Welcome to Cincinnati

Welcome to Cincinnati USA, a vibrant and progressive three-state, 15-county region that offers world-class assets in arts and culture, amusements, hospitality, sports and recreation. Cincinnati USA features all the amenities of a large, bustling metropolis while maintaining a friendly, small town atmosphere - a unique balancing act of extraordinary contrasts - but one that makes the region a remarkably flexible location filled with a wealth of opportunities and options.

History

Cincinnati was founded in 1788 by John Cleves Symmes and Colonel Robert Patterson. [3] Surveyor John Filson (also the author of The Adventures of Colonel Daniel Boon) named it "Losantiville" from four terms, each of different language, meaning "The city opposite the mouth of the Licking River." "Ville" is French for "city," "anti" is Greek for "opposite," "os" is Latin for "mouth," and "L" was all that was included of "Licking River."

In 1790, Arthur St. Clair, the governor of the Northwest Territory, changed the name of the settlement to "Cincinnati" in honor of the Society of the Cincinnati, of which he was a member.[4] The society honored General George Washington, who was considered a latter day Cincinnatus the Roman general who saved his city, then retired from power to his farm. To this day, Cincinnati in particular, and Ohio in general, are home to a disproportionately large number of descendants of Revolutionary War soldiers who were granted lands in the state.

In 1802, Cincinnati was chartered as a village and David Ziegler (1748-1811), a native of Heidelberg, Germany, who fought in the Revolutionary War became the first Mayor. Cincinnati was incorporated as a city in 1819. The introduction of steam navigation on the Ohio River in 1811 and the completion of the Miami and Erie Canal helped the city grow to 115,000 citizens by 1850.[5]

On April 1, 1853, Cincinnati's Fire Department became a paid department, the first full-time paid department in the United States, and the first in the world to use steam fire engines [6].

Cincinnati has a number of nicknames, including the "The Queen City," "The Queen of the West,"^[2] "The Blue Chip City,"^[3] "The City of Seven Hills,"^[4] , and "Porkopolis."^[5] These are more typically associated with professional, academic and public relations references to the city and are not commonly used by locals in casual conversation.

The most common nickname for Cincinnati is the shortened "Cincy" for casual conversation and informal usage.

Demographics

As of the census estimates^GR2 of 2005, there were 331,310 people, 166,012 households, and 72,566 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,498.0/km (3,879.8.0/mi ). There were 166,012 housing units at an average density of 822.1/km (2,129.2/mi ). The racial makeup of the city was 52.97% White, 42.92% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 1.55% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.63% from other races, and 1.68% from two or more races. 1.28% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 148,095 households out of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.6% were married couples living together, 18.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.0% were non-families. 42.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.15 and the average family size was 3.02.

The age distribution is 24.5% under the age of 18, 12.9% from 18 to 24, 31.6% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,493, and the median income for a family was $37,543. Males had a median income of $33,063 versus $26,946 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,962. About 18.2% of families and 21.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.0% of those under age 18 and 14.8% of those age 65 or over.

There has been concerted effort by the local government to stem the tide of emigrants. The population of Cincinnati decreased by nine percent between 1990 and 2000. Many of those leaving are living in the suburbs just outside of Cincinnati (often considered "Greater Cincinnati"). Several reasons are mentioned for this phenomenon common to many American cities, including job opportunities, entertainment, racial tensions, education opportunities and others. But according to a report released in The Cincinnati Enquirer on October 30, 2006, for the first time in over half a century, the U.S. Census Bureau has reported that the City of Cincinnati has actually gained population.[11] Based on the new 2005 estimate of just over 331,000, this represents an increase of nearly 20,000 new residents since 2004.

Although the Jewish population of Cincinnati at the turn of the century was estimated to be only about 15,000 -- roughly 1% of the national Jewish population of 1,522,500 at the time -- Cincinnati was a center of the American Reform Judaism movement in the 19th Century. Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, a major contributor to the movement, immigrated to Cincinnati in 1854. Under his supervision the Hebrew Union College -- the oldest Jewish Seminary in the Americas opened here in 1875. The American Jewish Archives (AJA) is also found on Hebrew Union College's campus, and is the repository for Reform Judaism in the Americas. Isaac Mayer Wise also founded the historic Isaac M. Wise Temple, also known as K. K. B'nai Yeshurun.Although the Jewish population of Cincinnati at the turn of the century was estimated to be only about 15,000 -- roughly 1% of the national Jewish population of 1,522,500 at the time -- Cincinnati was a center of the American Reform Judaism movement in the 19th Century. Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, a major contributor to the movement, immigrated to Cincinnati in 1854. Under his supervision the Hebrew Union College -- the oldest Jewish Seminary in the Americas opened here in 1875. The American Jewish Archives (AJA) is also found on Hebrew Union College's campus, and is the repository for Reform Judaism in the Americas. Isaac Mayer Wise also founded the historic Isaac M. Wise Temple, also known as K. K. B'nai Yeshurun.

Although the Jewish population of Cincinnati at the turn of the century was estimated to be only about 15,000 -- roughly 1% of the national Jewish population of 1,522,500 at the time -- Cincinnati was a center of the American Reform Judaism movement in the 19th Century. Rabbi Isaac Mayer Wise, a major contributor to the movement, immigrated to Cincinnati in 1854. Under his supervision the Hebrew Union College -- the oldest Jewish Seminary in the Americas opened here in 1875. The American Jewish Archives (AJA) is also found on Hebrew Union College's campus, and is the repository for Reform Judaism in the Americas. Isaac Mayer Wise also founded the historic Isaac M. Wise Temple, also known as K. K. B'nai Yeshurun.

Culture

Cincinnati is home to numerous festivals and events throughout the year. To celebrate its German heritage, Cincinnati hosts the second largest Oktoberfest in the world (after the original Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany). During the summer the Jazz festival is held a weekend in July. Also celebrated is the Tall Stacks festival which is celebrated every three or four years to celebrate Cincinnati's riverboat history. The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden and a local bank sponsor the Festival of Lights during the holiday season. Other festivals include: Taste of Cincinnati, Goetta Fest (in Newport, KY), MidPoint Music Festival and the Toyota/WEBN Riverfest.

The city plays host to numerous musical and theater operations, boasts a large park system, and has a diverse dining culture.

One of Cincinnati's most famous attractions is The Fountain Square, Cincinnati, which serves as one of the cultural cornerstones of the region.

Cincinnati is also famous for its unique culinary delicacies. "Cincinnati Chili" is commonly served by several independent chains such as Skyline Chili, Gold Star Chili, Empress Chili, Camp Washington Chili, and Dixie Chili. Cincinnati is known for the quantity and quality of its many gourmet restaurants. Until 2005, when the restaurant closed, the Maisonette carried the distinction of being Mobil Travel Guide's longest running five-star restaurant in the country. Jean-Robert de Cavel has opened four new restaurants in the area since 2001 including Jean-Robert's at Pigall's. Cincinnati's German heritage is also evidenced by the many eateries that specialize in schnitzels and hearty Bavarian cooking.

Many popular bands/musicians including: Over the Rhine which traces its roots to the Over-the-Rhine district in Cincinnati, Bootsy Collins, and 98 Degrees. Many other bands, preformers, and notable people come from the Greater Cincinnati region.