Why is Cincinnati Known as the Queen City?

First of all, it’s important to know that Cincinnati, Ohio was first named Losantiville (in the 1780s). The current name came from an organization formed by officers who served in the Revolutionary War – the Society of Cincinnati. The city on the Ohio River soon became a desirable destination and the population grew accordingly. One of the nicknames given to the city during this growth was “Queen City.” This may have been a shortened form of another nickname “Queen of the West,” Since the Northwest Territories were “the west” in the early years of the United States.

According to written and oral history of the area, residents have always thought of this city as glorious and even regal. Whether this was because of its bustling economy, its population growth or its location on the banks of the Ohio is still undecided. Writers of the early 1800s called it the Queen of the West and Queen City. No less a literary mind than Longfellow wrote of the city in his poetry, specifically using “Queen of the West” in one poem.

Other names were assigned to Cincinnati, some less than desirable than others. References were made to the city as the center of the pork industry. But emphasis on music, fine art and higher education soon solidified the name Queen City. Some even made comparisons to Paris. As the name became more and more commonly used, organizations, clubs and businesses took up the “Queen City” idea. As advertising spread the word about the groups and the products, people across the country began to view Cincinnati as a “queen” among metropolitan areas.

In the 21st century, Cincinnati is not the largest city in Ohio. The state capital, Columbus, has passed the Queen City in population. But dozens of retail stores, factories, private clubs and organizations continue to use “Queen City” in their names.

Cincinnati was founded in 1787 with the formation of the Northwest Territories, made “official” by the Northwest Ordinance. A group of travelers settled in the area about a year later, first calling the settlement Columbia. Eventually a site was chosen for a second settlement. The name Losantiville was chosen, though that was changed in 1790.

According to a history of the city itself, a man named Cooke wrote that the city was “justly styled the fair Queen of the West.” He cited “order, enterprise, public spirit, and liberality” as traits that caused the world to admire Cincinnati. Visitors of the 20th century have had similar reactions on their first and subsequent visits to the city. Some have even expressed admiration for Cincinnati as an equal to San Francisco and other favorite United States metropolitan areas.

Cincinnati does continue to offer some of the best in the arts, music, professional sports and education. There have been some times of trouble and short periods when parts of the community probably didn’t deserve the title “Queen City.” But for the most part, Cincinnati has maintained its nickname and its reputation for more than two centuries.