Uncovering the Past
Cincinnati has a rich history, stretching all the way back to the settlement of Losantiville in 1788.
But that’s not where our story begins. Geological forces carved the valley; Indigenous people shaped the earth,
and we’re still studying both today.
By Emma Balcom, Claire Lefton, Sarah McCosham, Cedric Rose, and Amanda Boyd Walters
Edited by Amanda Boyd Walters
Digging Into the Literal Bedrock of the Queen City
The forces that shaped our region left us with a treasure trove of fossil life to explore.
Editor’s Letter: October 2026
I’ve been collecting amazing images of deep space lately, though I'm not sure why. It’s a long-running rabbit hole I’m exploring, from crazy Hubble...
More History
Digging Into the Literal Bedrock of the Queen City
The forces that shaped our region left us with a treasure trove of fossil life to explore.
Welcome to the 1912 Cincinnati Hobo Convention
When hundreds of unemployed rail-riders convened in the Queen City defying orders from the "Kid Mayor."
Melanie Moon Is an Open Book on Our History of Race Relations
The local educator is determined to teach Cincinnati’s complicated legacy of racial discrimination in jobs and housing one class, video, and conversation at a time.
Revelations Abound When a Cincinnati Bordello Falls Down
After a brothel collapsed in 1877, multiple customers were caught with their pants down.
Dr. Know: Chickens, Pet Cemeteries, and Abandoned Theme Parks
The Good Doctor investigates The Willows at Spring Grove, the scrapped Dreamland park, and local chicken law.
Jacob Hogue Shares the Untold Stories of Cincy’s Queer Community
The local historian spent years compiling decades of Queen City LGBTQIA+ history for his debut book.
Revisiting 50 Years of Oktoberfest Zinzinnati
Celebrating the crown jewel of Queen City festival season on its golden jubilee.
Did a Cincinnatian Invent the Light Bulb?
Decades before Edison, the incandescent light bulb was patented by local inventor John Wellington Starr.
Hanging Out at Cincinnati’s First Tailgates
Our earliest tailgating experiences were at public executions, horse races, and baseball games.
In 1924, Frank Y. Grayson Wrote the Definitive Book on Prohibition Cincinnati
How one reporter crafted one of the city's most important historical accounts in "Pioneers of Night Life on Vine Street".
