The Betts House

We arrived on Wed 5/19/21 during regular business hours and no one was there to help us. We struggled to finally find a parking space around the block.We also tried calling the phone number listed on the board at the entrance to no avail ,window shades were drawn.If they were possibly closed due to Covid there was no indication of notice.It was a great disappointment ,especially with the hassel of finally parking.Hopefully not to many people have to go thru what we did!!

The Betts House is a small museum tucked away in the West End, just off of Central Avenue. Clark Street looks like it is miles away from Downtown Cincinnati, with its Italianate houses and gigantic canopy of oak trees. This part of town looks like it's straight out of a New England movie, with historic houses to boot.The Betts House is the oldest house in Cincinnati and Ohio, erected in 1804, just one year after Ohio became a state. The Betts family originally owned several blocks of land on the West End, but as generations passed, Cincinnati expanded and plots of land were split. Surprisingly, when the Betts lived here, the West End was considered rural.Just two stories tall and consisting of eight rooms, the house chronicles the history of the Betts family and the evolution of the West End in the permanent upstairs exhibit. Downstairs features a rotating exhibit, currently which is about the New Madrid Earthquake in 1811. The earthquake was felt here in Cincinnati and caused extensive damage to the Betts' kitchen.Sounds pretty cool, so why only three stars?During my visit, a mother brought her toddler to visit one of the docents. Their conversation could be heard loudly throughout the house, even when I was on the second floor and they were downstairs. The toddler was screaming and crawling all over the place. The docent didn't seem to mind that she was getting weird looks from myself and a few of the other guests.That being said, please do not bring children to the Betts House. It's a museum for adults or mature youth. Most of the exhibit features text and diagrams which are much too complex for anyone under age 10. Also, since there is a lot of reading, excessive noise and talking disturbs other patrons.Lastly, when I went upstairs to view the Betts Family exhibit, the room featured a few posterboards propped up on the floor. They weren't on stands or affixed to the wall like a normal museum. I actually had to kneel to read the end of the paragraphs.As a historical landmark, the Betts House is worth a look. The presentation at the museum, on the other hand, I could go either way.Cost per person: $2.00Viewing Time: 1 hourTips: - Ample, free street parking - Not handicapped accessible, as it is preserved as a historic house. - Check out the neighboring house with a placard, where the Gamble Family once resided.

The Betts House is the oldest brick home in Ohio and Cincinnati's oldest residential structure. As such, it holds a lot of history and ties in well to the narrative of the city as a whole and the West End neighborhood. According to the docents, there is a lot of exciting changes that will be happening soon.

The Betts house is one of the hidden gems of the City. It is the city's oldest brick building. They typically have an interesting exhibit going on, normally by a local artist. The hours are not always the most convenient. I tend to go to the openings of a new show which I think is the best time to go. The latest one was for part of FotoFocus. It is a great exhibit. Most people in the city are not aware it is even there. Even if there is not exhibit there are some interesting boards throughout the house on the history of the city, however it is best to go there when there is an exhibit.

The Betts House is truly a hidden gem in Cincinnati's West End! The docents tell a wonderful narrative of the family who lived there. If you haven't been in awhile, be sure to check it out since they have now added furniture.