24 Useless Facts About Cincinnati That You Probably Didn't Know

The Capitoline Wolf statue in Eden Park was a gift from Benito Mussolini

The Capitoline Wolf statue in Eden Park was a gift from Italian dictator Benito Mussolini — and that’s not even the strangest part. Before it was destroyed, the bronze sculpture depicted a she-wolf nursing two young boys, and it was every bit as intriguing to witness in person as you would imagine. Intended to honor Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, Roman statesman, farmer and namesake of our dear city, the two thirsty boys represented Romulus and Remus, twins whose story relates to the founding of Rome — in fact, various images of the boys suckling a she-wolf have served as symbols of the Roman people since ancient times. So how did it get here? Mussolini sent it over for a Sons of Italy convention in 1929… sort of: He gave us an exact replica of one in Rome’s Musei Capitolini, but it was switched out for a larger one in 1931. Inscribed with “Il Governatore di Roma alla Citta di Cincinnati 1931 Anno X” — “from the governor of Rome to the city of Cincinnati in 1931 (year 10 of Mussolini’s reign)” — it sat at Twin Lakes, a former quarry that now boasts two lakes and views of the Ohio River. Eden Park, 950 Eden Park Drive, Mount Adams.

Cult leader Charles Manson was born in Cincinnati

Charles Manson was born in Cincinnati on Nov. 12, 1934 and lived here off and on in between stints in reform schools before eventually ending up in custody in Utah in 1951 after stealing a car and escaping the Indiana Boys School with three students. Considered illiterate, aggressive and antisocial, a psychiatrist recommended he be sent to a minimum security institution, but a series of violent acts landed him in the Federal Reformatory in Petersburg, Virginia in 1952. He was in prison off and on until 1967, when he was granted an early release and formed the "Mason Family" in California. In 1969, members of the Family executed the Tate-LaBianca murders over a several day killing spree in L.A.

Donald Trump was a property manager at former Cincinnati apartment complex Swifton Village

We would sum this up but the The L.A. Times did an excellent job of it in a 2016 story. According to The L.A. Times, “At a foreclosure auction in 1964, Fred Trump bought Swifton Village, a half-empty complex that was the largest in Cincinnati. Donald Trump was just a high school senior in a military academy, but assumed increasing responsibility in managing the complex through college and business school. In his book The Art of the Deal, Trump described Swifton Village as his ‘first big deal.’ He recounted, in a chapter titled ‘The Cincinnati Kid,’ booting poor, nonpaying tenants who had ‘come down from the hills of Kentucky’ with ‘seven or eight children, almost no possessions."

Those lizards you see across the Queen City were brought here from Italy by a vacationer

"Lazarus lizards” have scurried around Cincinnati for over half a century. Originating from Northern Italy, they made their way to the Queen City when a resident who was visiting a city near Milan brought some back and released them in their yard. Now, the lizards can even be found in neighboring states Kentucky and Indiana.

Neil Armstrong taught aeronautical engineering at the University of Cincinnati from 1971-79

The Ohio-born astronaut is well-known for being the first man to walk on the moon. Following his triumphant career at NASA, Armstrong taught aeronautical engineering at the University of Cincinnati for eight years.

Greater Cincinnati is home to the world’s only ventriloquism museum

Vent Haven is the only museum in the world dedicated to the art of ventriloquism. In addition to more than 900 figures and counting (don’t call them dummies), guests can view a library of vent-centric books, playbills and thousands of photographs. The museum also hosts the international ConVENTion every year for hundreds upon hundreds of ventriloquists. Note: the Vent Haven Museum is currently closed while it undergoes renovations. Visit their website for the latest updates.33 W. Maple Ave., Fort Mitchell.

Two Cincinnatians created the Magic 8-Ball

Laura C. Cooper Pruden (1855-1939) was a medium who lived in Price Hill. Her son, Albert Carter, gained interest in mysticism from his mother. He tried to patent an original idea for a toy similar to the Magic 8-Ball but with simple “yes” or “no” answers. He applied for a patent for his Syco-Slate "liquid filled dice agitator" in 1944 (patent number US2452730A). The patent listed Abe Bookman (filed as Buchmann), Julius Mintz and Max E. Levinson as co-filers. Later, Levinson and Bookman ultimately patented the actual Magic 8-Ball as we know it, in its classic round shape with additional answers.

Before he was huge, Eminem competed in (and lost) a Rap battle at Cincinnati Hip Hop festival Scribble Jam

An important part of the Eminem mythos is his appearances early in his career at Rap battles around the country, including at Cincinnati’s own Scribble Jam, which became an underground Hip Hop haven for fans across the Midwest. The annual event’s celebration of the four branches of Hip Hop — graffiti, dance, MCing and DJing — drew enough buzz in its small-ish debut year in 1996 that it returned bigger and better in 1997 and had drawn the attention and anticipation of fans and artists from around the region and beyond. It ended up being a pivotal moment for the fest and the rapper and sealed Scribble Jam a place in Hip Hop history.

The inventor of the Pringles can is buried here, in a Pringles can

Fredric Baur, a Cincinnati chemist and the inventor of the Pringles can, died in 2008, after which he was cremated and buried at Arlington Memorial Gardens in an empty can of Original-flavored Pringles. While you can’t see the can itself (it’s in the ground), you can pay your respects to the snack food revolutionary while chomping on some crispy, stacked chips. 2145 Compton Road, Mount Healthy.

The Cincinnati Reds were the first Major League baseball team to travel by plane

The Cincinnati Reds can claim a lot of firsts: they were the first professional baseball team as the Red Stockings in 1869, they played the first Major League night game (against the Phillies at Crosley Field on May 24, 1935) and (downer) in 1940, Reds catcher Willard Hershberger was the first big league baseball player to commit suicide during the season. Another first? On June 8, 1934, they were also the first major league baseball team to use an airplane to travel from one city to another. They flew to Chicago.

Steven Spielberg was born in Cincinnati

Legendary American filmmaker Steven Spielburg was born in Cincinnati in December 1946. He has produced, directed or written more than 100 films, including Jaws, Schindler's List, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Saving Private Ryan and many more.

The Cincinnati Observatory is the oldest public observatory in the country

The main building was built in 1873, and the infamous dome was added in 1895. 3489 Observatory Place, Mount Lookout.

The "Least Metal Moment" of all time happened in Cincinnati

VH1 did a countdown of the “Least Metal Moments” of all time in 2004. The list included things like Avril Lavigne and Celine Dion covering Hard Rock classics (by Metallica and AC/DC, respectively) and Ozzy Osbourne doing a Pepsi commercial. But the top spot was at a beloved Cincinnati event. The “Least Metal Moment” ever was declared that time in the early ’00s when Mötley Crüe’s Vince Neil led the crowd in the “World’s Largest Chicken Dance” on Fountain Square, a beloved tradition at Oktoberfest Zinzinnati.

Like the Nile, the Licking River flows north

Honestly, a lot of rivers flow north —the Deschutes River in Oregon, the Niagara River in Canada, the Saginaw River in Michigan— but this is a fun and useless fact and sounds much more interesting than it is.

Fleischmann Gardens has the largest ginkgo tree in Ohio

Cincinnati Parks’ Fleischmann Gardens, located on the site of the former home of Charles Fleischmann — founder of the Fleischmann Yeast Company — is home to the state’s largest ginkgo tree. It’s also home to an evergreen maze. 524 Forest Ave., Avondale.

The world’s last passenger pigeon died in Cincinnati

Now extinct, the passenger pigeon was once the most common bird in North America. Martha, the last known passenger pigeon, died at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1914. See a mural dedicated to her honor downtown at 15 E. Eighth St. The ArtWorks project, designed by John A. Ruthven — "the 20th century Audubon" — and based on one of his original works, shows Martha and a flock of passenger pigeons flying over Bird Run at the Cincinnati Zoo and is a wall-sized reminder of the importance of conservation.

You can see a wreath that was on Abraham Lincoln’s casket on display at Memorial Hall

Memorial Hall, designed by Samuel Hannaford & Sons, was built in 1908 to honor the veterans of the Spanish-American and Civil wars. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the hall is home to several military and civic artifacts — about 40 are on display — including a wreath that was laid on the casket of Abraham Lincoln when his body made its way through Columbus, Ohio. You can now see the wreath in a frame on the second floor of Memorial Hall.1225 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine.

Mariemont has one of the nation's last Town Criers

The town crier role has changed a bit from its 18th-century origins. In the past, they were used to inform villages or towns of news or announcements when many were illiterate. The village of Mariemont has held onto the tradition, though their town crier has some alternate responsibilities. One of roughly 14 town criers in North America, current town crier Dr. Bob Keys opens the town meetings, leads the Memorial Day parade and speaks to groups about his role in the city.

Mount Adams used to be called Mount Ida

The neighborhood known as Mount Adams used to be called “Mount Ida” because an old lady named Ida Martin lived up on the hill in a hollowed-out old sycamore tree. The name was changed in 1843 after President John Quincy Adams arrived at Mount Ida to dedicate the Cincinnati Observatory, which was later moved to Mount Lookout (hence the name Mount Lookout…)

Rookwood Pottery was the country’s first female-owned and operated large manufacturer

Founded in 1880 by Maria Longworth Storer Nichols, the world-renowned art-tile and pottery company is well-known for its impeccable design and craftsmanship.