Glen Este, Ohio facts for kids

Glen Este is a community in Union Township, Clermont County, Ohio. It's not an official city or town, but a recognized area.

History of Glen Este

Glen Este got its name from an early resident, David K. Este. He owned a farm near where Glen Este-Withamsville Road and the railroad tracks met. This area is now State Route 32. Mr. Este was an important person with the Cincinnati, Georgetown and Portsmouth Railroad. He helped set up a train station and post office on his land. The main road in town went through a natural valley, or "glen." This is how the name "Glen Este" came about.

The Glen Este post office opened in July 1878. A small sign on its door called it "The Eastgate to Cincinnati." One hundred years later, the name Eastgate became popular for the whole area around Glen Este. The old downtown area on Cincinnati Batavia Pike (Old State Route 74) has changed. Now, the main shopping area is the Eastgate Shopping district, close to Interstate 275.

Glen Este uses two different ZIP codes. The western part uses Cincinnati addresses with a 45245 ZIP code. East of Clermont Lane, Batavia addresses begin with a 45103 ZIP code.

The community was also home to Glen Este High School starting in 1963. In 2017, Glen Este High School and Amelia High School joined together. They became West Clermont High School. The new school is located at Clough Pike and Bach Buxton Road.

Many businesses were popular in Glen Este from the 1940s to the 1970s. These included Micky McGuire's General Store and Charlie McGuire's gas station. There was also Maurice's Grocery Store and Flick's Pony Keg. Pearl's Beauty Shop was owned by Willard and Pearl Pitman. Tom Clepper Construction built many ranch-style homes. This small community even had four barber shops at one time!

One of the oldest homes still standing is the Jackson estate. It is still owned by the same family. The area also has one of the county's largest lakes, Jackson's Lake. Next to the lake is an old log cabin. It has been a tavern under many names for over a hundred years. Native American arrowheads have been found in its walls. Claude and Hazel Jackson owned the tavern for a long time. They called it The Copper Stallion bar and restaurant. It burned down in 1955. Only the two large fireplaces remained. They are still there today as a reminder. Newer homes with boat docks have been built around the lake.

Glen Este's Changing Landscape

Much of the old farmland and empty land has changed. Properties once owned by families like the Williams and the Shepherds are now zoned for businesses. They have been replaced by restaurants and other stores. Homes in the original Clepper Lane and Fayard Drive areas have also been rezoned for business. This allows the shopping area to grow even more. Clepper Lane used to be a dead-end street for 70 years. But in 2020, it was extended to meet Bach-Buxton Road and Aicholtz Road. Homes on Clermont Lane, Glen Este Lane, Tealtown Road, and Glendale Road are still residential.

Glen Willow Lake is located between Glen Este and Willowville. You can see it from the back of Jeff Wyler car dealerships. Kennedy's Lake, a smaller old fishing lake, was drained. An old airplane runway next to it was removed. New apartments and townhomes were built on the old Kennedy estate. A Doctor Kennedy, who lived there in the 1940s and 1950s, had a private runway for his small plane. Another private lake, owned by the Williams family, was also drained. This made way for the area's first Bigg's store (now Jungle Jims) in the mid-1980s.

Wuebold Lake was the original name of the lake near Glen Este Junior and Senior High Schools. Most people have forgotten this name. The Wuebolds were another large farm family in the area. They sold most of their land for the high school to be built in 1963. In recent years, Kennedy's Lake has been refilled by a private owner.

Donnell's Trace: An Old Road

Donnell's Trace was an old road that followed a natural glen. Native American tribes often used this path. Travelers, including those on the Underground Railroad and Morgan's Raiders, also used it. John Donnells mapped out the road in 1797. It started in Mercersburg (now Newtown) and went to Lytlestown (now Williamsburg). Later, it continued to Ohio's first capital, Chillicothe.

The road was given the state route number 74 in 1923. But it was discontinued in 1963. This was because State Route 32, a parallel highway, was planned to be a continuation of Interstate-74. However, this never happened. Old 74 is now a seven-mile stretch of road. It weaves in and out of State Route 32. It starts in Mt Carmel and goes through Summerside, Glen Este, Willowville, and Olive Branch. Then it blends into Route 32 towards Batavia. Another part of the road in Mt. Carmel has become part of Aicholtz Road. Locals still call it Old 74, but its official name is Cincinnati Batavia Pike.

Famous People from Glen Este

In recent years, the area has been home to some famous musicians. These include Bootsy Collins, a musician and record producer. Also, jazz musician Michael Moore is from Glen Este. Moore played bass with bandleaders like Woody Herman in the 1960s. He also played with Dave Brubeck in 2008. In 2018, he was honored and added to the Cincinnati Jazz Hall of Fame.

What Does "Glen Este" Mean?

Some old writings say the town was partly named for Mr. Este. This might mean the area already had a name, and Mr. Este happened to be the first resident. So, they gave him credit. Some old maps from the 1800s just called the area "Glen." So why wasn't it called "Este Glen"? The words "glen este" are actually an old Latin term. It means "meadow view." There are several roads and areas in the United States named Glen Este. They have nothing to do with anyone named Este. So, this area could have been called Glen Este, or even Meadow View, without Mr. Este.