History

Curious tales about Plum vs. Plumb, Copelen vs. Copeland, Whetsel vs. Wetsel vs. Whetzel, and the best way to get your name on a street.

Health officials and the local media advocated vaccinations to fight local smallpox outbreaks and to combat “false and foolish” anti-vax propaganda. The disease was eventually defeated.

As underground parks appear in other cities, demand is rising for access to Cincinnati’s subway and beer cellars.

A University of Cincinnati philosophy professor was sacked for privately raising doubts about the sanctity of marriage and run out of town.

The vagaries of menswear fashion trends caused a public stir, but not much action, a century ago.

Queen City women enjoyed a wild swing from hobbled skirts to harem skirts from one year to the next, despite the naysayers, church critics, and anti-feminists.

Geologists name lots of things for Cincinnati because our bedrock is unique and world-famous. Here’s the dirt on our world-renowned fossils.

I acquired an Escort Radar Receiver—universally considered the world’s best—as a gift from Mike Valentine, the guy who helped invent it.

Back in the day, Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky hosted a number of summer entertainment stations, from Queen City Beach to Lagoon Park to Chester Park. They're all gone, even the memories.

The Bottoms was Cincinnati’s gateway, where 19th century visitors stepped off their riverboats. But that era ended, and it turned seedy.