Historical marker in Westwood to honor James N. Gamble
WESTWOOD – The Westwood Historical Society is celebrating the birthday of James N. Gamble by dedicating an Ohio historical marker in his honor.
Community members are invited to the celebratory event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, at Westwood Town Hall, 3017 Harrison Ave. The dedication of the historical marker commemorating Gamble’s life and contributions to society will take place at noon.
A longtime Westwood resident, Gamble, who lived from 1836 to 1932, is likely most known for his role at his family firm Procter & Gamble and his invention of Ivory soap.
Liz Kissel, a board member of the Westwood Historical Society, said he was much more than a businessman and chemist who invented a bar of soap.
She said Gamble advanced the causes of many charitable organizations, both locally and nationally, and was a community leader in Westwood. He served as a village council member and was instrumental in getting Westwood Town Hall built to function as a community center and home to village offices, police and fire departments and a jail, she said.
Gamble served as the last mayor of the Village of Westwood and negotiated terms with Cincinnati when the city annexed Westwood in 1896, Kissel said.
He also ran a brick company in the neighborhood, donated money to build Westwood United Methodist Church and was a real estate developer who built homes on much of the land he owned in Westwood, she said.
“He was very involved in Westwood,” Kissel said. “He’s probably one of the most influential individuals who moved Westwood forward. He invested his time and his money and was really civic minded.”
The historical society applied for the historical marker honoring Gamble through the Ohio Historical Markers program sponsored by the Ohio History Connection, formerly the Ohio Historical Society. Kissel said the Westwood Historical Society was awarded a competitive matching grant from the Ohio History Connection to help pay for the large, cast-aluminum marker.
Designed to be highly visible and permanent, she said the markers tell stories about aspects of Ohio’s history. They are awarded based on criteria including historical significance, geographic diversity and historical periods.
“While there are a number of the markers in Hamilton County, this is the first such marker in the Westwood, Cheviot and Green Township areas,” she said.
One side of the marker will focus on Gamble’s work with Procter & Gamble and his philanthropic endeavors, and the other side will cover his life in Westwood and his role as a community leader, she said.
Kissel and her husband, Greg, also an historical society board member, have researched Gamble extensively, and she said the marker gives Gamble a continued presence in the neighborhood and allows people to learn more about him.
“It’s a story that needed to be told,” she said.
The community celebration, which will also commemorate the 125th anniversary of Westwood Town Hall, will feature activities for children and adults. The Cincinnati Recreation Commission and the Gamble-Nippert YMCA will assist with the children’s activities, and Madcap Puppets will have puppets mingling with the crowd.
Kissel said a representative from Procter & Gamble will be on hand to talk about Gamble.
There will also be displays set up showcasing different parts of Gamble’s life and his contributions to Westwood, she said.
“We’ll hopefully be able to convey some of his personality and involvement in the community, beyond his connection to Procter & Gamble and inventing Ivory soap,” she said.