I used Magic Sculp to make relief sculpture on
the back and sides of the fiberglass pig I had to do for the

Cincinnati Big Pig Gig.
www.bigpiggig.com.

Ham Salad  BY Mary Ann Reed

People smile about the idea of a "Big Pig Gig." But Cincinnati would not be the city it is without pigs.

Early in the 19th century farmers in the country surrounding the city raised pigs and corn, a combination that produced excellent meat and livelihood for the many German people emigrating to the city. By the 1820s, the bustling port of Cincinnati made it possible to transport pork more rapidly to consumer markets. Cincinnati businesses sprang up around the pork-packing industry.

 It was not uncommon for pigs to be herded through the streets in the 1830s and 1840s. They were smelly and made a mess of the streets. Visitors were often shocked, but Cincinnatians grew used to them, erecting sturdy wrought-iron fences to keep the pigs off their city properties.

So much of the meat came from Cincinnati that the city began to be jokingly called "Porkopolis." In 1835 the city was the leading meat-packing center in America. By 1845 it led the world.

The pork-packing industry led to other new businesses. Hog bristles were used in plaster and to make brushes, mattresses and furniture. Tanneries used hides to make boots, shoes and saddles. Pork fat was used to make lamps oil and candles.

A candle-maker, James Gamble, partnered with businessman William Procter in 1837 to use pork fat to produce a high-quality soap and sell it in small blocks. From those humble beginnings grew the Procter & Gamble Company, one of the largest consumer product manufacturers in the world today.