National Historic Landmark · synagogue · Cincinnati, Ohio

Plum Street Temple

Reform synagogue in Cincinnati, Ohio. Built 1865 by James Keys Wilson. Added to the National Register in 1972, and a National Historic Landmark.

Brockhaus and Efron Jewish Encyclopedia e2 285-0Isaac M. Wise Temple - exteriorIsaac M. Wise Temple 01Isaac M. Wise Temple 02
Photos via Wikimedia Commons · 6 in the Commons category

What it is

The Isaac M. Wise Temple, commonly called the Wise Temple, is an historic Reform Jewish congregation and synagogue located in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the United States. The congregation's historic Plum Street temple was erected in honour of Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, who was among the founders of Reform Judaism in the United States. The temple building was designed by prominent Cincinnati architect James Keys Wilson and its design was inspired by the Alhambra at Granada.

Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The record

Property typeBuilding
Address8th and Plum Sts., Cincinnati, OH
CountyHamilton County
ListedDec 27, 1972
Listed forArchitecture, Religion
Level of significanceNational
Also known asIsaac M. Wise Temple; K.K. B'nai Yeshurun
Reference number72001021
Built1865 · more from the 1860s
ArchitectJames Keys Wilson
Type of placesynagogue
StyleMoorish Revival architecture, Byzantine Revival architecture
DesignationsNational Historic Landmark, Local Historic Landmark
Contributing resources1 building

The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗

Visiting

Address8th and Plum Sts., Cincinnati, OH
Coordinates39.1038° N, 84.5180° W · Directions ↗
Also in Cincinnati314 listed places in Cincinnati → · walking tours →
Nearest national park unitWilliam Howard Taft National Historic Site · 1 mile · on Park Atlas
Federal campgrounds nearbyOverlook Shelter (Brookville Lake) 34 miles · Tailwater Shelter 1 (Brookville Lake) 35 miles · Tailwater Shelter 2 (Brookville Lake) 35 miles
This one you can go inside. Hours and admission change with the season; the website above has the current schedule.

Explore

Drawings & photographs

Measured drawings and photographs from the Library of Congress. Public domain. All 2 records ↗

Map

Local history books for Cincinnati

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • The Jewish Hospital & Cincinnati Jews in Medicine
    Frederic Krome, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Lost Cincinnati
    Jeff Suess, 2015
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Cincinnati art deco
    Steven J. Rolfes, 2014
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Cincinnati's Underground Railroad
    Richard Cooper and Eric R. Jackson, 2014
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Cincinnati's freemasons
    Donald I. Crews, 2014
    Find at Bookshop.org

Guidebooks to historic places and travel in Ohio

  • A guide to historic Marietta, Ohio
    Lynne Sturtevant, 2011
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Ohio off the Beaten Path®
    Jackie Sheckler Finch, 2024
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Cincinnati Haunted Handbook
    Jeff Morris and Michael Morris, 2025
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

When was Plum Street Temple listed on the National Register?

Dec 27, 1972. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.

Source: National Park Service

When was Plum Street Temple built?

1865, designed by James Keys Wilson, in the Moorish Revival architecture and Byzantine Revival architecture style.

Source: Wikidata

Can I visit Plum Street Temple?

Yes. Plum Street Temple is recorded as open to the public.

Source: Wikidata

Where is Plum Street Temple?

8th and Plum Sts., Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio. The nearest national park unit is William Howard Taft National Historic Site, 1 mile away.

Source: William Howard Taft National Historic Site

Are there historic photographs or drawings of Plum Street Temple?

Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.

Source: Library of Congress

Where is the nomination form for Plum Street Temple?

The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.

Source: National Archives

Are there campgrounds near Plum Street Temple?

Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is Overlook Shelter (Brookville Lake), 34 miles away. Tailwater Shelter 1 (Brookville Lake) is 35 miles away, and Tailwater Shelter 2 (Brookville Lake) is 35 miles away.

Source: Campsite Atlas

Is there cell service at Plum Street Temple?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

Sources

Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 72001021. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.