplar” was fully realized. Mary Emery’s death in 1927 and the
subsequent economic upheaval of the Depression prevented some of the plans from
coming to fruition.
A great deal was accomplished, however. John Nolen had
Wooster Pike straightened so that it ran through the center of the new village,
rather than ducking down towards the Little Miami, as it did prior to
construction. His street and landscape plans were followed to the letter,
resulting in the lovely village we enjoy today. Running phone and electric wires
underground was part of the original, and Mr. Nolen played a key role in the
selection of the top-flight architects who were selected to create the look of
the town."
https://mariemontpreservation.org/john-nolen-mariemonts-town-planner/
John Nolen - Town Planner
Mariemont Preservation Foundation
"The
Mariemont flag, which depicts the Emery Memorial Carillon in Dogwood Park, was
unveiled at the Kiwanis Labor Day Festival Sept. 3, 1979, after Mrs.
Schwenkmeyer won a design contest. Carolyn Schwenkmeyer, a well-known artist of
children’s portraits, lived in Mariemont for many years."
https://mariemontpreservation.org/mariemont-flag/
Gift Shop Official
Mariemont Village Flag
Mariemont Preservation Foundation
The flag
features Carillon Tower.
"Dogwood Park, the largest public area in Mariemont
(about 17 acres) was chosen as the site of an impressive bell tower. Although
the fields were graded in 1925, the Carillon (height 100 feet), the gift of
Isabella F. Hopkins, Mrs. Emery's sister, was dedicated on November 16, 1929.
The tower houses a full range of 49 bells, each weighing between 19 pounds and
4800 pounds."
https://mariemontpreservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Walking-Tour.pdf
A Tour of Mariemont. Mariemont Preservation Foundation
"Portraits of
this village's founder, Mary Emery, and its first mayor, E. Boyd Jordan, hang in
the room where Village Council meets. Between the paintings by Carolyn
Schwenkmeyer hangs the village flag, which the artist designed.
Mrs.
Schwenkmeyer, who also was one of the founding trustees of the Mariemont
Preservation Foundation, died Feb. 8 at an Anderson Township nursing home. The
former longtime Mariemont resident was 100.
[...)
n 1980, Mrs.
Schwenkmeyer helped found the Mariemont Preservation Foundation. She served more
than six years on the board of trustees of the organization, which strives to
maintain the historic integrity of the village, beautify it, and preserve and
improve its parks, playgrounds and other public areas.
[...]"
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/cincinnati/obituary.aspx?n=Carolyn-Schwenkmeyer&pid=148671902
Obituary, The Cincinnati Enquirer, 16-17 February 2011
Ivan Sache, 13 April 2020
![[Flag of Mariemont, Ohio]](../images/u/us-ohmmt100.jpg)
image located by Valentin Poposki, 7 January 2024
The village of Mariemont celebrated its centennial in 2023 with a blue flag.
https://mariemontpreservation.org/official-centennial-flag/
Valentin
Poposki, 7 January 2024
