Milford, Ohio

The Gatch Site is believed to have been a Native American village site during the Middle Woodland period

The area covering the City of Milford, O'Bannon Township, and part of Loveland is from a single 1788 survey by John Nancarrow, a Revolutionary War veteran from Virginia. As one of Clermont County's major historians noted, "No wonder, then, that it struck with rapture the quaint and eccentric John Nancarrow, who had it surveyed for him on May 28, 1788 as Dutch burgomaster intended to found a city that should become the future metropolis of the West."[8] O'Bannon Township was named after O'Bannon Creek, which itself was named for Clermont's first surveyor who was not connected to, responsible for, or interested at all in Nancarrow's survey area. The settlement of Milford, which was the first settlement within the 1788 Nancarrow survey's area, commenced in 1796 near where two riverways—the Little Miami River and its East Fork—come together; making Milford tied with Williamsburg as the oldest settlement in Clermont County. The first settler to arrive in the area was the Reverend Francis McCormick, a Revolutionary War soldier with a thousand-acre land grant, in 1796. McCormick built his log cabin on the hill at the present 1000 Forest Avenue and he founded the first Methodist Class in the Northwest Territory in 1797. Nancarrow, the first surveyor, sold his share of 230 acres (0.93 km²) of land to Philip Gatch on December 20, 1802, for a total of $920.00. Four years later, Gatch decided to sell 125 acres (0.51 km²) to Ambrose Ranson who, soon after, sold 64 acres (260,000 m²) to John Hageman. Hageman became the first long-term settler, naming the valley Hageman's Mills. Hageman laid out a village of 46 lots; the choicest lot was #1 where the Millcroft Inn was located at Mill and Water Streets, with a price of $35.00 with most of the other lots selling for $25.00.

By 1811, Hageman had departed for Indiana and the name Milford had come into prominent use, attributed to the newspaper changing it in February 1806 because it was the first safe ford north of the Ohio River to cross the Little Miami River. In 1806, Milford was only three blocks, including Main, Water, and High Streets. With the prominent river ford location to get to the site of its mill, references to the singular name Milford became more widespread to connote the still-unincorporated survey area; in 1814, a newspaper mentioned: "The Ohio Militia paymaster will pay soldiers at Chenemiah Covett's stone house below Milford."[9] An extension to the present First Methodist church alley was made in 1817. People from the outer township travelled into Milford to sell crops, buy flour, visit shops and restaurants, and rest before making their way back up the hill. After the settlement had been platted for some time, the first part of the Village of Milford was formally incorporated January 23, 1836 (as a village municipality), followed by other phases; the corporate area would see enlargements in 1846, 1869, 1872, 1888 (Montauk and South Milford), 1925, 1939, 1950s, 1959 (part of Milford Hills), 1970s, 1981, 1983, 1985-6, and the early 2000s.[10] Voters formally organized Milford Schools in 1867. After generations as a village, in 1982 with a census count of 5232, the village municipality was upgraded to city status, thus being styled forth the City of Milford; the only municipality containing that name in Ohio.[11] Due to the great Methodist influence, including the life of the Reverend McCormick, Milford is recognized as the root of Methodist religious heritage into the American West. Its namesake river ford is still a shallow place seen today as it was when one had to cross the river to get to the old mill.

A field along Gatch Avenue, on what was once the farm of John Gatch, has yielded large numbers of artifacts for several generations. It is believed to have once been the site of a Native American village during the Woodland period. Nowadays, the field next to Gatch's Estate belongs to the Valley View conservancy, having been an archaeological site called the Gatch Site.[12]

Area businesses and groups with substantial operations in Milford or adjacent townships include the headquarters of Penn Station sandwiches, Siemens Digital Industries Software, Total Quality Logistics, Overhoff Technology the North American headquarters of Tata, and the United Church of God.

Little Miami River (2007)

Milford is located at 39°10′30″N 84°17′4″W (39.174883, -84.284383).[23] According to the United States Census Bureau, Milford has a total area of 3.86 square miles (10.00 km²), of which 3.73 square miles (9.66 km²) is land and 0.12 square miles (0.31 km²) is water.[24] The Little Miami Bike Trail, which runs from Newtown to Springfield, Ohio, runs through Milford where several major hiking trails converge, including the American Discovery Trail, the Sea to Sea Long Distance Hiking Route, and the Underground Railroad Cycling Route. Ancient mounds have been found, and made more visible by overhead scans; at the city cemetery, Greenlawn.

Milford Exempted Village School District has ~6,600 students. On the 2020 state report, Milford High School ranked within the top 100 out of 750 in Ohio and in the top 10 of all Greater Cincinnati schools. In addition to the high school, middle school, and preschool, the six neighborhood schools are McCormick, Meadowview, Mulberry, Pattison, Seipelt, and Smith.[25] The Promont houses the Greater Milford Area Historical Society and yearbooks of all Milford classes. Milford shares a branch of Clermont County Public Library.[26]

• John M. Pattison, 43rd Governor of Ohio
• Markiplier, YouTuber and vlogger

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Milford, Ohio.

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Milford-Miami Township.

• City website