CINCINNATI SUBWAY TOUR

Each year on the second Saturday in May, Cincinnati Heritage Programs spends a day giving tours of the city's abandoned subway system to 250 lucky participants. Tickets for the tour go on sale in late January and sell out within 48 hours. It's no secret - people are clambering to get down into the forgotten tunnels which have remained incomplete since 1928.

Cincinnati's subway is  located underneath Central Parkway, with the first station entrance positioned in the median at the intersection of Race Street. The original construction planned for a 13-mile loop that extended from Downtown through Northside to Norwood. Six stations were erected before construction halted; 2.2 miles of tunnels remain today.

So what caused the Cincinnati Subway project to fail? A combination of politics and money. Delays with the project led to increased expenses due to inflation. World War I also caused the prices of construction materials to skyrocket. A change in political leaders ultimately led to the subway's demise, as the new form of government did not want to support any project of the previous administration; it was viewed as an impediment to reform. Sound familiar?

If you missed the Cincinnati Subway Tour this year, check out the next best thing: the PBS documentary "Cincinnati's Abandoned Subway." It includes over 1,500 original construction photographs from the 1920s, interviews with eight local experts, as well as vivid present-day footage of the subway tunnels.

FOAM SWEET FOAM: NATIONAL REPEAL DAY

December 5th marks the anniversary of the 21st Amendment: the repeal of Prohibition. The anti-liquor movement was led by the Women's Christian Temperance Union who believed alcohol was the cause of many social ills, such as crime, mental illness, poverty, and drunkenness. After 13 years, the criminalization of alcohol led to a rise in delinquency and organized crime. On December 5, 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt ratified the 21st Amendment and repealed Prohibition allowing Americans to once again enjoy a celebratory drink.

With its rich, German brewing (and beer drinking) heritage, Cincinnati suffered the loss of many local breweries during Prohibition. At one time, there were 136 drinking establishments on Vine Street alone; that's just from the river to the bottom of the hill.

Jim Bruckman presents Foam Sweet Foam

In remembrance of the Queen City's traditions, Cincinnati Heritage Programs created a presentation about Cincinnati beer: Foam Sweet Foam. Performed by Jim Bruckman, descendant of Brucks Beer, guests had the opportunity to hear about bootleggers, listen to period music, and see buttons and posters from the Prohibition era for both the Wet and Dry parties.

My favorite part was when Bruckman danced along to one of the brewing songs.

Celebrate the 79th anniversary of National Repeal Day by having a drink at your favorite local pub, and raise a glass to those who once paved the way.