Is Cincinnati the South? (Columbus, Cleveland: live, safe, to move)

[Briolat21]

Ahh... bowling. I try to explain to everyone here how popular bowling is back home in Michigan... it just doesn't translate.



But I will agree... Cincinnati is definitely different from the Northern mid-west "rust belt" cities: Cleveland, Toledo/Detroit/Chicago.

And at least in the Northern (westchester/mason/lebanon, etc..) suburbs, it seems every restaurant offers "Sweet Tea". Blech!

[Ohiogirl81]

Originally Posted by Briolat21

Ahh... bowling. I try to explain to everyone here how popular bowling is back home in Michigan... it just doesn't translate.

You gotta get out of Lebanon ... ... Hang out at Madison Bowl on any weeknight if you want a blast of bowling culture!

[boyntonbob]

As a native of S.W. Ohio I can say that the Queen City is definately not a southern city in the usual sense of the word. Friendly, yes, in comparison to some northern cities. But Cincinnati, north of the Mason-Dickson Line and the Ohio River, was a Union town in the Civil War. It still has a strong Germanic feel to it, mixed with Irish, Italian and Polish influences and the Catholic and Baptist churches are prominent. Politically it is overall conservative/Republican, certainly in Hamilton County, although the city administration is often Democrat. Cincinnati has great musical and cultural institutions that compare with America's largest cities,although on a smaller scale. Cincinnati has a well defined downtown and has outstanding architecture built on the hills overlooking the Ohio River. Like all big cities, it has it's good and not so good areas, but overall Cincinnati is a good place to raise a family.

[joefosho]

I'm going to venture my opinion here...

I think Cincinnati is Southern or not depending on where you are coming from. If you are coming to Chicago/Milwaukee maybe even NYC or Boston then Cincinnati is definitely culturally southern in comparison.

As others were saying, there is a heavy Appalachia vibe in Cincinnati--this is different from places such as Texas from what I understand--very isolated clannish culture.

Also from my experience the European and Catholic influences make it not in tune with the true south--where Catholics are not as prevalent.

The German heritage is also strong locally and noticeable from some places with Southern European influences (Italians, Greeks, etc such as Chicago) To me, coming from Chicago, the German thing was overwhelming in Cincinnati and I would notice major cultural differences between Chicago Catholics and Cincinnati Catholics. (I think Germanic families tend to people a little more lax and less controlling with females, women are strong and independent) (Although the Irish families were quite similar to Chicago Irish)

I think its safe to say Cincinnati has its own unique culture different from the rest of Ohio and the Midwest in general. There are southern, appalachian, midwestern and east coast influences on the city-combined with years of its own unique character and isolation.

To me, its one of the most interesting cities in America and I'm trying to move back--mainly for the laid back atmosphere compared to Chicago.

[kjbrill]

The South? - Cincinnati is certainly not the South. Do you think the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, or as Wilson calls it the Slave Pen would have been built in the South? Why it was built here I do not know, but it is rapidly becoming a black elephant occupying some prime downtown real estate.

I am not against commemorating certain historical facts, but this is going to end up not doing anyone any specific good. It is one of those once there, been there, done that, OK, goodbye. Since the bloom has already rubbed off, I only forsee an underutilized, mostly empty, structure struggling to even maintain its upkeep.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

The South? - Cincinnati is certainly not the South. Do you think the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, or as Wilson calls it the Slave Pen would have been built in the South? Why it was built here I do not know, but it is rapidly becoming a black elephant occupying some prime downtown real estate.

I am not against commemorating certain historical facts, but this is going to end up not doing anyone any specific good. It is one of those once there, been there, done that, OK, goodbye. Since the bloom has already rubbed off, I only forsee an underutilized, mostly empty, structure struggling to even maintain its upkeep.

I've been calling it the "Slave Center" but I think I'm gonna start calling it the "Center for Racial Hatred."

Donations were solicited with the fraudulent representation that it would celebrate Cincinnati's role in the "underground railway" by which slaves escaped from states where it was a crime to harbor a runaway slave to the supposed freedom of the north. Haha. They fooled us I guess. I won't be surprised if they put a lynching tree and a noose in there.

[Sarah Perry]

I wasn't living here when the Center was built, and I've never visited it. So any kind of informed opinions I have about it have to be limited. I must say, it does indeed seem like one of those one-time type destinations. Did everyone else read that our supposedly cash-strapped city government just appropriated it another $300,000 for the coming year? And that the federal government has said it's unlikely they would take over running it?

Without comment on the social value of the thing, I do think there have been enough subsidies. It needs to either start to pay its own way or be closed down.

[Cincy-Rise]

I think the fact that someone needs to ask is your proof.

I don't think you'd find a thread in the Memphis forum asking if Memphis was in the south.

[EddieOlSkool]

I live there. There is no way the town is anything but Midwestern.

Who came up with such a stupid idea?

[EddieOlSkool]

Originally Posted by GodBlesstheUSA

I know Cincinnati can't be considered the "deep South" but is it the "South?"

I think Cincinnati is kind of in that "gray area" where it's equidistant to Columbus (proper North and proper Midwest) and Louisville (proper South)? And just across the river is the Northern most border of the Mason-Dixon line.

I also know that once you step outside of downtown Cincinatti and get out in the rolling hills and farm land it get's awfully conservative quickly and pretty laid back.

What does everyone think?

Conservative and laid back also exists in rural upstate New York. Are they the South now too?

DO YOU EVEN KNOW OHIO HISTORY