History never happens in a vacuum. When Cincinnati, Ohio, was engulfed in a three-day riot in 1884 that left dozens dead and hundreds injured, it seemed to the world that the city's residents were outraged over a miscarriage of justice. Actually, many factors were at play. In this groundbreaking treatise on one of the most destructive riots in US history, author Steven J. Rolfes fully places the Cincinnati Courthouse Riot in the context of the economic climate, social conditions, and political corruption of the day. When two gruesome killings and a corrupt jury spurred thousands of angry residents to take to the streets, they were already at a breaking point. Their city and economy had been ravaged by massive flooding from the Ohio River and oppressed by the powerful political machines that ruled the city. In vivid detail, this book portrays the three nights of rioting.

The Cincinnati Courthouse Riot details not only the influences but the effects of this tumultuous time, from the use of the Gatling gun on the rioters to the rise of notorious political boss George Cox. Cincinnati native Steven J. Rolfes is an avid local historian and the author of several books about his hometown. He is a member of the Mt. Healthy Historical Society and a volunteer interpreter at the Cincinnati History Museum. Book jacket.