Why does Hamilton have such a bad rep with locals? (Cincinnati: private schools, living)

[nicolepsy]

hamilton has a nice downtown library. have also noticed that it's become quite over-run with illegals from mexico/central america lately. you may notice a quirky guy sitting on a bench (or riding a bike) on high street occasionally who covers himself in stuffed animals. strangest thing but an interesting site! the other day i saw a man digging thru trash cans but the interesting part is that his pants were so low that he was exposing his entire behind (no underwear either). hamilton really is relatively safe overall but it just seems like the city has been trying to improve itself for decades and it never comes to fruition. at the moment though things seem to be on the upswing. dont forget to check out living in fairfield twp because it is only 5 mins away from hamilton.

[Linda Pratt]

Originally Posted by nicolepsy

you may notice a quirky guy sitting on a bench (or riding a bike) on high street occasionally who covers himself in stuffed animals. strangest thing but an interesting site!

LOL! Yes, I've seen that guy quite often! (I don't think he's "right".)

[CincyJim]

"Hamiltucky" got its "bad rep" about 5+ decades ago, when THE major thing in Hamilton was the Fisher Body Plant. Fisher Body was a part of GM and made Chevrolets. Low/no income "hillbillys" from southern Kentucky moved 'up north' to get a job at Fisher Body, and "built" Hamiltucky into what it is today. We superior Ohians looked down our superior, educated, sophisticated, noses at "those people" as everybody knew 'they' were nothing but trouble making, white lightening drinking hill-billys. NO respectable person could ever associate with them, eh? WHAT? Just because we, or our parents, came from Kentucky does NOT make us one of "those people"!!!!! (Get the picture?)

[Briolat21]

CincyJim...

Yes that is pretty much the picture I've been getting... Also, since I, as a Michigander, am that much more superior to all Ohioans (and goes without saying Kentuckians) I should fit in well in Cincinnati in general!!

Thanks again everyone for all your comments, advice, suggestions. There are towns in MI that were always referred to as hilly-billy when I was a child, but then when I grew up and went there - they were charming, lovely, if-a-little-rural, places to live.

I've found really nothing to justify the attitude towards Hamilton, at least not for me personally. I realize the crime rate is higher, I realize the schools are urban, but honestly - there's just nothing there that is bad enough to engender the constant looks/winces/warnings I've gotten...

So if the builder can meet our price (don't you love the current market crisis!!) - Governor's Hill may very well be our new home.

[hamiltonfan]

Hamilton does have a couple regular "characters" that you see around downtown. There is a guy who sits on the post office steps trying to sell his candy that I always feel sorry for. I've encountered these people walking the streets, but they've never approached or bothered me. There used to be an older man who once asked me for a dollar, but I haven't seen him in a couple years.

The library is a really neat asset. It is located in the German Village and named Lane Public Library, after Clark Lane who built it. It was the first public library west of the Alleghanies. (spelling?)

Fisher Body was actually in Fairfield. Champion papers is what really drove the influx of people from Kentucky. Peter Thompson, the president and founder of Champion, was said to only want strong men from Kentucky due to his work ethic. It was known that if you came up from Kentucky, you could easily walk onto the company, which was the largest paper mill in the world for a decade or so around 1915.

Man I love this city!

[nicolepsy]

yes i think the influx of kentucky ways started WAAAAAAAAAY before fisher body auto plant. it goes way back! also, i think that hamilton was referred to as "little chicago" way back during prohibition due to all the saloons or whatever you call them (places that serve liquor). also, i think i read that back in the 30's or 40's that downtown hamilton was THE place to be seen strolling along the street (high street) on a saturday for shopping and such. i think people would dress to impress (fur coats) and that's how they spent their saturdays.

[OhioDwight]

In an otherwise normal statement, you embarrassed yourself. "Meager means and moral values" are not connected. You may as well connect the young Dr. King and Paris Hilton. Ridiculous.

Originally Posted by Linda Pratt

Oh, good grief! Cincinnati has many people who have transferred into the area! You don't know what you are talking about!

The two biggest reasons to avoid east Hamilton is crime and diminishing property values (unmaintained property). Just like any bad area of any town, it's so far ingrained it will never change, plus people of meager means and moral values will always be drawn to these areas, perpetuating the same life style forever. It's just life and it happens. Not every area can be wonderful.

[JefferyT]

n an otherwise normal statement, you embarrassed yourself.

She also embarresed herself by telling me I "don't know what I'm taking about" when I made a reference to the historic Appalachian migrtion to Hamilton....subsequent posters reaffirmed my observation.

[Briolat21]

Well appalachian roots or not, we're very happy to consider Hamilton as a place to live. Assuming the builders we're looking at can come up with a reasonable price in this buyer's market. We just wanted to make sure there wasn't some horrible secret (secret seat of the SW Ohio branch of the KKK, chemicals leached into the soil turned the whole city into an Ohio Love Canal, crazy Hamilton-specific serial killer who's killed 80 people over the last 20 years but has never been caught) reason that "newcomers" weren't aware of.

Poverty, changing industries, and a city that is struggling hard to come back -- those are things we are more than familiar with (we're from the Detroit suburbs) and can happily handle.

Thanks again for all the info on Hamilton. Especially those of you with encouraging news about the city's future. I hope the plans for the new hotel and some new businesses come true. That would be fantastic for the city (whether we ultimately buy there or not).

Thanks again everyone!

[janet59]

I am a hamilton resident have been my whole life I I was raised on the west side of town and after I got married I have lived on botheast and west Yes it use to have a lot of industry but slowly it has deminished. This is my home and I love it here . Like all towns it has its faults it is all that you make it