McKinley School
Also known as: 24th District School
Why it's listed
McKinley School is a three-story brick school building at 3905 Eastern Avenue in Cincinnati's East End, also known as the 24th District School. The original building dates from 1876, and a lower addition was built on the north side in 1919. It sits on an ashlar foundation under a gable roof, with vertical accentuation, pilasters, tall 12/12 windows and plain fenestration. Corner pilasters turn into brackets at the cornice. The 1919 addition shows Jacobethan influences, though the inventory describes it as quite unsympathetic to the original. The school stands next to a playground, close to the road and visible from it. It was still in use as a school and in good exterior condition when surveyed in 1978. Its significance rests on its age: the inventory identifies it as one of the oldest school buildings remaining in Cincinnati. It was included in the Columbia-Tusculum multiple resource area.
Significance in brief: The inventory notes that it is one of the oldest school buildings remaining in Cincinnati. It was recorded as part of the Columbia-Tusculum multiple resource area survey. Its architecture combines a functional design with Jacobethan influences.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79002697, listed August 24, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 3905 Eastern Ave., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | August 24, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002697 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Functional/Jacobethan |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good exterior condition and still in use as a school at the time of the inventory. |
| Coordinates | 39.10979, -84.43419 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79002697.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6801935
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.