The society honored General George Washington, who was considered a latter day Cincinnatus, the Roman farmer who was called to serve Rome as dictator, an office which he resigned after completing his task of defeating the Aequians. 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. 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". Surveyor John Filson (also the author of The Adventures of Colonel Daniel Boone) named it "Losantiville" from four terms, each of a different language, meaning "the city opposite the mouth of the Licking River". His other hand holds the plow, as he resumes the life of a citizen and farmer." - Statue of Cincinnatus in Sawyer Point.Ĭincinnati was founded in 1788 by John Cleves Symmes and Colonel Robert Patterson. "With one hand he returns the fasces, symbol of power as appointed dictator of Rome. Constructed mainly between 1850-1900, Over-the-Rhine was the center of life for German immigrants for many years, and is one of the largest historic districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Over-the-Rhine, a neighborhood just to the north of Downtown Cincinnati, boasts among the world's largest collections of Italianate architecture, rivaling similar neighborhoods in New York City, Vienna and Munich in size and scope. Ĭincinnati is known for its large collection of historic architecture. The University of Cincinnati traces its foundation to the Medical College of Ohio, which was founded in 1819. However, by the end of the 19th century, with the shift from steamboats to railroads, Cincinnati's growth had slowed considerably and the city became surpassed in population by many other inland Midwest cities, especially Chicago.Ĭincinnati is home to two major sports teams, the Cincinnati Reds and the Cincinnati Bengals, a major tennis tournament, the Cincinnati Masters, and home to large events such as the Flying Pig Marathon, the Ohio Valley Jazz Festival, and the Thanksgiving Day race. It developed initially without as much recent European immigration or influence as took place in eastern cities. As the first major inland city in the country, it is sometimes thought of as the first purely American city.
In the early 19th century, Cincinnati was the first American boomtown in the heart of the country to rival the larger coastal cities in size and wealth.
Residents of Cincinnati are called Cincinnatians. According to the 2010 Census Bureau estimate, the Cincinnati metropolitan area had a population of 2,130,151, the 27th most populous Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in the United States.
The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's third-largest city. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio- Kentucky border, near Indiana. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County.