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Norwood

City · Hamilton County · 19,043 residents · 2% municipal income tax

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Hamilton County

Local events in Norwood

34 events in the next 90 days from 4 public calendars. All local events in Norwood

  1. Elementary/Middle School/High School Parent/Teacher Conferences

    All day · From Norwood City School District

  2. Water Aerobics

    8:30 to 9:15 a.m. · Norwood Recreation Center · From City of Norwood

  3. Water Aerobics

    9:30 to 10:15 a.m. · Norwood Recreation Center · From City of Norwood

Checked October 20; the events page is refreshed daily.

How Norwood began

Pioneer Peter Smith is believed to have settled on Duck Creek around 1794, and by 1809 Samuel D. Bowman's tavern and coach stop and John Sharp's country store had built up a community known as Sharpsburg. In 1869 developers platted a new subdivision on the site and, by most accounts at landowner Lemuel Bolles's wife Sarah's suggestion, named it Norwood; the post office and the town's own name followed in 1870. Norwood incorporated as a village in 1888 and a city in 1902, industrialized into what one 1909 account called the "Chicago" of Hamilton County, and from 1923 to 1987 hosted a General Motors assembly plant that at its 1970s peak employed nearly 9,000 workers and supplied a third of the city's operating budget. Norwood is today a small, dense independent city entirely surrounded by Cincinnati, still built around Water Tower Park, whose Adena-culture Norwood Mound an 1895 source called "the only Indian mound now remaining in the vicinity of Cincinnati."

Settled c. 1794 (Peter Smith, on Duck Creek); community known as Sharpsburg by 1809, platted 1869 (subdivision platted, renamed Norwood), incorporated village, May 14, 1888; city, 1902, by developers who platted the 1869 subdivision; name credited to Sarah Bolles.

Where the name comes from

The community was known as Sharpsburg, after storekeeper John Sharp, until an 1869 subdivision plat introduced the name Norwood, credited to Sarah Bolles, wife of landowner Lemuel Bolles. Sources give competing explanations for her choice: an abbreviation of "Northwood" for the wooded land north of Cincinnati, an echo of Henry Ward Beecher's 1869 novel "Norwood: or, Village Life in New England," or simply a blend of "North" and "Woods." The Cincinnati Enquirer reported in 1870 that "the old town of Sharpsburg has been changed to Norwood," the same year the post office was renamed.

Before the town

Norwood holds the Norwood Mound, an elliptical Adena-culture earthwork roughly 100 by 130 feet across and 15.5 feet high, built on what is now the highest ground in the city, 811 feet in elevation, inside Water Tower Park. There is no evidence the mound has ever been excavated. Early Norwood settlers collected relics from the surrounding area in the late 1800s that became the founding core of the Cincinnati Art Museum's Native American art collection, and in 1875 Norwood settler S. H. Parvin deeded the mound site itself to the village. An 1895 source called it the only Indian mound then remaining in the vicinity of Cincinnati; archaeologists believe it was used for religious ceremonies and possibly for signal fires, given its commanding elevation. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 2, 1974.

Nations recorded here: Adena culture.

  • Norwood Mound (mound) — Water Tower Park, Norwood, at 811 feet elevation, the highest ground in the city, Adena culture (roughly 800 BC - AD 100) (en.wikipedia.org)

Timeline

  1. — Peter Smith is believed to settle on Duck Creek, one of the area's earliest residents.
  2. — Samuel D. Bowman opens a tavern and coach stop and John Sharp opens a country store, forming the community that becomes known as Sharpsburg.
  3. — Developers plat a subdivision on the site and rename it Norwood, credited to Sarah Bolles, wife of landowner Lemuel Bolles.
  4. — The Cincinnati Enquirer reports the old town of Sharpsburg has officially changed its name to Norwood, and the post office is renamed the same year.
  5. — Norwood settler S. H. Parvin deeds the Norwood Mound site to the Village of Norwood.
  6. — Norwood incorporates as a village on May 14.
  7. — Norwood becomes a city.
  8. — Norwood has 49 manufacturing enterprises, earning it description as the "Chicago" of Hamilton County.
  9. — Population reaches 16,185, a 150 percent jump from 1900 as industrialization and rail access draw workers.
  10. — General Motors opens its Norwood Assembly plant, a 3,000,000-square-foot facility on 50 acres purchased the year before.
  11. — City population peaks at 33,411.
  12. — The Norwood Mound is listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 2.
  13. — GM announces the Norwood plant's closure on November 6, 1986, citing its landlocked, hard-to-modernize campus, and closes it in 1987, eliminating a third of the city's operating budget and about 1,000 resident jobs among 4,300 total.
  14. — The Ohio Supreme Court rules unanimously for homeowners in City of Norwood v. Horney, striking down the city's attempt to seize about 70 homes and businesses for private redevelopment and voiding a state eminent-domain statute as unconstitutionally vague.

Stories

The eminent-domain case that changed Ohio law

After General Motors closed its Norwood plant in 1987, the city spent nearly two decades looking for something to replace the tax base it had lost. In the early 2000s Norwood set its sights on a different neighborhood entirely, moving to condemn roughly 70 homes and businesses along Edwards Road to clear the way for a private retail, office, and condominium development. Homeowners Joe Horney, Carl and Joy Gamble, and Matthew and Sanae Burton refused to sell and sued, represented by the property-rights group the Institute for Justice, arguing the city had no right to take their homes just to hand the land to a different private owner who might pay more in taxes. The case reached the Ohio Supreme Court as City of Norwood v. Horney, and on July 26, 2006, the court ruled unanimously for the homeowners, holding that economic benefit alone could never justify eminent domain under the Ohio Constitution and striking down the state law that let cities condemn merely "deteriorating" areas as unconstitutionally vague. Coming a year after the U.S. Supreme Court's Kelo v. City of New London had gone the other way under federal law, Norwood v. Horney became one of the strongest state-level property-rights rulings in the country, and Norwood's own name now marks the case in law school casebooks nationwide.

The only mound left in Cincinnati's shadow

By 1895, an observer could already write that the earthen mound atop what is now Water Tower Park was "the only Indian mound now remaining in the vicinity of Cincinnati" -- every other one nearby had already been leveled by farming, quarrying, or the city's own growth. The Norwood Mound had survived because of its location: at 811 feet, it sits on the highest ground in what became Norwood, land not particularly good for building or farming but ideal, archaeologists believe, for the religious ceremonies and long-distance signal fires the Adena culture may have used it for a thousand years before Rome fell. Early Norwood settlers combing the surrounding fields for arrowheads and pottery in the late 1800s built a relic collection substantial enough to become the founding nucleus of the Cincinnati Art Museum's Native American art collection, while the mound itself passed into public hands in 1875, when settler S. H. Parvin deeded the site to the village. It has never been excavated, and it still stands, unopened, in a city park surrounded on every side by one of Ohio's largest cities.

Photographs

Park Avenue, Norwood, looking west from Floral Avenue, 1894
Park Avenue, Norwood, looking west from Floral Avenue, 1894 (1894)
Photo: Ren Mulford Jr. and Werter G. Betty, "Norwood, Her Homes And Her People", public domain · Wikimedia Commons
The Norwood Mound, an Adena-culture earthwork in Water Tower Park, viewed from the southwest
The Norwood Mound, an Adena-culture earthwork in Water Tower Park, viewed from the southwest (2012)
Photo: Nyttend, public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Local history sources: en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org

Historic places

2 places in Norwood on the National Register of Historic Places. Press a pin or a name for its whole record.

  1. Cincinnati Street Gas LampsHistoric district · Cincinnati · listed 1978
    Address
    1109 Street lamps at various locations throughout Cincinnati
    Where
    Cincinnati, Hamilton County · ZIP 45212
    What it is
    Historic district
    Listed on the National Register
    1978
    NRIS reference number
    78002073
    Coordinates
    39.15447, -84.46041

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  2. Norwood Municipal BuildingBuilding · Norwood · listed 1980
    Address
    4645 Montgomery Rd.
    Where
    Norwood, Hamilton County · ZIP 45212
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1980
    NRIS reference number
    80003093
    Coordinates
    39.16172, -84.45615

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

Source: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places point file. The listing year is shown where NPS's certification date agrees with the listing's reference number. Listing recognizes significance; it does not restrict a private owner.

Every historic place in Hamilton County on the full map

Water

Ohio River intake at the plant's riverfront on Kellogg Ave in the California neighborhood, east Cincinnati The water here

  • Norwood City85% of residentsOhio River (Miller Plant, ~88%) plus Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer wells (~12%)
  • Cincinnati Public Water System15% of residentsOhio River (Miller Plant, ~88%) plus Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer wells (~12%)

Hospitals, fire stations and more

Inside Norwood's boundary: 1 hospital, 2 dialysis centers, 1 nursing home, 1 fire or EMS station, 1 college, 7 public schools, 2 private schools, 2 poor-rated bridges, 1 library, 1 museum, 1 police station, 5 public charging sites, 3 Superfund sites, 13 Toxics Release Inventory facilities, 6 spill cases and 1 mound or earthwork. Press a pin or a name for its whole record and its source.

Hospitals (1)

  1. Encompass Hlth. Rehab. Hsptl. of Cin. at NorwoodRehabilitation hospital · Cincinnati
    What it is
    Rehabilitation hospital
    Address
    4953 Section Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Beds
    40
    Ownership
    Proprietary
    Phone
    (513) 712-9200

    Where HIFLD got this record ↗ HIFLD hospitals (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: HIFLD hospitals inventory via FEMA (closed hospitals it still lists left out, hospitals opened since added), with Medicare Care Compare ratings matched by name and address.

Dialysis centers (2)

  1. Davita Norwood DialysisDialysis · Cincinnati
    Address
    2300 Wall Street, Cincinnati, OH 45212
    Dialysis stations
    25
    Medicare star rating
    3 of 5 stars
    Services
    in-center hemodialysis
    Ownership
    for profit
    Chain
    DaVita
    Medicare certified since
    2009-08-26
    Phone
    (513) 531-2111
    Medicare ID
    362742

    Medicare Care Compare ↗ CMS dialysis facility list (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Fmc - Liberty NorwoodDialysis · Norwood
    Address
    2071 Sherman Avenue, Norwood, OH 45212
    Dialysis stations
    24
    Medicare star rating
    2 of 5 stars
    Services
    in-center hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, home hemodialysis training
    Ownership
    for profit
    Chain
    Fresenius Medical Care
    Medicare certified since
    2009-11-19
    Phone
    (513) 841-1800
    Medicare ID
    362747

    Medicare Care Compare ↗ CMS dialysis facility list (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: CMS dialysis facility list, September 2026, geocoded with the Census Bureau batch geocoder (an address it could not place sits at its ZIP center).

Nursing homes (1)

  1. Norwood Towers Post-Acute2 of 5 stars · Cincinnati
    Address
    1500 Sherman Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45212
    Certified beds
    120
    Residents on an average day
    103
    Medicare overall rating
    2 of 5 stars
    Health inspections
    1 of 5 stars
    Staffing
    1 of 5 stars
    Quality measures
    5 of 5 stars
    Penalties since 2023
    1 payment denial (latest 2025-12-16)
    Ownership
    For profit - Limited Liability company
    Chain
    PACS GROUP
    Takes
    Medicare and Medicaid
    Phone
    (513) 631-6800
    Medicare ID
    366238

    Medicare Care Compare ↗ CMS nursing home data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: CMS Care Compare nursing home provider and penalties files; Medicare star ratings run 1 to 5.

Fire and EMS stations (1)

  1. Norwood Fire DepartmentNorwood
    Address
    4725 Montgomery Road, Norwood, OH 45212
    Coordinates
    39.16252, -84.45579

    USGS National Map structures (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: USGS National Map structures (most Ohio records last updated 2019 to 2022), checked against the Columbus and Cleveland station lists. The department that answers a call is set by jurisdiction and mutual aid, not by distance.

Colleges (1)

  1. Ohio Media School-CincinnatiFor-profit career school · Norwood
    What it is
    For-profit career school
    City
    Norwood
    Students, 2023-24 (12-month count)
    230
    IPEDS unit ID
    418269

    College Navigator (NCES) ↗ IPEDS data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NCES IPEDS 2024 directory, 2023-24 enrollment and tuition, graduation rates for the 2017 (four-year) and 2020 (two-year) entering classes.

Public schools (7)

  1. ChallengeU Ohio Community SchoolCincinnati
    Address
    4030 Smith Rd Ste 200, Cincinnati, OH 45209
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    64
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    1
    NCES school ID
    391004810866

    NCES school record ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Norwood High School3.5 of 5 stars · Norwood
    Address
    2020 Sherman Ave, Norwood, OH 45212
    School district
    Norwood City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    448
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    32.28
    Report card, 2025-26
    3.5 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    72.1%
    Four-year graduation rate
    86.1%
    Ohio building IRN
    028100
    NCES school ID
    390445701461

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Norwood Middle School3.5 of 5 stars · Norwood
    Address
    2060 Sherman Ave, Norwood, OH 45212
    School district
    Norwood City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    374
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    27
    Report card, 2025-26
    3.5 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    67.6%
    Ohio building IRN
    064857
    NCES school ID
    390445701462

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  4. Norwood View Elementary School3 of 5 stars · Norwood
    Address
    5328 Carthage Ave, Norwood, OH 45212
    School district
    Norwood City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    264
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    19.81
    Report card, 2025-26
    3 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    74.1%
    Ohio building IRN
    028118
    NCES school ID
    390445701463

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  5. Sharpsburg Elementary3 of 5 stars · Norwood
    Address
    4400 Smith Rd, Norwood, OH 45212
    School district
    Norwood City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    258
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    16.48
    Report card, 2025-26
    3 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    76.1%
    Ohio building IRN
    000471
    NCES school ID
    390445701459

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  6. The Norwood Montessori School3.5 of 5 stars · Norwood
    Address
    2060 Sherman Ave, Norwood, OH 45212
    School district
    Norwood City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    93
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    4.94
    Report card, 2025-26
    3.5 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    71.3%
    Ohio building IRN
    019994
    NCES school ID
    390445710846

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  7. Williams Avenue Elementary School4 of 5 stars · Norwood
    Address
    2132 Williams Ave, Norwood, OH 45212
    School district
    Norwood City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    243
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    16.14
    Report card, 2025-26
    4 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    75.6%
    Ohio building IRN
    041418
    NCES school ID
    390445701465

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NCES EDGE public school locations 2024-25 and Common Core of Data 2023-24 (type, students, teachers); Ohio School Report Cards 2025-26 (Department of Education and Workforce), matched by name within the district.

Private schools (2)

  1. Azalea Montessori SchoolPrivate, nonsectarian, special program · Cincinnati
    Address
    4305 Floral Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45212
    Kind
    nonsectarian, special program
    Students, 2023-24
    56
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    7
    Students per teacher
    8
    Phone
    (513) 476-9344
    NCES private school ID
    A2301896

    NCES private school record ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Immaculate Conception AcademyPrivate, Catholic · Cincinnati
    Address
    4510 Floral Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45212
    Kind
    Catholic
    Students, 2023-24
    112
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    16.6
    Students per teacher
    6.74699
    Phone
    (513) 731-0154
    NCES private school ID
    BB170297

    NCES private school record ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NCES Private School Survey 2023-24.

Bridges rated poor (2)

  1. Harris Avenue over Duck CreekPoor · built 1900
    Condition
    Poor: a deck, superstructure, substructure or culvert rated 4 or below on the 0 to 9 scale
    What it is
    Bridge
    Built
    1900
    Length
    12 ft
    Owner
    City
    Vehicles a day
    200
    Coordinates
    39.16165, -84.43787

    National Bridge Inventory (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Wesley Ave over SR 562Poor · built 1970
    Condition
    Poor: a deck, superstructure, substructure or culvert rated 4 or below on the 0 to 9 scale
    What it is
    Bridge
    Built
    1970
    Length
    54 ft
    Owner
    State
    Vehicles a day
    1,949
    Coordinates
    39.16397, -84.45135

    National Bridge Inventory (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory 2025. "Poor" means one major part rated 4 or below on the 0 to 9 scale; it calls for repair, not closing, unless the state posts or closes the bridge.

Public libraries (1)

  1. NorwoodBranch · Norwood
    Address
    4325 Montgomery Rd., Norwood, OH 45212
    What it is
    Branch
    Library system
    Cincinnati and Hamilton County Public Library
    Open
    2,808 hours a year, 52 weeks
    Building
    12,570 sq ft
    System's visits, FY2024
    4,091,256
    System's loans, FY2024
    20,126,186
    People the system serves
    830,639
    Phone
    (513) 369-6037

    IMLS Public Libraries Survey (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: IMLS Public Libraries Survey FY2024 (outlets and their systems). Any Ohio resident can get a free card at any Ohio public library.

Museums, historical societies, gardens and zoos (1)

  1. Norwood Historical SocietyHistorical society · Norwood
    What it is
    Historical society
    City
    Norwood
    Coordinates
    39.15596, -84.45200

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

Source: IMLS Museum Data Files, 2018.

Police stations (1)

  1. Norwood Police DepartmentNorwood
    Address
    4701 Montgomery Road, Norwood, OH 45212
    Coordinates
    39.16212, -84.45579

    USGS National Map structures (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: USGS National Map structures, police stations, corrected and completed by hand (September 2026). The department that answers a call is set by jurisdiction, not by distance.

Public EV charging (5)

  1. CORNERSTONE STATION12 Level 2 · Cincinnati
    Address
    4000 Smith Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45209
    Ports
    2 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    ChargePoint Network
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    888-758-4389

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. CORNERSTONE STATION22 Level 2 · Cincinnati
    Address
    4030 Smith Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45209
    Ports
    2 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    ChargePoint Network
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    888-758-4389

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. ROOKWOOD TOWER STATION32 Level 2 · Cincinnati
    Address
    3805 Edwards Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45208
    Ports
    2 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    ChargePoint Network
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    888-758-4389

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  4. Sherman Ave & Station Ave Parking Lot2 Level 2 · Norwood
    Address
    2087 Sherman Ave, Norwood, OH 45212
    Ports
    2 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    AMPUP
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    833-692-6787

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  5. XAVIER COHEN2 Level 2 · Norwood, Ohio 45212
    Address
    1658 Herald Ave, Norwood, Ohio 45212, OH 45212
    Ports
    2 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    ChargePoint Network
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    888-758-4389

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NREL Alternative Fuels Data Center station list (May 2026), public and open stations, the posts at one address counted as one site.

Superfund sites (3)

  1. Norwood Radiator SiteSuperfund program · Norwood
    Address
    5111 Globe Avenue, Norwood, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Status
    Superfund program site, not on the National Priorities List
    EPA program ID
    OHN000508138
    EPA registry ID
    110004663383

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Perry & Derrick Paint SiteSuperfund program · Norwood
    Address
    2511 Highland Avenue, Norwood, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Status
    Superfund program site, not on the National Priorities List
    EPA program ID
    OHN000510588
    EPA registry ID
    110043571015

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Rose Exterminator Company WarehouseSuperfund program · Norwood
    Address
    5421 Carthage Avenue, Norwood, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Status
    Superfund program site, not on the National Priorities List
    EPA program ID
    OHN000510327
    EPA registry ID
    110038761863

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: EPA Facility Registry Service, Superfund (SEMS) and National Priorities List sites. Many program sites were assessed and needed no cleanup.

Facilities reporting toxic releases (13)

  1. Cincinnati Varnish CoToxics Release Inventory · Cincinnati
    Address
    1776 Mentor Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45242THCNC1776M
    EPA registry ID
    110000849949

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Cpc GroupToxics Release Inventory · Norwood
    Address
    4726 Smith Road, Norwood, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (closed)
    EPA program ID
    45212CPCGR4726S
    EPA registry ID
    110001625117

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. J H Day CoToxics Release Inventory · Cincinnati
    Address
    4932 Beech St., Cincinnati, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45212JHDYC4932B
    EPA registry ID
    110002112990

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  4. Kdm Signs IncToxics Release Inventory · Cincinnati
    Address
    2501 Norwood Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45212DSGNC2501N
    EPA registry ID
    110039508725

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  5. Mcc-Norwood, Llc (1431370116)Toxics Release Inventory · Norwood
    Address
    4500 Beech Street, Norwood, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45212DNGRPBEECH
    EPA registry ID
    110000393057

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  6. Perry & Derrick CoToxics Release Inventory · Cincinnati
    Address
    2510 Highland Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45212THPRR2510H
    EPA registry ID
    110000393119

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  7. Shepherd Chemical Co (1431370150)Toxics Release Inventory · Norwood
    Address
    4900 Beech St, Norwood, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (open)
    EPA program ID
    45212THSHP4900B
    EPA registry ID
    110000393128

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  8. Shepherd Chemical CompanyToxics Release Inventory · Norwood
    Address
    2803 Highland Ave, Norwood, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (***unchanged***)
    EPA program ID
    4521WSHPHR283HI
    EPA registry ID
    110070751055

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  9. Siemens Industry IncToxics Release Inventory · Cincinnati
    Address
    4620 Forest Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45212SMNSN4620F
    EPA registry ID
    110001626535

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  10. Texo CorporationToxics Release Inventory · Cincinnati
    Address
    2801 Highland Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45212TXCRP2801H
    EPA registry ID
    110000497007

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  11. The C W Zumbiel CompanyToxics Release Inventory · Cincinnati
    Address
    1743 Cleneay Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45212CWZMB1743C
    EPA registry ID
    110002112981

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  12. The C.W. Zumbiel Company - Harris Ave (1431370384)Toxics Release Inventory · Norwood
    Address
    2339 Harris Avenue, Norwood, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45212THCWZ2339H
    EPA registry ID
    110000814646

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  13. United Dairy FarmersToxics Release Inventory · Norwood
    Address
    3955 Montgomery Road, Norwood, OH 45212
    County
    Hamilton County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    45212NTDDR3955M
    EPA registry ID
    110000550323

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: EPA Facility Registry Service, Toxics Release Inventory reporters. Reporting a release is required of large users of listed chemicals; it is not by itself a violation.

Spills reported since 2021 (6)

  1. Chemical(S) Unk Reached water2024-10-14 · Norwood
    Reported
    2024-10-14
    What spilled
    Chemical(S) Unk
    Reached a waterway
    31 - Ohio River
    Where
    Norwood, Hamilton County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2410EPA0001751

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Sewage Human2024-10-14 · Norwood
    Reported
    2024-10-14
    What spilled
    Sewage Human
    Where
    Norwood, Hamilton County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2410EPA0001743

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Oil Motor / Lube Oil / Vehicle2024-01-02 · Norwood
    Reported
    2024-01-02
    What spilled
    Oil Motor / Lube Oil / Vehicle; Fuel Gasoline ( 25% Ethanol Not E85); Antifreeze Vehicle Cooling
    Where
    Norwood, Hamilton County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2401EPA0000008

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  4. Oil Hydraulic Fluid(S)2022-12-12 · Norwood
    Reported
    2022-12-12
    What spilled
    Oil Hydraulic Fluid(S)
    Largest amount reported
    35 gallons
    Where
    Norwood, Hamilton County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2212EPA0001844

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  5. Waste Water2021-08-02 · Norwood
    Reported
    2021-08-02
    What spilled
    Waste Water
    Where
    Norwood, Hamilton County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2108EPA0001170

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  6. Water (H20) Reached water2026-07-18 · Norwood
    Reported
    2026-07-18
    What spilled
    Water (H20)
    Largest amount reported
    500 gallons
    Reached a waterway
    31 - Duck Creek
    Where
    Norwood, Hamilton County
    Ohio EPA district office
    SWDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2607EPA0001312

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: Ohio EPA emergency response spill reports, 2021 to September 2026, one point per case where Ohio EPA placed it. A report is what the caller or responder recorded; amounts are often blank or estimated.

Mounds and earthworks (1)

  1. Norwood MoundMound · Adena culture (roughly 800 BC - AD 100)
    What it is
    Mound
    Age
    Adena culture (roughly 800 BC - AD 100)
    Where
    Water Tower Park, Norwood, at 811 feet elevation, the highest ground in the city
    County
    Hamilton County
    Named in the history of
    Norwood (city), Hamilton County
    Map point
    from the site's Wikipedia article

    Wikipedia article (point and source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    Many mounds stand on private land; visit only those open to the public.

Source: the History records' native sites, each placed by its own Wikipedia article; sites no article places are named on the History card but not pinned.

Its ZIP codes

Each ZIP code that touches Norwood, with the share of its residents who live here and the same headline figures as the ZIP page.

ZIPShareWaterRadon Home valueSchoolsFlood
45212 Norwood and Cincinnati 86% Ohio River intake at the plant's riverfront on Kellogg Ave in the California neighborhood, east Cincinnati 2.2 pCi/L average radon Median year built 1916 Norwood City · 3.5 stars overall 0.0% of residents in the 1% floodplain
45209 Cincinnati 2% Ohio River intake at the plant's riverfront on Kellogg Ave in the California neighborhood, east Cincinnati 2.1 pCi/L average radon Median year built 1922 Cincinnati City · 3 stars overall 0.0% of residents in the 1% floodplain

Local government

Who holds office in Norwood, how its elections and ballot issues came out, and the state auditor's record.

Money issues on the ballot since 2021: 1 of 1 passed.

Ballot issues

DateIssueForAgainstResult
2024-11-05 Issue 10: LOCAL LIQUOR OPTION FOR PARTICULAR USE AT BUSINESS LOCATION (BY PETITION) NORWOOD 3-A 658113Passed (85.34% for)
2024-03-19 Issue 2: LOCAL LIQUOR OPTION FOR PARTICULAR USE AT BUSINESS LOCATION (BY PETITION) NORWOOD 1-A 4424Passed (64.71% for)
2024-03-19 Issue 3: LOCAL LIQUOR OPTION FOR PARTICULAR USE AT BUSINESS LOCATION (BY PETITION) NORWOOD 3-B 6927Passed (71.88% for)
2023-11-07 Issue 29: LOCAL LIQUOR OPTION FOR PARTICULAR USE AT BUSINESS LOCATION (BY PETITION) NORWOOD 2-C 44279Passed (84.84% for)
2022-11-08 Issue 15: LOCAL LIQUOR OPTION FOR SALE OF INTOXICATING LIQUORS ON SUNDAY (BY PETITION) (NORWOOD 1-B) 33198Passed (77.16% for)
2021-11-02 Issue 8: PROPOSED TAX LEVY (RENEWAL) CITY OF NORWOOD 1,519912Passed (62.48% for)

Elections for office

DateOfficeCandidates and votes
2025-11-04 Treasurer (DEM primary) James Bonsall (DEM) 2,415, 100.0%
2025-11-04 President of Council (DEM primary) Joseph S. Geers (DEM) 2,472, 100.0%
2025-11-04 Member of Council at Large (REP primary) Emily K. L. Franzen (DEM) 2,049, 24.85%; Susan Hoover (DEM) 1,944, 23.58%; Jason Provins (DEM) 1,872, 22.7%; Jon Atwood (REP) 1,210, 14.68%; Chad Eaton (REP) 1,170, 14.19%
2025-11-04 Member of Council (4th Ward) (REP primary) Danielle Sullivan (DEM) 467, 65.87%; John Breadon (REP) 242, 34.13%
2025-11-04 Member of Council (3rd Ward) (REP primary) Jeff Girton 515, 60.95%; Ryan Beck (REP) 330, 39.05%
2025-11-04 Member of Council (2nd Ward) (REP primary) Jon Moore (DEM) 682, 69.1%; Patrick Dowling (REP) 305, 30.9%
2025-11-04 Member of Council (1st Ward) (DEM primary) Sam Bowling (DEM) 467, 100.0%
2023-11-07 President of Council (NON primary) Joseph S. Geers (DEM) 3,137, 60.18%; Maria Williams (NON) 2,076, 39.82%
2023-11-07 Member of Council at Large (REP primary) Emily K. Franzen (DEM) 3,023, 20.82%; Susan Hoover (DEM) 2,991, 20.59%; Alexis Royse (DEM) 2,776, 19.11%; Jon Atwood (REP) 2,089, 14.38%; Mary Yeager (REP) 1,849, 12.73%; Tony Hooks (REP) 1,795, 12.36%
2023-11-07 Member of Council (4th Ward) (REP primary) John Breadon (REP) 709, 100.0%
2023-11-07 Member of Council (3rd Ward) (REP primary) Jeff Girton (DEM) 896, 58.79%; Robert Hill (REP) 628, 41.21%
2023-11-07 Member of Council (2nd Ward) (REP primary) Candace Winterbauer (DEM) 964, 64.05%; Lisa Russ (REP) 541, 35.95%
2023-11-07 Member of Council (1st Ward) (REP primary) Sam Bowling (DEM) 701, 61.33%; Chris Kelsch (REP) 442, 38.67%
2023-11-07 Mayor (REP primary) Victor Schneider (REP) 3,617, 100.0%
2023-11-07 Director of Law (DEM primary) Keith D. Moore (DEM) 3,996, 100.0%
2023-11-07 Auditor (REP primary) Ken Miracle (REP) 3,505, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Treasurer James Bonsall (DEM) 1,276, 54.46%; Patrick J. Dowling Jr. 1,067, 45.54%
2021-11-02 President of Council (REP primary) Ken Miracle (REP) 1,523, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Member of Council at Large Susan Hoover (DEM) 1,291, 26.6%; Emily Franzen (DEM) 1,265, 26.06%; Michael D. Gabbard 1,207, 24.87%; Matthew Geraci 1,091, 22.48%
2021-11-02 Member of Council (4th Ward) (REP primary) John Breadon (REP) 323, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Member of Council (3rd Ward) (DEM primary) Eric Thompson (DEM) 398, 100.0%
2021-11-02 Member of Council (2nd Ward) (REP primary) Candace Colleen Winterbauer (DEM) 422, 60.81%; Donald Broughton (REP) 272, 39.19%
2021-11-02 Member of Council (1st Ward) (DEM primary) Chris Kelsch (REP) 290, 53.31%; Alexis Royse (DEM) 254, 46.69%

Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.

Auditor of State record

  • Fiscal emergency: declared 2016-10-06, still in effect. source
  • Fiscal emergency: declared 1980-05-07, released 1982-10-01. source
  • Fiscal watch: declared 2004-10-07, released 2016-10-06. source
  • Financial Health Indicators (the Auditor of State's 17 measures; critical / cautionary / positive): 2019 4 / 2 / 10; 2020 4 / 2 / 11; 2021 5 / 4 / 8; 2022 4 / 3 / 10; 2023 4 / 1 / 12; 2024 4 / 1 / 11.
  • Financial Audit, 2023, released 2024-10-17

The county

Hamilton County: 54 ZIP codes, 47 cities, villages and townships, 843,791 people.

Nearby places

Cincinnati

Rain and snow

How much has actually fallen on Norwood, day by day, from 1905 to now. Daily totals, not averages.

rain, last 30 days
0.73 in
2026-09-29 to 2026-10-28
rain so far in 2026
46.6 in
7.5 in above normal for the date
snow so far in 2026
12.8 in
a normal year brings 17.4 in
a normal year
46.2 in
average of 30 years, 1991-2020
The last twelve months
MonthRain (in)Snow (in)Days counted
October 2026 0.73 — 28
September 2026 4.82 — 30
August 2026 6.05 — 31
July 2026 7.92 — 31
June 2026 8.07 — 30
May 2026 6.67 — 31
April 2026 3.79 — 30
March 2026 6.00 0.1 31
February 2026 1.18 3.0 28
January 2026 1.42 9.6 31
December 2025 2.53 10.8 31
November 2025 4.58 1.6 30
On the record, 1905–2026
Wettest year2011 — 67.7 in
Driest year1934 — 23.5 in
Snowiest year2010 — 46.4 in
Wettest day on record9 March 1964 — 4.63 in
Heaviest snowfall in a day8 December 1917 — 10.98 in
Deepest snow on the ground20 January 1978 — 15.38 in

Mostly estimated. Only 3% of these days come from a gauge standing inside Norwood - the rest are worked out from the nearest gauges around it, so read them as close estimates rather than readings.

44,376 days of records, 1905-01-01 to 2026-10-28. Source: NOAA NCEI GHCN-Daily, 3,240 gauges in and around Ohio. A day is "gauged" when a gauge standing inside the boundary reported it, and the value is the mean of those gauges. Otherwise it is interpolated by inverse distance from every gauge reporting within 50 miles. Nothing is carried forward, back-filled or smoothed. Against NOAA nClimDiv county monthly precipitation over 136,848 complete county-months (checked 2026-10-31): correlation 0.9515, median absolute difference 0.217 in a month. Built 2026-10-31 from the Cracked Buckeye precipitation archive. Snow is the softer number — snowfall is measured by hand with a ruler, no agency publishes a gridded county snowfall series, and blowing snow defeats every observer.

Environmental permits and filings

What Ohio EPA has on file for Norwood: permits, inspections, violations, cleanups and the state loans behind sewer and water work. Every line links to the agency's own document.

facilities and sites on file
115
those placed on the map inside Norwood
What kind of permits
ProgramFacilities and sites
Voluntary cleanup49
Hazardous waste21
Site assessment11
Air pollution9
Wastewater and stormwater discharge9
Contaminated-site cleanup5
State water loans4
Brownfield2
Public drinking water2
Underground injection wells2
Sewer and water-line construction1
The latest filings
DateFacility or siteWhat
RUMPKE IRON WORKS INC Air pollution report
INNOMOTICS LLC Air pollution report
NORWOOD CITY PWS Public drinking water compliance letter
MCC NORWOOD - SOUTH Voluntary cleanup covenant
NORWOOD CITY PWS Public drinking water compliance letter
NORWOOD CITY PWS Public drinking water compliance letter
MULTI-COLOR CORP Voluntary cleanup inspection
NORWOOD CITY PWS Public drinking water compliance letter
EMD MILLIPORE CORP Hazardous waste director's orders
EMD MILLIPORE CORP Hazardous waste director's orders
ROOKWOOD COMMONS, NORWOOD Voluntary cleanup inspection
NORWOOD CITY PWS Public drinking water compliance letter
NORWOOD CITY PWS Public drinking water compliance letter
NORWOOD CITY PWS Public drinking water compliance letter
MULTI-COLOR CORP Voluntary cleanup inspection
EMD MILLIPORE CORP Hazardous waste notice of violation
ARAMARK UNIFORM AND CARREER APPPAREL INC Underground injection wells inspection
MULTI-COLOR CORP Voluntary cleanup covenant
ARAMARK UNIFORM AND CARREER APPPAREL INC Underground injection wells monitoring results
SPEEDWAY 9576 Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
PERRY & DERRICK CO Brownfield assessment
SPEEDWAY 9576 Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
MULTI-COLOR CORP Voluntary cleanup covenant
NORWOOD CITY PWS Public drinking water report
PERRY & DERRICK CO Brownfield assessment

Source: Ohio EPA eDocument portal (edocpub.epa.ohio.gov), indexed 2026-10-14. Facilities are placed on the map from Ohio EPA's own map layers, EPA's Facility Registry, coordinates written in the filings, or a geocoded street address. A permit filed under a private person's name (most are household septic systems) is counted but never named, placed or linked; licenses for individual workers and open-burning notices are left out entirely.

Quick answers

What county is Norwood, Ohio in?

Norwood is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, with 19,043 residents.

When was Norwood, Ohio founded?

Norwood was settled c. 1794 (Peter Smith, on Duck Creek); community known as Sharpsburg by 1809; laid out 1869 (subdivision platted, renamed Norwood); incorporated village, May 14, 1888; city, 1902. Founders on record: developers who platted the 1869 subdivision; name credited to Sarah Bolles. Source

How did Norwood, Ohio get its name?

The community was known as Sharpsburg, after storekeeper John Sharp, until an 1869 subdivision plat introduced the name Norwood, credited to Sarah Bolles, wife of landowner Lemuel Bolles. Source

What ZIP code is Norwood, Ohio?

Most of Norwood is in ZIP code 45212.

Where does Norwood, Ohio get its water?

The main water source for Norwood (Norwood City): Ohio River intake at the plant's riverfront on Kellogg Ave in the California neighborhood, east Cincinnati.

Cite this page as:

Cracked Buckeye, "Norwood, Hamilton County", https://crackedbuckeye.com/place/norwood/, built 2026-10-31, accessed [date].

How to cite · Report a correction · Built 2026-10-31