Cincinnati: Big City Vibe, Small Town Feel

	Downtown Cincinnati at Night

Cincinnati offers visitors an astounding array of cultural events and family entertainment to enjoy. Tourists can explore the many attractions, while navigating through neighborhoods tucked away into individual valleys. The city of Cincinnati is one of the largest cities in Ohio State and is host to the headquarters of major industries such as Proctor and Gamble, GE Aircraft Engines and Federated Department Stores. Although these industries nourish Cincinnati's economy, it's the local festivals and history that create a balance and flavor the city's unique identity. Factor mild winters and sultry summers into the mix and Cincy, as locals affectionately call it, designates a brilliant vacation spot.

ORIENTATION

Cincinnati is situated in the southwestern corner of Ohio on the mouth of the Ohio River, providing the city with a port for business as well as a perfect setting for a variety of water sports. The Greater Cincinnati Area is referred to as the Tri-State region, on account of Kentucky, Indiana and Ohio borders converging. This enables quick travel over the John A. Roebling Bridge to attractions in the neighboring cities of Covington and Newport. Because of the hilly landscape, downtown Cincinnati is quite compact, contributing to its vibrant culture and city life. The neighborhoods that compose Cincinnati also tend to be somewhat geographically segregated, resulting in diverse cultures and identities.

HISTORY

Although the popular 1970s television series WKRP in Cincinnati may have helped to put Cincinnati on the international map, the city’s history is far more extensive and colorful, dating back to the late 1700s.

Over the past centuries Cincinnati has gone through several identities and nicknames. Initially the city was founded in 1788 by John Cleves Summers and Colonel Robert Patterson and named Losantiville. In 1790, the governor of the Northwest Territory, Arthur St. Clair, changed the name to Cincinnati, in honor of the Society of the Cincinnati, an organization of Revolutionary War Officers. Cincinnati was chartered as a village in 1802, and 17 years later it was incorporated as a city. Shortly thereafter the nickname Porkopolis was devised in reference to the herds of hogs roaming the streets when Cincinnati became the country's chief hog-packing center. Today major retail corporations contribute to most of Cincinnati’s exports. The Queen of the West is another nickname, coined by a local newspaper in 1819 and still in use today.

View from Mt Echo1

Cincinnati was an important stop on the Underground Railroad, which was a network of secret passages that helped slaves escape to free states, during the 19th century. The free states, meaning slave emancipated, included major Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic US city centers, such as Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The railway played an important role in African-American history.

By 1850, Cincinnati’s population had grown to 115,000 following the completion of the Miami and Erie Canal systems during the 1830s. The canal systems created access between the Ohio River and Lake Erie to accommodate growing transportation needs. A boosted means to export goods and an added cultural demographic created an economic mini-boom, which began to distinguish the people of Cincinnati as trail-blazers in many respects. The city pioneered a variety of organizations, services and products in the United States and worldwide, such as America’s first municipal fire department in 1853; The Red Stockings now known as the Cincinnati Reds, the world’s first professional baseball team, in 1867; and the Sons of Daniel Boone, now recognized as the Boy Scouts of America, who began operations in 1905. Cincinnati’s 16-story Ingalls Building, was the world’s first concrete skyscraper. Built in 1903, the structure was considered to be a bold engineering achievement and its success contributed to the acceptance of concrete high-rise buildings in present day urban centers.

Music labels also have a history in Cincinnati. King Records and sister label Queen Records were founded in 1943 and recorded early music by artists who later became influential names within the country, r&b and rock music industries. In addition, WCET TV was established as the first licensed public television station in 1954. Over the years we can thank Cincinnati for producing a number of famous actors and entertainers, including Sarah Jessica Parker, George Clooney and director/producer Steven Spielberg.

Cincinnati is tucked into a valley and protected by several large hills that provide temperate weather in comparison to other areas in Ohio. The Ohio River has a major effect on the climate in the Ohio Valley tending to steer major storm systems away from the area. Snowfall tends to be lighter in comparison to surrounding cities; however, winter months, particularly January and February, provide several days of snow to accommodate winter sports. Rain is more evident in the spring and summer months from May to August, although it can be expected to rain all year round, so visitors are advised to bring an umbrella. For the most part, a warm sweater and a rain shell should do the trick in keeping warm all year round.

TRANSPORTATION

Fly in via Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Cincinnati’s Mid-Atlantic geography allows for flights under an hour to a host of United States cities. By land, bus to Cincinnati via Greyhound Motorcoach from almost anywhere throughout North America. By car, I-75 is the north-south highway from Detroit to Florida. The I-74 winds its way east from Indianapolis and the I-71 west-east from Louisville to Columbus.

Upon arrival to Cincinnati, there are many options for getting around and exploring the city and surrounding areas, from car rental services to guided tours, buses and even by foot. There are two bus services to choose from: the Cincinnati Bus Service, METRO, or the Northern Kentucky service, TANK. Although there are several separate taxi companies in Cincinnati, hailing one is not permitted. Instead, either a phone call to the company or a walk to the nearest of many cabstands will do the trick.

Cincinnati Union Terminal2

Cincinnati Union Terminal
Host to a melting pot of local and international culture and art, Union Terminal is definitely a must on the list of things to do while in Cincinnati. The terminal was originally built as a single station for seven separate railroad lines within the city. After four years and 41.5 million dollars of planning and construction, the terminal welcomed its first train on March 19, 1933. Upon its completion, the primary architects of the structure, Alfred T. Fellheimer and Steward Wagner had successfully created the only half-dome of its time in the Western Hemisphere. At its peak capacity, 208 trains passed through the station each day; however, the need for train service declined through the 1950s and 1960s, and by the 1970s, numbers dropped to just two trains per day. Cincinnati City Council voted to preserve the station as a historical site in 1973. In spite of their efforts, Southern Railway tore most of the train concourse down, with the exception of 14 mosaic murals that are now displayed at the Cincinnati/North Kentucky International Airport. The station lay empty for nearly a decade after a failed attempt to transform it into a marketplace-style shopping center. It wasn’t until Cincinnati Mayor Jerry Springer passed a tax levy and designated the station as a historical site in 1988 that the city began to make plans for the future of the building.

Today Union Terminal provides a venue for the following five separate educational and cultural organizations, Cincinnati History Museum, Cinergy Children’s Museum, Museum of Natural History & Science, Robert D. Lindner Family Omnimax Theater and Cincinnati Historical Society Library.

	Newport On The Levee3

Amusement Parks
Coney Island Amusement Park has a variety of entertainment from live shows and classic rides to the giant Sunlight Pool with waterslides. Initially purchased over 100 years ago for use as an apple orchard, Coney Island became a popular gathering place for seasonal festivities and gradually became the park it is today. Bring a picnic or eat out for the day, trying a famous Coney Island dog. Enjoy leisurely poolside tanning and a swim or blow back your hair on one of the many thrill rides. The park is open seasonally from May to September.

Another great day trip amusement park is Paramount's Kings Island Amusement Park, the home of the Beast, the world’s longest wooden rollercoaster. Live theater shows are performed daily. The park is open seasonally from April to September and is located 24 mi (38.6 km) from the city of Cincinnati.

Elephant Bath at The Cincinnati Zoo4

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens
Having a mission to preserve and protect flora and fauna, while creating adventure and educating the public, makes the Cincinnati Zoo well worth the visit. This zoo is one of the most popular zoos in America. View close to 500 animals and 3,000 plant species each year. Spend a summer day wandering through the sweet smelling botanical gardens thick in bloom. Or check out the Zoo Babies exhibit, sure to pull the heartstrings of even the toughest spectators. With winter comes the zoo's PNC Festival of Lights that boosts Christmas spirit and brings a warm glow of fairytale lights to cold snowy nights. The Cincinnati Zoo puts on new exhibits annually that attract new comers and keeps regular visitors coming back for more.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

1. Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau ; View from Mt Echo; Cincinnati, OH, USA
2. Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau ; Cincinnati Union Terminal; Cincinnati, OH, USA
3. Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau ; Newport On The Levee; Cincinnati, OH, USA
4. Greater Cincinnati Convention and Visitors Bureau ; Elephant Bath at The Cincinnati Zoo; Cincinnati , OH, USA