Oh, Cincinnati, the home of Skyline Chili and flying pigs. The land of Steven Spielberg and Play-Doh.
Over 300,000 residents love this city and they aren’t afraid to say it. Here are some interesting Cinicannti facts that only those who really love the city know about (so don’t tell!).
30 Interesting Cincinnati facts only residents know about
1. Originally, the name of the city was Losantville. However, in 1790, the city changed to Cincinnati, after Lucius Cincinnatus, a Roman statesman and military leader who lived in c. 519 – 430 B.C.
2. Cincinnati was the first major city founded after the American Revolution. It’s sometimes called the most “purely American” city because of this. It was also the first city founded inland after the American Revolution!
3. Steven Spielberg is from Cincinnati. The famous filmmaker, known for “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial,” the “Indiana Jones” series, “Minority Report,” “War of The Worlds” and many more, was born in Cincinnati in 1946.
4. Cincinnati has a rich German, Polish and Hungarian heritage, many of whom immigrated to Cincinnati in the 1800s. There were German schools and newspapers printed in German. The first Mayor of Cincinnati, David Ziegler, was a German immigrant.
5. Due to its rich German culture, the biggest Oktoberfest in America is in Cincinnati. It’s known as Oktoberfest- Zinzinnati®.
6. A Cincinnati fact is that they love chili so much, they have their own kind: Skyline Chili. If you live in Cincinnati, you know about Skyline Chili. No beans, just meat, spices and water. It’s simple, but with a twist — the seasoning contains a hint of chocolate and cinnamon, for a slight hint of sweetness. Get it served straight in a bowl, on a bun or even over spaghetti.
7. The backyard classic game of Cornhole was born in Cincinnati. Talk about a (corn) hole-in-one!
8. The Cincinnati Music Hall has such a history of hauntings and ghost sightings, that “Ghost Hunters” featured it in a special Halloween episode in 2014. Paranormal lovers will delight in this haunted hall — there are plenty of after-hours haunted tours available to attend. Or, go tour on your own and maybe you’ll get spooked!
9. Cincinnati is an American city based on freedom and equality, as it was a prominent and key stop on the Underground Railroad.
10. Cincinnati is a city with many nicknames: The Queen City. The Queen of the West. The Blue Chip City. The City of Seven Hills. One of its most infamous nicknames? Porkopolis, which means flying pig.
11. Speaking of flying pigs, there are statues of this cute, mystical animal all over the city. But the nickname comes from the fact that Cincinnati used to have over 48 pork packing facilities. That’s a lot of jobs and a lot of hogs.
12. Four U.S. Presidents are from Cincinnati: William Howard Taft, Ulysses S. Grant, William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison all have ties to the Cincinnati area.
13. The Cincinnati Reds were the first MLB baseball team in America. Founded in 1890, you can go see the Reds play 162 games each year, so there are plenty of opportunities.
14. The Cincinnati Reds aren’t just the first MLB team in America, they are also the first team to travel by plane for games. On June 8, 1934, the Reds took a plane to travel to another city for a game.
15. Cincinnati is the only city in the United States to build and own a railway, The Cincinnati Southern Railway. The CSR went to Chattanooga, TN, and connected the west and the south, making it a prominent aspect of the American railway system.
16. The Ingalls Building, built in 1903 and located downtown, was the world’s first concrete skyscraper. You can still visit it today!
17. A cardiologist named Samuel Kaplan created the first heart-lung machine in 1951 at the University of Cincinnati. This machine allowed for open-heart surgery to finally be a safe procedure and would go on to save untold numbers of lives.
18. The Vent Haven Museum is the only ventriloquist museum in America. So, if puppets and ventriloquism are your things, this is a must-visit. If you’re afraid of puppets, maybe pass on this unique Cincinnati gem!
19. The Roebling Suspension Bridge, originally known as the Cincinnati-Covington Bridge, was the longest suspension bridge in the world in 1866, at 1,057 feet. However, the record was soon overtaken by the Brooklyn Bridge. Funny enough, the same designer that built the Roebling Bridge, John A. Roebling, built the Brooklyn Bridge. So, at least the award stayed in the family!
20. Neil Armstrong lived and died in Cincinnati. The famous astronaut was born in Wapakoneta, OH, and moved to Cincinnati after he resigned from NASA in 1971.
21. After he retired from NASA, Armstrong went on to teach at the University of Cincinnati. Unsurprisingly, he taught in the Department of Aerospace Engineering. He was the most famous faculty member in the history of U.C.
22. Albert Carter, the inventor of the original magic 8-ball, was from Cincinnati and came up with the first design for the Magic-8 ball, originally dubbed the “Syco-Seer.”
23. The Cincinnati Observatory is the oldest professional observatory in America, established in 1842. It was a key part of the astronomy program at the University of Cincinnati. Perhaps this is part of why Neil Armstrong went on to teach at the U.C. — it sounds like the department was out of this world!
24. The inventor of Pringles, Fredric J. Baur, was buried in a grave in the Cincinnati area, inside of his original invention, the pringles can. It was his final request to have his ashes put in an Original-flavor pringles container inside of his grave.
25. The Centinel of the North-Western Territory printed its first edition on Nov. 9, 1793. It was the first newspaper published in the early days of the Cincinnati city settlement.
26. Cincinnati is home to the first paid, professional fire department, started in 1853. In fact, the co-inventor of the first steam fire engine was the first chief of the fire department!
27. Not only is Cincinnati the No. 1 place to live in Ohio, but it’s also the 8th cheapest place to live in the state! An amazing place to live and it’s affordable? Yes, please. If you’re looking for apartments for rent in Cincinnati, you’ll find a great deal!
28. Play-Doh, the moldable, safe-for-kids dough, was first manufactured in Cincinnati. But, it wasn’t created as a kids’ toy at first, it actually began as a wallpaper cleaner. In the 1950s, the company revamped it and it became the colorful, cute dough we know and love today.
29. The first bag of airmail (transported by hot air balloon) took off in 1835 from Cincinnati.
30. Martha, the world’s last Passenger Pigeon, died at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1914. There is a memorial exhibit for Martha still there today.
Did we forget any Cincinnati facts?
Cincinnati natives are proud of our city — unique qualities included. So, let us know in the comments if we missed any Cincinnati facts!
If you’re looking to move to Cincinnati, take a look at apartments for rent and homes for sale in the city.
Source: rent.com