South
Newport – “THE Hill”
Clifton
History – by Jim Reis
For more than 47
years, a small almost clannish community called Clifton operated as an independent
city, perched on a hilltop above Newport. It fended off attempt after
attempt by Newport to gobble it up, but you can't find Clifton on maps
today.
Clifton's story
dates to February 15, 1888 when the area, described as a clump of trees,
four houses and a brickyard, was incorporated by land developers. They
picked the site because of its "country" setting, its
accessibility to town and its spectacular view of downtown Newport and
Cincinnati. Its hilltop location apparently inspired the name Clifton and
nicknames like Nanny Goat Hill and Knob Hill. And still later, an influx of
Italian immigrants gave it the tag Spaghetti Hill.
As legend as it,
its Italian population grew as laborers were imported to build the L&N
Railroad lines. It Italians quarried rock from the Clifton area for
Newport's railway trestles and decided to stay. One of the first buildings
to go up after Clifton's incorporation was the Campbell County Protestant
Orphan's Home. It opened on April 1, 1888. The Baptist Convalescent Home is
now on the site.
…
By July 1889
construction was booming, four companies were selling lots and more than
200 acres were being developed. Lots, 25' by 100' were offered for
"one dollar per week without interest".
Clifton bordered
Newport along the railroad tracks to the north, the Licking Pike on the
west, Southgate on the south and Alexandria Pike-US 27 on the east. In
those early days a tollgate was located where US 27 and Carothers Road
intersect. Clifton's fortunes took a dip in 1905 when a shortage of $875
was discovered in the city treasury. A special meeting was called for the
treasurer to explain, but he never showed.
In October 1906
Newport announced its intention to annex Clifton. The residents refused.
…
Clifton during
this era was a thriving community, but it still lacked many of the finer
touches. Most streets were dirt and outhouses were in use throughout the
city. Garbage was collected by Mike Zappa who picked up the trash in a
horse-drawn two-wheel cart. A gate, operated by a guard in a tower,
controlled traffic over the railroad tracks.
In 1912 Newport
tried again to annex Clifton. Again the residents refused. In 1916 while
Newport considered annexing Clifton, Clifton was considering annexing
Andrews Steel and the 76 Distillery on Licking Pike. Neither annexation was
successful.
By the 1930 most
of Clifton's residents worked at either Andrews Steel or in Cincinnati
tailor shops. Its population was estimated at 3000. It operated two public
schools, one at Main and Grandview and the other on Main west of Park. A
Catholic school, St. Vincent DePaul was on Main between 18th and Home.
In 1935 Pat
Greco was elected to the city council and Robert F Snow was the mayor, but
Clifton residents voted to merge with Newport. The final step in Newport's
takeover came November 26, 1935 when the ordinance accepting the annexation
was past. The next day Clifton officially ended 47 years of independence
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