4 minute read
HISTORY CULTURE
THE STORIES
Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine neighborhood (OTR) is one of the best-preserved historic districts in the country — 360 acres of beautiful brick structures that date back to the early 1800s. Sitting just north of downtown, OTR remains vibrant today with parks and fountains, music halls, breweries, restaurants and Findlay Market.
THAT SHAPE US
BY NICHOLAS DEKKER
Architecture I Spy
A simple stroll through the brick and cobblestone streets of Cincinnati is a history lesson in itself. Over-the-Rhine features abundant examples of Greek Revival, Italianate and Queen Anne styles. The iconic Music Hall was built in 1878 and hosts the symphony, opera and ballet. Carew Tower downtown is a stunning example of Art Deco work. The Carneal House in Covington, built in 1815, is considered the oldest brick building in northern Kentucky.
Prost!
Continuing the rich brewing history of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, the OTR Brewery District today features the largest number of preprohibition breweries in the U.S. Modern-day breweries like Rhinegeist (ABOVE), Christian Moerlein, Northern Row and many others keep these traditions alive. Raise a glass to this hop-filled history at Oktoberfest Zinzinnati, the largest Oktoberfest celebration in the United States. It spans several days packed with local beers, German food, games and competitions like brateating, stein-hoisting and the hilarious (and adorable) Running of the Wieners.
Stories of Courage and Perseverance
Opened in 2004, the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center sits prominently on Cincinnati’s riverfront, symbolically on the historic line that marked freedom for slaves escaping northward. The museum and educational center features rotating and permanent exhibitions that use film, historic artifacts, storytelling, images and hands-on pieces to teach visitors about the history of slavery, abolition and their continued impact today. The Open Your Mind lab even uses interactive activities to help you identify and engage with your unconscious attitudes and stereotypes.
Learn about Cincy’s deep roots at museums and historical sites around the region. visitcincy.com
Celebrate Jewish Culture
2021 marked the bicentennial of Jewish community life in Cincinnati. That date is tied to the founding of the Chestnut Street Cemetery in 1821. The oldest Jewish cemetery west of the Alleghenies, it was rededicated as part of the celebrations. The Skirball Museum is the first formally established Jewish museum in the U.S., featuring artifacts that showcase Jewish history locally and globally. Officially known as the Isaac M. Wise Temple, the Plum Street Temple (LEFT) is an iconic piece of Cincinnati architecture, noted for its role in American Reform Judaism. Celebrate Israeli and Jewish heritage with art, food and music at the annual Ish Festival.
AMERICAN LEGACY TOURS, JOHN A. ROEBLING SUSPENSION BRIDGE: ROSS VAN PELT JUSTIN COHEN PHOTOGRAPHY, BRAD HILL: THE SPANIERS PHOTOGRAPHY, AMERICAN LEGACY TOURS: NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER: LAURA WATILO BLAKE, PLUM STREET TEMPLE:
ASK A HISTORIAN:
BRAD HILL, AMERICAN LEGACY TOURS
Brad Hill is one of the founders of American Legacy Tours, which offers nearly a dozen tours exploring the region’s rich history, architecture, cuisine — even its haunted past. We asked him about some favorite historic sites and tidbits.
What’s one of the first historic sites you recommend every visitor
should explore? Cincinnati is blessed with so much great history. When people come here, the first thing I always tell them is the Cincinnati Museum Center. It’s such an iconically Cincinnati building; you’re not going to see anything like that anywhere else. And if you’re a total nerd like I am, it’s the Hall of Justice. Any other favorite sites? I like to take people around Fountain Square and point out that the fountain is an important piece of Prohibition history. When it was first built, the fountain had bronze cups on chains for people to drink out of. They were trying to give people something fresh to drink, and it was always chilled, which was very unique. What are some Cincy hidden gems? You can see all the old
brewery tunnels. So many cities had those, and so many were destroyed. But Cincinnati has the largest remaining collection of pre-Prohibition architecture like that.
Take a Tour
In addition to food, architecture and brewery tours, American Legacy Tours’ historical offerings range from haunted tours of spooky locales to the original Newport Gangster Tour revealing the region’s prominent role in the early days of American mobsters. The Over-the-Rhine Foundation also offers specialized tours of the OTR district focused on architecture, history and other themes.
See You on the OTHER SIDE
Cincinnati is a city of stunning bridges, like the iconic blue John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge, first opened in 1867. Take a step through history in the wooden Jediah Hill Covered Bridge dating back to 1850. The C&O Railroad Bridge, a cantilever truss bridge, first connected Cincinnati and Covington by railroad in the 1880s.
