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Chemical Landmarks
National Chemical Historical Landmarks in Cincinnati Overview
The ACS National Chemical Historical Landmarks program honors chemical discoveries, innovations as well as chemists that transformed lives and our understanding of chemistry. The program, established in 1992, features more than 90 landmarks related to major chemical inventions and chemists. These landmarks honor scientists like Joseph Priestley, the discoverer of oxygen, inventions like Bakelite, the world’s first synthetic plastic, and the legacy of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. Cincinnati features two National Chemical Historical Landmarks.
The Development of Tide Synthetic Detergent
This landmark was dedicated in October 2006. Procter and Gamble first released Tide in 1946. Tide was not only a new product but a type of laundry detergent featuring not only the technology of fully synthetic detergents but also synthetic builders, compounds which enable cleaning performance in hard water. More information on the Development of Tide Synthetic Detergent from the ACS’ National Chemistry Historical Landmarks program. Click the image on the right to check out the "The Development of Tide” commemorative booklet.
The Oesper Collections in the History of Chemistry
In March 2022, the University of Cincinnati and the American Chemical Society celebrated the dedication of the Oesper Collections as a National Historical Chemical Landmark. An audience of 100 people attended the dedication ceremony. The curator of the museum, Professor Emeritus William Jensen gave a talk describing the life of UC Professor Ralph Oesper who not only started the collection of rare books and journals but also left endowments supporting scholarships in chemistry. Visit this link for a report on the event celebrating the dedication on the University of Cincinnati website. Then click the image on the right to check out the Oesper Collection commemorative booklet.
Prof. emeritus William Jensen, curator, sits next to a bust of Antoine Lavoisier, considered the founder of modern chemistry.
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Attendees at the March 2022 dedication ceremony view exhibits on display at the Oesper Collection. 
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