Cincinnati is a fascinating city with a rich heritage and many modern highlights that make its residents proud. Whether you’ve recently moved to the area or are a long-time resident, some of these interesting facts about Cincinnati might come as a surprise.
One Tasty Destination
- Cincinnati residents consume more than two million pounds of chili a year with 850,000 pounds of cheese on top. Cincinnati’s signature chili is available at more than 140 restaurants around the city.
- Glier’s Goetta is the largest commercial producer of goetta, known as Cincinnati Caviar. The company produces over a million pounds of this dish of oats, ground meat, and seasonings each year. A whopping 99% of it is devoured right in the city.
- The city is home to Graeter’s Ice Cream, which is the only commercial manufacturer to use French Pot freezers, 2-gallon metal bowls that look like cylinders and are surrounded by chilled bre.
Thrilling Attractions
- The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden opened in 1875, making it the second-oldest in the country. It has more animal births than any other zoo on the globe.
- The Newport Aquarium was the first aquarium in the Western Hemisphere to host the shark ray.
- The Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal received the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, which is the highest honor an American museum can receive.
Famous Faces
- Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, hails from Cincinnati.
- The 27th President of the United States, William Howard Taft, was born in Cincinnati in 1857.
- Steven Spielberg, the director of beloved film franchises like Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, and Indiana Jones, was born in Cincinnati.
A City of Many Names
- In the 18th century, Cincinnati was known as Porkopolis. It was home to the first slaughterhouse in Ohio and produced a significant amount of salt pork.
- Cincinnati was known as The Queen of the West around 1820 due to its rapid growth in early years.
- In 1984, the city launched the Blue Chip Campaign in an attempt to rebrand Cincinnati as The Blue Chip City. The image was meant to convey a sense of economic stability, like a blue chip stock.
Historic Firsts
- Cincinnati delivered the first air mail by hot air balloon in 1835.
- The city’s Tyler Davidson Fountain was the first one in the world to dispense ice water.
- Cincinnati was the only city to own its own railroad, Cincinnati Southern.
Two Springs Apartment Communities
Do you know some other great tidbits about Cincinnati? Share some of your own fun local facts in the comments section below!