Why does Cincinnati and all of Ohio have such a bad rep? (Campbell: vacation home, private schools)

[high mileage]

What gets me is how some people say there is 'nothing' in Ohio. That always baffles me, because the last time I checked, Ohio rounds up the top 10 for most densely populated states. Even before I came here, I never had a rural perception of Ohio. I didn't realize farming is as big as it is here, but some people seem to have that as their only perception of Ohio. I always think to myself, have you not heard of Cleveland of Cincinnati?

I always pretty much thought of Ohio as being an urban state, even as a kid. I kind of always had a thing for Cleveland growing up, mainly because Manny Ramirez was my favorite baseball player and he played for the Indians at the time. I know it sounds silly to like a city because of a sports player, but hey, I was a kid! I also happened to be a Cleveland Indians fan growing up in Connecticut. The Browns' "Dawg Pound" also had a reputation that stood out to me along with Packers and Raiders fans.

Frankly I think when someone says there is nothing in Ohio, it shows a sign of ignorance. Sure, the scenery can be dull in some parts of the state, but Ohio is a state dotted with urban areas across the state. And plus, northeast Ohio (a cleaner version) could easily be placed in New England without anyone really noticing the difference.

(Lol, I kind of went on a rant here, but I was thinking about what some people on the east coast have said about Ohio.)

[progmac]

very interesting comments about Ohio as an urban vs a rural state. I grew up in rural Ohio, family didn't travel and I identified more with Indiana and Illinois. As an adult, I have always lived in urban ohio and now realize how urban this state is. I once recommend Cincinnati as an architecture school to someone out west. They said they didn't want to live in the corn belt. I thought about explaining that Cincinnati was never really an ag town and is one of the hillier cities in the country but instead I sort of scratched at someone making such an important life decisions with such ignorance.

[deg1114]

I have never heard of Cincinnati having a bad rep say like Detroit. Sure, Cincinnati has had it's share of black eyes from time to time but nothing to make it stand out.

I have friends who have never been to Cincinnati who live in larger cities and none of them have ever asked me how the heck I can live here. But then again, I tell them about all of the things we do around the city and the great restaurants, theater, symphony, so on and so on...

Outside of my circle of friends someone may ask me what Cincinnati is like and I tell them some of the great things we have hear, but there again I have never had someone give me any preconceived notions of what they believe Cincinnati is like.

So, I have never experienced a, "bad rep" but if someone asks, I tell them all of the positives.

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by deg1114

I have never heard of Cincinnati having a bad rep say like Detroit. Sure, Cincinnati has had it's share of black eyes from time to time but nothing to make it stand out.

My thoughts exactly, but it's humorous reading comments from certain folks.

[LiveFreeorDie-NH]

Cinncinnati does not have a bad repuatation. Really it does not have a reputation at all. I never knew or heard anything about Cincinnati until a friend that lives down there told me about the place. She always raves about the beautiful architecture and landscape.

I think Ohio does have somewhat of a bad reputation. I have never been to Ohio, but most people think of Cleveland when they think of Ohio, and Cleveland is constantly portrayed as a gloomy, crime infested, gritty, and declining industrial city.

[progmac]

Cleveland and Cincinnati are both great cities. Columbus....well, it's okay. I similarly think of us as having "no reputation" in much of the country. I mean, what are our ideas and notions about Hartford or Providence or Jacksonville? I learned they were state capitols (except Jacksonville), but what else? I have no idea. Are they nice, gloomy, urban, educated, uneducated. I don't know!

[high mileage]

Someone once told me Columbus is like macaroni without cheese. Lol

[deg1114]

Originally Posted by progmac

Cleveland and Cincinnati are both great cities. Columbus....well, it's okay. I similarly think of us as having "no reputation" in much of the country. I mean, what are our ideas and notions about Hartford or Providence or Jacksonville? I learned they were state capitols (except Jacksonville), but what else? I have no idea. Are they nice, gloomy, urban, educated, uneducated. I don't know!

Agree. Like most cities around I don't think there is really a reputation as much as there is some sort of identity. I think people outside of most cities will associate with one thing like Indianapolis = 500, Louisville = Kentucky Derby, Nashville = Country Music, etc.

When I run into people who have been to Cincinnati they will usually say the same things - nice town/didn't realize it was so hilly/green or point out specific things that they have done like Kings Island or what's up with the chili?

For those who have never been here it's some sort of identity like the Reds, Bengals, or is there really a WKRP?

[PhillytoCincy]

You would be suprised when you travel the nation how people have set opinions on a place without even being there. Ohio doesn't have a negative reputation in my opinion. Any state can have that based on what people think. Like I said, people already have set opinions without having ever traveled to a place. Back in my homestate of Pennsylvania it is often referred to as "Pennsltucky" and people would always call my home town of Philly.... Filthydelphia.

[esya]

I'm pretty excited to be visiting the area for the next week. I just found a website about the Gist Settlements, a group of settlements of former slaves that were founded here by the estate/will of an Englishman after he died. If you look it up you'll find a lot of very interesting info on former British slaves coming here in the early 1800s, in nearby counties.....

The Gist Settlements, near Washington CH.