Do Pigs Fly? The Story of Porkopolis is Told at Kenton County Public Library
In the mid-19th century, Cincinnati earned the nickname "Porkopolis" because it was the largest meat packing center in the world. As a result, residents and visitors often found themselves walking through streets that were crowded with pigs.
In a recent lunch and learn event hosted at the Erlanger Branch of the library, patrons learned all about how this industry helped shape the region.
Presented by the Cincinnati Museum Center's Heritage Programs and volunteer docent, Tom, this discussion covered the evolution of how pigs from Cincinnati fed our country, and how the meat packers' methods also helped to revolutionize other major industries. "Older cities [like Cincinnati] all developed along the river because everything moved by the river system," said Tom. "Once railroad came to be, they could go further and they could go faster."
To show this development, historical photos of regional canals, hog drives, pork-packing plants, barrels of salted pork, railroad maps, steamboats and more were included in the presentation.
Patrons were actively engaged, frequently raising their hands to ask questions or share their own personal memories associated with the story of "Porkopolis," bringing the real meaning behind giving these presentations to life for Tom.
"History is people's stories," he said. "When you connect to a human being's story, things really come to life."
Looking for more opportunities that support lifelong learning? Check out some of these upcoming library events:
- Book Signing and Author Talk: Cincinnati Before Stonewall, opens a new window – Thursday, May 21 at Covington Branch – Celebrate the release of "Cincinnati Before Stonewall: The Untold Queer History of the Queen City" by local author and Kenton County Public Library employee, Jacob Hogue. The book covers the rich and often overlooked LGBTQ+ history of Cincinnati from the early 1800s through 1969.
- The Bug Chicks, opens a new window – Friday, May 22 at Erlanger Branch – Join us for an interactive workshop to learn all about our bug friends from The Bug Chicks, opens a new window. Great for all ages.
- American Sign Language Classes – Begin Tuesday, June 2 at Erlanger Branch – Join the waitlist for ASL I, opens a new window or register for ASL II, opens a new window to keep building your skills. Classes will meet once a week for eight weeks. Please make sure you can attend each week.
- Lunch and Learn: Sharing a Life through Memoir and Verse, opens a new window – Friday, June 5 at Erlanger Branch – Writer Kevin Lane Dearinger reads from his memoirs, plays and four volumes of poetry. Join us for a discussion on autobiography as a bridge to shared, not exclusive, experiences.
- Sustainability and Gardening | Growing Fruit Trees, opens a new window – Thursday, June 11 at Latonia Branch – Learn the art and science of grafting to propagate fruit trees and other plants.
Add a comment to: Lunch and Learn Explores Cincinnati’s Porkopolis History