Friday, August 10, 2012

The red C and squiggly lines forever!

I've lived in Cincinnati since 1979. Apparently, the Queen City has its own flag. Did you know that? I didn't.
The design was selected in 1895 from a contest and then in traditional expeditious Cincinnati style, it was adopted officially 45 years later in 1940.
Then everyone forgot about it.
I never thought I'd stood in the presence of the Grand Old Flag of Cincinnati, but then I remembered something and found this photo from a visit to Yeatman's Cove. In the picture below, behind me and over my right shoulder it waves proudly next to the Ohio flag. I thought it was just some boat flag at the time since I was by the river.

Basically the flag design is the city seal seal sans 1788 on a red C (say fast 5 times!) with blue squiggly lines in the background representing the Ohio River.1788 is the agreed upon year that the area that is now the city of Cincinnati was founded but no one called it "Cincinnati" until 1790 and it wasn't incorporated as a city until 1819. Confusing? Yeah, that's probably why they left it off.
It looks like they added some Buckeye leaves at the top for decoration too. The Latin "Juncta Juvant" within the seal translates to something akin to "come for the goetta, stay for the cheese coneys!". Oh, I kid, it means "strength in unity". Sure.

It's actually a pretty nice looking flag with the patriotic colors and all and the pleasant wavy lines. I'm kind of surprised it isn't used more often for civic events and such. Oh yeah, it's because this is Cincinnati. Most Cincinnati folks have never heard of the flag but I'll bet nearly all residents know this famous quote attributed to Mark Twain:
“When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Cincinnati because it’s always 20 years behind the times.”

Please read my other flag related post when you have time. Thank you and "Juncta Juvant" to you!

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Take The First Raid By Clark's Will*

the first raid by Clark was right here at the
confluence of the Licking and Ohio Rivers
(Cincinnati in the background)

*My apologies to The Monkees and the writers Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart for shameful use of the lyrics of Last Train To Clarksville in this blog post.

...Oh, no, no, no!...

On this day in Ohio history August 1st 1780, while the Revolutionary War was raging in the East, formidable Indian fighter George Rogers Clark invaded the Indian homelands of Ohio at the confluence of the Licking and Ohio Rivers with his force of Kentucky Long Knives, the feared name given by the Indians to the American Rangers who patrolled the Ohio River Valley during the Revolution.
Clark's force built military blockhouses as an outpost in present-day Cincinnati. This was the first white settlement in the region...'Cause I'm leavin' in the morning...This military invasion was revenge for raids on Kentucky settlements by Indian tribes such as the Shawnee, Delaware, and Wyandot who used Kentucky as hunting grounds and took a dim view to permanent white settlement there...I'm feelin' low. Oh, no, no, no! 
Other Indian tribes and septs had signed treaties in previous years, such as the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals which allowed some settlement in KY but some of the settlers set up shop outside of treaty guidelines and was considered squatting even by European-American law....'Cause I made your reservation...The US Government really didn't do much to stop this. Furthermore, many Indians did not recognize these treaties in the first place and led successful raids on settlements, trying to unsettle them by general killing, and taking horses and prisoners...'Til the morning brings the raid...Famed frontiersman Simon Kenton was captured in Ohio by the Shawnee while on his own retaliatory raid on Indians. This revenge warfare situation caused much death, destruction, panic, fear, and chaos which Clark's team was sent to suppress. I'm feelin' low. Oh, no, no, no! 
It also gave the US an excuse to pave the way through Ohio to attack British held Detroit as it was difficult to enlist enough men to make that dangerous journey deep into Indian territory...And I must go, oh, no, no, no!
Clark's continuing raids met some losses but were mostly successful and forced the Shawnee to move their towns further north to present day Chillicothe and Piqua...We'll have time for coffee flavored kisses and a bit of conversation...This type of revenge warfare would continue in the area throughout the rest of the 18th century and into the early 19th century. And I don't know if I'm ever coming home...Take The Last Raid By Clark's Will...Take The Last Raid By Clark's Will


UPDATE:
In researching this event, I learned that an internment camp for Lochry's failed 1781 expedition was in Cleves OH. 64 captured militia were held in a British allied Indian camp. The ones who survived were taken to Canada. South of the junction of East Miami River Road and Jordan Road, Miami Township near Cleves. map 39.178547, -84.746475