Early in the nineteenth century, the village of Walnut Hills centered around the intersection of two main roads, then known as the road to Lebanon (Gilbert Ave.) and the upper road to Columbia (MacMillan St.). The intersection was then known as Kay's Corner, after one of the first entrepreneurs in the area. Wealthy residents from the city moved up into Walnut Hills and most of the area was incorporated into Cincinnati by 1873. The growth of the business district was facilitated in the 1880's by cable cars running up Gilbert Ave. Kay's Corner became know then as Peeble's Corner, named after the owner of a successful “fancy” grocery store on the northeast corner of the Gilbert and MacMillan.
By 1898, cable cars were replaced by fast, more reliable electric streetcars, which made Walnut Hills even more accessible from downtown. Improvements in public transportation aided the rapid development of the commercial district, and by the turn of the century, Peeble's corner was Cincinnati's second largest shopping district. In the 1920's the district consisted of over 215 businesses, making it a focal point of community activity.
The Depression of the early 1930's, demographic changes, and growth of the suburbs decreased business activity in the area. Today, Peeble's Corner retains many business including groceries, a pharmacy, hardware store, restaurants, and others that supply the needs of area residents. Many creative businesses have settled in the area, attracted by the historic character of the buildings and proximity to Eden Park. Walnut Hills is easily accessible from downtown and I-71, and significant investment is being made in redeveloping properties for renewed commercial use.