Cincinnati, Ohio, (population 296,950), traces its origins to the arrival of pioneers by flatboat at Yeatman’s Cove in 1788. In 1789, the location then known as Losantiville was chosen as the site for Fort Washington, the major U.S. military outpost in the Northwest Territory, and subsequent development clustered around the fort.
As the area grew, Arthur St. Clair, governor of the Northwest Territory, worked on founding Hamilton County. St. Clair disliked the name Losantiville and in 1790, renamed the city “Cincinnati” in honor of the Roman soldier Cincinnatus.
At this time the city was reliant on river-based transportation. Increasing river traffic spurred significant growth in Cincinnati in the 19th century, with the Miami and Erie Canal linking the city to the Great Lakes until the coming of the railroad.
In the early 19th century, Cincinnati was the first American boomtown, experiencing sudden and rapid population and economic growth as one of the first major inland cities in the country. Natives at this time called Cincinnati the “Queen City of the West.” The nickname stuck as writers used the name in famous publications, and local industries and companies used “Queen City” as a brand. Cincinnati has also been called “Porkopolis” because of its major pork packing industry. In the late 1800s, with significant architectural projects like Music Hall, the Cincinnatian Hotel, and Shillito Department Store, Cincinnati gained a reputation as the “Paris of America.”
A multi-year inventory and survey update of the city’s historic and architecturally significant sites began in 2002. The final phase ended in 2011. All 52 of Cincinnati’s neighborhoods now have a listing of their historic structures. All structures were listed based on the National Register of Historic Places evaluation criteria. This information is available online to the public by request.
Cincinnati has 28 historic districts listed on the National Register along with 199 individual properties. Union Terminal, an Art Deco structure built in 1933 and recognized as a National Historic Landmark, now houses the Cincinnati Museum Center.
Cincinnati also houses 23 locally designated historic districts and 33 locally designated historic landmarks. The Department of Transportation and Engineering manages the Historic Cincinnati Markers Program, which identifies or commemorates significant people, places, organizations, and events in Cincinnati’s history.
Designated a Preserve America Community in July 2013.
For more information
Cincinnati Preservation Association
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