cincinnati 2009: a convention preview by Derek Lewis   Find out more about the National Association of Free Will Baptists at www.nafwb.org.

Next stop...the Buckeye State! In a few short months, the 2009 Free Will Baptist National Convention will meet in Cincinnati, Ohio. As you look forward to another exciting convention, here are some facts to consider.

Since becoming a state in 1803, the state of Ohio has had its share of achievements. It has given us world leaders and great thinkers like William Henry Harrison, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Thomas Edison, John Glenn, and Neil Armstrong.

Photo: The Cincinnati Skyline as viewed from the southern shore of the Ohio River.

It is home to the first gasoline-powered car and conceived America’s favorite sport by giving us the first professional baseball team, the Redstockings.

Cincinnati, originally (and unpopularly) known as Losantiville, was first settled in 1789 and grew slowly until Fort Washington was erected there at the end of that year. With the help of the fort and the city’s convenient location along the banks of the Ohio River, Cincinnati’s population grew rapidly, and the city became the county seat.

Cincinnati was a center for farming and meat processing. It also grew into a huge trading market. During the Civil War, Cincinnati served as a recruiting and organizing center for the U.S. military, helping its businesses to thrive and the city to grow even larger. It soon became the largest city in Ohio and the most densely-populated city in the United States.

In 2008, Cincinnati is the third largest city in Ohio and continues to grow. It has been acknowledged for its many economic opportunities and its low crime rate.

As Free Will Baptists prepare for their trip to the Buckeye State next year, they can look forward to its many great sites and the beautiful riverside location it offers.

What's a Buckeye Anyway?

The famed Ohio “buckeye” is a nickname for the fruit of the Horse Chestnut tree, common across the midwest. Tradition tells us the “buckeye” (pictured at top) received its name from early European settlers, who thought the nut resembled the eye of a male deer. Perhaps most well-known as the symbol of Ohio State University, the popular and historic icon is highly toxic to humans and most animals. Squirrels, however, find them irresistable.

Fast Facts About Cincy

• Once known as Porkopolis because of the meatpacking industry

• 2007 Population: 331,300

• Home to the Cincinnati Redstockings, first professional baseball team

• Home to Paramount King’s Island, voted best theme park for families in the Midwest

• Home of the hot dog