I was born and raised in Cincinnati, the Queen City of the West (or so it was called when Ohio was part of the western frontier). Many people are only familiar with the city from the old 1980s sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati”. But it is much more than flying turkeys (or flying pigs, which can be found as decorated statues throughout the City). First timers to the city may be confused upon landing at its airport, located across the Ohio River in Kentucky. Indeed, Cincinnati, while technically part of the Midwest, doesn’t quite fit into that stereotype. The city doesn’t have the flatness of much of the Midwest, but is instead built on seven hills, and these hills reinforce the uniqueness of each of the city’s neighborhoods. Up until 1948, funiculars were used to carry people up and down the hills. Some neighborhoods, such as Mt. Adams, feel like they could be in San Francisco. The city also has a strong resemblance to Pittsburgh, with its many bridges, and red brick row houses clinging to hillsides overlooking industrial valleys.
Cincinnati was settled in 1788, and its location on the river, the advent of the steamboat, and later railroads, made it a boom town by the early 19th century. Throughout much of the 19th century, it was one of the country’s largest cities. Historically, the city has been considered somewhat conservative due to its very strong German Catholic roots, although today, that character is becoming more a thing of the past – especially within the city limits, although it’s still strong in many of its suburbs.
Cincinnati’s vibrant downtown is nestled in a valley along the river, and surrounded by Mount Adams, Mount Auburn, Clifton and Price Hill. The downtown is home to major corporations including Proctor and Gamble, Fifth Third Bank, and Kroger. Fountain Square is the City’s main gathering spot where many of its festivals occur. Adjacent to the square is the Carew Tower, the city’s second tallest building. The 49 story tower, built in 1930, has an observation deck that allows for a good lay of the land. Inside the tower, the beautiful art deco style Hilton Netherland Plaza Hotel includes the Orchids at Palm Court restaurant. Along the river is the Banks entertainment district that is flanked on each end by professional sports stadiums (Great America Park for the Cincinnati Reds, and Paul Brown Stadium for the Cincinnati Bengals). In between the two stadiums sit the Underground Railroad Freedom Center museum, and a mixed use zone containing restaurants, bars and housing. On the river itself is the Smale Riverfront Park, which includes a Carousel, Adventure Playground, and the Andrew J Brady Music Center.
The Roebling Suspension Bridge is one of the many bridges that cross the Ohio River, linking Cincinnati to Northern Kentucky. When it opened in 1867, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world, and was a model for the later built Brooklyn bridge. You can walk on the bridge to reach the many activities across the river in the cities of Newport and Covington, such as the Riverside Historic District, the Mainstrasse entertainment district, the Newport Aquarium, and Newport on the Levee shopping and entertainment district.
To the immediate north of downtown is the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, where most of the German immigrants first arrived in the 19th century, followed by Appalachians and later African-Americans. Over-the-Rhine is a dense urban neighborhood that has the largest concentration of Italianate rowhouse architecture in the U.S. At one time, approximately 50,000 people lived within its one square mile. The neighborhood went into decline as people moved up and out, and was considered a war zone by the 1990’s. In 2001, police shootings of unarmed residents lead to civil unrest and riots. Today is an entirely different story. Rowhouses and buildings have been converted to million dollar condominiums and lofts. Both Main Street and Vine Street, two of the parallel streets that lead out from downtown, are filled with trendy restaurants, bars, coffee shops, galleries and retail establishments. This gentrification of course negatively affects the poorer residents who have historically lived in the neighborhood, and the City is making strides to retain affordable housing. Within Over-the-Rhine is the historic Findley Market, and the architectural jewel of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Music Hall, home to the Cincinnati Ballet, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.
Beyond the downtown area are vibrant and not so vibrant neighborhoods. To the north, Clifton is home to my alma mater, the University of Cincinnati and medical center, Hebrew Union College (Cincinnati has a strong Jewish history), and the world renowned Cincinnati Zoo, home of baby hippo Fiona.
Trendy Mt. Adams is home to many restaurants and coffee shops, as well as beautiful Eden Park perched above the Ohio River. The park is where the Cincinnati Art Museum and Krohn conservatory are located. The neighborhood is also where the famous Rookwood Pottery was built. Every Good Friday, since the 1860’s, thousands of devoted Catholics participate in the “praying the steps” climb to Holy Cross-Immaculata Church atop Mt. Adams.
Further east are other unique neighborhoods worth visiting. Each of these older established neighborhoods have their own character, and town squares. These include Hyde Park, Oakley, Mt. Lookout and Mariemont. Mariemont is a quaint, planned community that began construction in 1923, and is designed to resemble an English garden city, with tudor style homes and buildings. The village also has its own town crier.
Other attractions worth visiting include the Cincinnati Museum Center, located in the old Union Station, and the Taft Museum of Art, and the Contemporary Arts Center.
Cincinnati also has some unique local cuisine. Most famous is Cincinnati style chili, that was originally developed by Greek immigrants in the early 20th century. It’s a meaty mediterranean flavored chili that includes tomato, cinnamon, allspice and cocoa to add a little sweetness, and is heaped on top of spaghetti, and then smothered with cheddar cheese and oyster crackers. This is known as a 3-way. A 4-way adds onions and a 5-way adds beans. Nearly every neighborhood has its own chili parlor, but in addition, local chains including both Skyline, and Gold Star, have dozens of restaurants throughout the region. Another local favorite is Graeter’s Ice Cream which is famous for its black raspberry chocolate chip flavor. The Montgomery Inn, with two locations, is known for its award winning ribs. Another local delicacy is goetta, a sausage that is fried and often served with syrup or jam, and similar to the east coast scrapple. Goetta uses oats instead of cornmeal as a filling, and is served in nearly any diner for breakfast.
These are just some of the places and items of interest in the Cincinnati region that make it a great place to visit, and there are many more worth exploring.