Longworth Hall is a registered historic building in Cincinnati, Ohio, listed in the National Register on December 29, 1986. Constructed by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1904 as the B&O Freight Terminal, the building was reported to be the longest structure of its type in the world at 1,277 feet (389 m) long.[2]Camden Yards in Baltimore, a similar structure, is slightly shorter at 1,116-foot (340 m) long. Longworth Hall is 5 stories, while the Baltimore Freight Terminal is 8 stories.[3]
History
During construction, 80,000 feet (20,000 m) of pilings were driven to support the concrete foundations. The piers between the first floor doors are of Bedford limestone. 4.25 million bricks were used in the walls. Floor loads are carried on steel girders and these in turn are carried on steel columns. Floors, joists, roof beams, etc., are frame requiring 2.5 million board feet (5,900 m3) of lumber.[2]
The lower floor was designed as the inbound freight house with the upper four floors for storage. The facility trackage could accommodate 125 cars. Other facilities included a boiler house, a 6 stall roundhouse, a coal tipple and a U.S. Customs Bonded Warehouse, for the care of imported goods.[2]