Seven Hills

Seven Hills

A city built on elevation, memory, and myth.

Cincinnati—like Rome—is known as the City of Seven Hills, a name first etched into local language in 1853. Though modern maps reveal many more, these seven are the spiritual backbone of the city: a collection of heights that shaped Cincinnati’s neighborhoods, skyline, and soul.

Each hill carries its own story:

1. Mt. Adams – Named after President John Quincy Adams, who spoke at the city’s observatory in 1843, this hill now overlooks the river with a quiet grandeur.

2. Mt. Auburn – The city’s first true hilltop suburb, its name likely inspired by poetry—or the cemetery in Boston with the same name.

3. Walnut Hills – Once Walnut Hills Farm, it was named by Rev. James Kemper, whose land became part of Cincinnati’s growing fabric by the 1850s.

4. Vine Street Hill – An original member of the seven, though less often named today, it still holds a place in the city’s historical footprint.

5. College Hill – Elevated and educational, this hill earned its name from the institutions that once called it home.

6. Fairmount – Developed in the 1850s and styled after Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park, it was marketed to early buyers seeking scenic views and clean air.

7. Mt. Harrison (now Price Hill) – Once known as Bold Face Hill, it was later transformed by merchant Evans Price and his son Reese, becoming one of the largest and most iconic neighborhoods on the West Side.

Together, these hills form a natural crescent around the city—a silhouette that shaped everything from Cincinnati’s street grids to its identity.

Glacial movement carved these elevations, but it was community that gave them purpose. Today, the hills are not just geographic features—they’re memory markers. They frame the skyline, offer panoramic views, and whisper stories of origin, ambition, and change.

Seven Hills is a reflection of this layered history: a tribute to the way place shapes people, and how elevation becomes perspective.