Why is Dayton called the Gem City? And the stories behind 9 other Ohio nicknames

Dayton: "The Gem City." Dayton possibly got its nickname due to its beautiful upkeep of the city. That description was included in an August 1845 report in the Cincinnati Chronicle about Dayton.

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Akron: "City of Invention." The nickname was placed on the town's seal after Akron received an All-America award for the third time in 2008.

Columbus: "The Arch City." This name references the arches that ran throughout downtown to power city streetcars.

Findlay: "Flag City, U.S.A." The town got its nickname in 1968 when John B. Cooke made sure every house in the town flew an American flag on Flag Day that year.

Cincinnati: "The Queen City" or "The Queen of the West." The city took on the nickname in its early years due to citizens proudly referring to it as the Queen City.

Cleveland: "The Forest City." It's commonly believed this name dates back to the 1840s, and a count in the 1940s numbered the trees around 322,000.

Reynoldsburg: "Birthplace of the tomato." The town is known as the birthplace of the tomato due to Alexander Livingston developing the "Paragon tomato," the first commercial tomato, there.

Hamilton: "City of Sculpture." Recognized by this name on Aug. 16, 2000 by Ohio's governor, the city's nickname references the more than 40 sculptures throughout the city.

Loveland: "Sweetheart of Ohio." Enough said.

Bucyrus: "Bratwurst Capital of the World." This small town boasts a three-day bratwurst festival.