Two cemetery associations were founded in Cincinnati in 1844. Both created burial grounds that were revolutionary in their own ways, but the tales of these two cities of the dead are remarkably divergent. The Cincinnati Horticulture Society produced Spring Grove Cemetery, and the United Colored American Association created United Colored American Cemetery, later shortened to United American Cemetery. While Spring Grove set a new bar for graveyard design, United American became the first respectable burying ground for Black Cincinnatians — and the first Black cemetery in the State of Ohio. Today, Spring Grove is a source of municipal pride. It is the site of weddings as well as funerals. Its manicured beauty makes it a popular destination for leisurely walks or runs, and the cemetery offers guided walking tours. By contrast, United American looks derelict. But a piece of legislation could change the cemetery’s fate. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) initiated a bipartisan bill, the African American Burial Grounds Network Act, which passed unanimously through the Senate this winter. The goal is to create a voluntary, nationwide network of historic African American burial grounds and allocate resources for their restoration and continued maintenance. Sen. Brown said on the Senate floor, “We know that for too long in too many parts of our country, Black families were blocked from burying their loved ones in white cemeteries. These men and women were freed slaves, civil rights champions, veterans, mothers, fathers, workers in communities. We need to act now before these sites are lost to the ravages of time or development.” The act now moves to the house. facebook.com/unionbaptistcemeteries.

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1. Aqua on Levee

2. The Lofts at Shillito Place

3. One Lytle Place Apartments

Cincinnati’s Red Bike is one of five bikeshares across the country to win a “Living Lab” Grant from the Better Bike Share Partnership. Red Bike says the two-and-a-half-year, $200,000 grant will help them in their mission to grow equitable access via the Red Bike Go program. Red Bike will “develop and test innovative, new strategies and programs to increase access to bikeshare in the region,” says a release. Since 2018, Red Bike Go has offered a discounted $5 monthly membership to those with household incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. “Ensuring that everyone not only has access to Red Bike, but more importantly feels like Red Bike is actively catering to them has been a priority from day one,” says Jason Barron, executive director of Red Bike. “We are incredibly proud that the Red Bike Go Program is one of the best and most creative bikeshare equity programs in the country, and we cannot wait to see what we come up with over the next two-plus years.” cincyredbike.org. 

1. Drees Homes

2. Fischer Homes

3. Urban Sites

1. Union Terminal

2. Music Hall

3. Cincinnati Art Museum

With almost 24,000 followers, @cincinnati_revealed takes a photographic journey through the Queen City’s “architecture, art, anecdotal history and hidden gems,” per the account description. Photos of everything from Carl Strauss-designed modern abodes and newer Jose Garcia renovations to Italianate masterpieces and folksy Swiss Chalet-style homes dot the feed, with architecture quizzes on the stories. Read the captions for history, context and fun facts about each structure, which range from public buildings to private residences. @cincinnati_revealed.

1. Northside

2. Over-the-Rhine

3. Hyde Park

1. Fiona the Hippo

2. Brian Garry

3. Anthony Muñoz

4. Bob Herzog

5. Pete Rose

6. Molly Wellmann

7. Rose Lavelle

8. Nick Lachey

9. Drew Lachey

10. Cam Hardy

Surprise: You’re here. Travel + Leisure magazine puts out an annual list of the best places to travel in the coming year — generally beautiful and exotic locales from across the globe. But this year’s compilation, titled the “50 Best Places to Travel in 2021,” did something a little different as a result of the pandemic: It listed the top places to visit right here in the U.S. The collection includes destinations like the Alaskan coast, Las Vegas, Tulsa, Oklahoma and all of the National Parks, but at No. 11 (it’s alphabetical — to our benefit) is Cincinnati. The write-up calls out Music Hall, the new Kinley Hotel (and its in-house eatery Khora), Please, Goose & Elder, the Cincinnati Zoo and the Cincinnati Art Museum, along with its new Art Climb.