[R. Dale Flick]

Steamboating colleagues:
Hi, Virginia. Yes, for years Cincinnati bore the nickname 'Ragtown' and the question has come up from time to time on the web. Musician, historian, author, Carl Sandburg years ago set out from Pittsburgh to New Orleans in quest of ballads, songs and poems of the river that were quickly being lost from memory. A number of the early black roustabout songs were collected in their dialect. Many lyrics in those songs today if repeated in their 'earthy' manner would be considered 'Politically incorrect' from a racial view. Yet, they are valued with increasing recognition.

'Ragtown' came from steamboats bringing up river bales of old rags, cotton or a waste product known as 'batting.' Cincinnati and northern Kentucky just across were major centers in the manufacturing of cloth, bagging and paper products based in this trade. I've a photo of the Str. QUEEN CITY taken very late in her career coming up with bales of 'rags' on her deck for one of the many businesses once existing on/near the Public Landing here. Another roustabout term for Cincinnati was "Cincinnati River"--not the Ohio River. One verse from 'Ragtown' gives us a feel for the times.

"Yoh wanna know whah we is from?
It suah will make you shivah;
We's from dat dar ol' 'Ragtown.'
Un de ol' Cincinnati ribber!
All--night--long!"

For a time I always signed off using the term From 'Ragtown.' I received what I hoped was a tongue-in-cheek E=Mail with the criticism that I was 'insulting and demeaning' Cincinnati. Not the case. A good topic for this web would be the listing of other nicknames for river towns and cities. Hope this helps.
Well, what do I know?

Cheers,
R. Dale Flick