A Geographic Interpretation of Cincinnati, Ohio 5 
Grain grew abundantly in this region — wheat, rye, corn, buck- 
wheat, barley, oats and hemp — tobacco was produced of a quality 
much superior to Yirginia tobacco, while fruits of all kinds com- 
monly found in a temperate zone were grown to advantage. 
Game was plentiful, and the rivers were well stocked with fish. 
The rock formations of this region consist of alternating layers 
of blue clay-marl and blue or lead-colored fossiliferous limestone, 
bituminous shale and fine-grained sandstone, covered with black 
mold and amber loam, a combination which makes a very fertile 
soil. The wells and springs afforded a very pure limestone water, 
and the water of the Ohio does not contain a noticeable amount of 
mineral matter. 
Three settlements. Three settlements were made on the Ohio 
at about the same time in 1788: one at Columbia, near the mouth 
of the Little Miami; one at North Bend, near the Great Miami; 
one at Losantiville, afterwards called Cincinnati, opposite the 
mouth of the Licking. At first the settlements at Columbia and 
North Bend grew more rapidly than the Losantiville settlement, 
this more rapid growth being due in considerable measure to the 
fact that temporary fortifications had been built at North Bend 
and Columbia, for protection against the Indians, while at Losan- 
tiville there was no military protection. 
Building of Fort Washington. In the spring of 1789 there was 
a flood on the Ohio, and the fortifications at North Bend and Co- 
lumbia, being situated on low ground, were submerged. ^ Major 
Doughty was sent out by the federal government to investigate 
conditions, and after studying the topography of the region, he 
decided upon Losantiville as the most available place for a per- 
manent fortification, by reason of the river’s high bank. Accord- 
ingly, Fort Washington was built at this point, this fort being 
sufficiently large to accommodate 1500 soldiers. After Fort Wash- 
ington was completed, the settlers at North Bend and Columbia 
began to throng to Losantiville, which led Mr. King to remark, 
inhi^ History of Ohio, that whatever Cineinnati may have suf- 
fered since by floods, she doubtless owes her start to that of 1789. 
In 1790 the name of the settlement was changed from Losanti- 
ville to Cineinnati by Judge Symmes, this name being authorized 
by Governor St. Clair. 
2 Rufus King, American Commonwealth Series, Ohio, 1891, p. 212. 
^ Ibid., p. 213. 
