All I know about Cincinnati I learned from a sitcom.
But the CincyStreetcar Blog, which aims to connect the dots on Cincinnati’s streetcar plan, has opened my eyes to what, to a Portland-phile like myself, sounds like a true gem of a city.
Read the whole post: Cincinnati and Portland
Also, both cities actually had an 80s sitcom set there: “WKRP” for Cinci, of course, and the lesser known “Hello Larry” on NBC, set in Portland and starring Maclean Stevenson of M*A*S*H* fame. Briefly was on after “Diff’rent Strokes”.
The average high/low temps are likely deceptive – C’s climate is more extreme than Portland’s. The other stuff sure does make it sound like a near twin of Portland.
Brian – Wow, I’d never heard of that show . . . Wikipedia tells me it didn’t last long . . . I was a mere child back then; I remember WKRP in Cincinnati from mid-80s reruns.
Pete – I prefer Portland’s low-humidity summers and (usually!) snow-free winters.
Having moved from Cincinnati to Portland The similarities are more then statistical. The city has a river that divides it, it is surrounded by hills, and borders another state by a river.
Cincinnati has a nice river front like Portland as well.
There are differences though. I have never seen a more conservative town then Cincinnati.
I’m a Cincinnati native, and often compare the two cities geographically. They both have great parks, a river that dissects the city, and quite a bit of moisture. That’s where the comparisons end. Cincinnati’s “bones” – housing stock, etc – are incredible. If Cincy’s houses and buildings were in Portland, they would be incredibly well loved. In Cincinnati, they’re dilapidated (sp?) and ignored. Culturally, there is no comparison. Portland is progressive and forward-thinking in many ways (not just politically), while Cincy is continually dragged into the next decade.
Compare Cincinnati and Portland in this cool map feature and I think you will see that they are moving in different directions:
http://www.theatlantic.com/floridamap/