Hamilton, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Hamilton is a city in Butler County
, southwestern Ohio
, United States
. The population was 62,447 at the 2010 census
. It is the county seat
of Butler County
. The city is part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area.
The city's mayor is Patrick Moeller and the City Manager is Joshua Smith. Most of the city is in the Hamilton City School District.
The industrial city is seeking to revitalize itself through the arts and was officially declared the "City of Sculpture". It has brought many sculpture installations to the city and founded the Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park.
). It was a frontier military fort intended primarily as a supply station for the troops of generals Arthur St. Clair and later Anthony Wayne. Their armies entered the Miami Valley wilderness to drive out the Shawnee
and Miami during the Northwest Indian War
. The Indians hoped to maintain their territory here, and, following the American Revolutinary War, the United States wanted to open it for American settlement.
The fort was located on the Great Miami River
, where the east and west banks rose gradually. The river shallow during normal flow and easily forded by men, animals and wagons on a gravelly bottom. By 1800, the fort had been abandoned, and Hamilton was becoming an agricultural and regional trading town. The town was platted, government was seated, and the town named by 1803.
Hamilton was first incorporated by act of the Ohio General Assembly
in 1810, but lost its status in 1815 for failure to hold elections. It was reincorporated in 1827 with Rossville, the community across the Great Miami River
in St. Clair Township
. The two places severed their connection in 1831 only to be rejoined in 1854. It became a city in 1857. On March 14, 1867, Hamilton withdrew from the townships of Fairfield
and St. Clair
to form a "paper township
", but the city government is dominant.
On the afternoon of September 17, 1859, Abraham Lincoln
arrived at the Hamilton Station (the station is on the city's Historic Preservation list). He gave a campaign speech in support of his fellow Republican, William Dennison
, who was running for Ohio governor. Lincoln's speech concentrated on popular sovereignty. He began: "This beautiful and far-famed Miami Valley is the garden spot of the world." It was during this campaign that the relatively unknown Lincoln was first mentioned as a possible presidential contender.
By mid-19th century, Hamilton had become a significant manufacturing city. Its early products were often machines and equipment used to process the region’s farm produce, such as steam engines, hay cutters, reapers, and threshers. Other production included machine tools, house hardware, saws for mills, paper, paper making machinery, carriages, guns, whiskey, beer, woolen goods, and myriad and diverse output made from metal, grain, and cloth. By the 20th century, the town was a manufacturing center for vaults and safes, machine tools, cans for veggies, paper, paper making machinery, locomotives, frogs and switches for railroads, steam engines, diesel engines, foundry products, printing presses, automobile parts, war materiel, Liberty ship engines, gun lathes. Manufacturers used coke to feed furnaces. Its by-product, gas, fueled street lights. The Great Miami River valley, in which Hamilton was located, was an industrial giant.
The county courthouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
because of its monumental architecture, was constructed between 1885 and 1889. The city has three historic districts, including areas of turn-of-the-century homes. Like Cincinnati, Hamilton had many German and Italian immigrants, whose influence showed in culture, architecture and food. Hamilton also had a Jewish
community; Beth Israel Synagogue
was founded in 1901 as an Orthodox
alternative to Hamilton's existing Reform
synagogue.
In the 1920s, many Chicago
gangster
s had second homes in Hamilton. This gave Hamilton the nickname "Little Chicago". Some appeared to have invested in what became an active district of gambling and prostitution.
During World War II, the entire city was declared off-limits to military personnel because of its numerous gambling and prostitution establishments. Madame Freeze's and the long row of prostitution houses along Wood Street (now called Pershing Ave) were notorious among soldiers. Factories in Hamilton manufactured military supplies, such as tank turrets, Liberty ship
and submarine engines, and machined and stamped metal parts.
The 1950s brought the construction of the new interstate highway I-75 and bypassed the city. Until 1999, when the Butler County Veterans Highway was built, Hamilton was the second largest city in the United States without direct interstate access.
On May 28, 1986, as part of a plan to increase publicity about Hamilton, the city council voted 5-1 in favor of adding an exclamation point to the city's name. Thus, Hamilton officially became Hamilton! While used extensively in the city's documents, letterheads, business cards and on local signage, "Hamilton!" was not successful in getting Rand McNally
to use the new moniker on state maps. The city's website does not use the exclamation point.
The city has become known for its support of the arts, especially public sculpture. On August 16, 2000, Ohio’s Governor Bob Taft declared and formally recognized Hamilton as “the City of Sculpture”. This sparked a vision for a group of community members who officially formed Hamilton, Ohio City of Sculpture, Inc. a 503c organization. This organization has been successful at adding many new sculptures in public spaces around Hamilton.
The city has won the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Awards for best-tasting municipal water for the United States in 2009; and the best in the World, Gold Medal, in 2010.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 22.1 square miles (57.2 km²), of which, 21.6 square miles (55.9 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (2.13%) is water.
503c should be 501 (c) (3)
of 2000, there were 60,690 people, 24,188 households, and 15,867 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,808.2 people per square mile (1,084.3/km²). There were 25,913 housing units at an average density of 1,199.0 per square mile (463.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.94% White, 7.55% African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.46% from other races
, and 1.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.58% of the population.
There were 24,188 households out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were married couples
living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,365, and the median income for a family was $41,936. Males had a median income of $32,646 versus $23,850 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,493. About 10.6% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.1% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.
The hydraulic began about four miles north of Hamilton on the river, where a dam was built to divert water into the system. Nearby, two reservoirs stored water for the hydraulic, whose main canal continued south along North Fifth Street to present Market Street. There it took a sharp west turn to the river at the present intersection of Market Street and North Monument Avenue, between the former Hamilton Municipal Building and the present Courtyard by Marriott. The first water passed through the system in January 1845. As the water flowed through the canal, it turned millstones in the hydraulic. The project had been a risky one because there were no shops along its course to use the power when the company was organized in 1842. The gamble paid off. Several small industries were built on the hydraulic in the 1840s. One was the Beckett Paper Co.
The hydraulic remained a principal source of power for Hamilton industries through the 1870s when stationary steam engines became practical and affordable. Later, most of the hydraulic canal was covered and/or filled. The hydraulic attracted Henry Ford to Hamilton after World War I when he sought a site for a tractor factory. Ford built a plant — which soon converted to producing auto parts — at the north end of North Fifth Street so it could take advantage of power provided by a branch of the hydraulic.
A Rossville hydraulic also was built, but never achieved the success of the Hamilton system.
visited Hamilton and signed The No Child Left Behind Act into law at Hamilton High School. Talawanda, Ross, and New Miami School Districts also serve corners of the city.
Miami University
has a regional campus in the city. Miami University Hamilton
opened in 1968 and now has more than 12,500 students. Another campus is found in nearby Middletown
and has about 2,700 students.
Stephen T. Badin High School, a private Catholic high school of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and several Catholic elementary schools (St. Ann, St. Peters in Chains, and St Joseph Consolidated School), serve the city and surrounding area.
A significant building renovation in 1995-1996 permitted the blending of Victorian architectural character with the technology needed to support the community's library needs into the first quarter of the 21st century. The 25,000 square foot building currently houses several library administration Departments as well as the Circulation, Information, Teen, and Children's Departments and a wonderful Local History Room, all which provide direct service to the community.
Clark donated the first collection of materials to the library, approximately 3,000 books. Today, the collection is over 123,000 in number! In addition to the bestseller books and the research volumes, the library currently offers the community access to videos, DVDs, CDs, CD Roms, puppets, audio books and eBooks. In the year 2000 over 435,000 items were checked out of Clark Lane's library and staff members answered over 48,500 reference questions. The caretakers of this wonderful, versatile community resource are the staff members, dedicated to providing each user with quality, convenient service- A true destination for any community member or visitor to the Hamilton area.
Butler County, Ohio
Butler County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of 2010, the population was 368,130. Its county seat is Hamilton. It is named for General Richard Butler, who died in 1791 fighting Indians in northern Ohio. Butler's army marched out of Fort Hamilton, where the city of...
, southwestern Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 62,447 at the 2010 census
United States Census, 2010
The Twenty-third United States Census, known as Census 2010 or the 2010 Census, is the current national census of the United States. National Census Day was April 1, 2010 and is the reference date used in enumerating individuals...
. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Butler County
Butler County, Ohio
Butler County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of 2010, the population was 368,130. Its county seat is Hamilton. It is named for General Richard Butler, who died in 1791 fighting Indians in northern Ohio. Butler's army marched out of Fort Hamilton, where the city of...
. The city is part of the Cincinnati metropolitan area.
The city's mayor is Patrick Moeller and the City Manager is Joshua Smith. Most of the city is in the Hamilton City School District.
The industrial city is seeking to revitalize itself through the arts and was officially declared the "City of Sculpture". It has brought many sculpture installations to the city and founded the Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park.
History
Hamilton, Ohio, was founded by European Americans in 1791 as Fort Hamilton (named to honor Alexander HamiltonAlexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
). It was a frontier military fort intended primarily as a supply station for the troops of generals Arthur St. Clair and later Anthony Wayne. Their armies entered the Miami Valley wilderness to drive out the Shawnee
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
and Miami during the Northwest Indian War
Northwest Indian War
The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...
. The Indians hoped to maintain their territory here, and, following the American Revolutinary War, the United States wanted to open it for American settlement.
The fort was located on the Great Miami River
Great Miami River
The Great Miami River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately long, in southwestern Ohio in the United States...
, where the east and west banks rose gradually. The river shallow during normal flow and easily forded by men, animals and wagons on a gravelly bottom. By 1800, the fort had been abandoned, and Hamilton was becoming an agricultural and regional trading town. The town was platted, government was seated, and the town named by 1803.
Hamilton was first incorporated by act of the Ohio General Assembly
Ohio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...
in 1810, but lost its status in 1815 for failure to hold elections. It was reincorporated in 1827 with Rossville, the community across the Great Miami River
Great Miami River
The Great Miami River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately long, in southwestern Ohio in the United States...
in St. Clair Township
St. Clair Township, Butler County, Ohio
St. Clair Township, one of thirteen townships in Butler County, Ohio, United States, consists of three disconnected pieces located along the Great Miami River in central Butler County. It had a population of 7,336 in 2000, down from 7,670 in 1990. Exclusive of the village of New Miami, which lies...
. The two places severed their connection in 1831 only to be rejoined in 1854. It became a city in 1857. On March 14, 1867, Hamilton withdrew from the townships of Fairfield
Fairfield Township, Butler County, Ohio
Fairfield Township, one of thirteen townships in Butler County, Ohio, United States, is located in the south central portion of the county. It had a population of 15,571 in 2000, down sharply from 49,353 in 1990 because of the withdrawal of the city of Fairfield in 1994 and annexations from...
and St. Clair
St. Clair Township, Butler County, Ohio
St. Clair Township, one of thirteen townships in Butler County, Ohio, United States, consists of three disconnected pieces located along the Great Miami River in central Butler County. It had a population of 7,336 in 2000, down from 7,670 in 1990. Exclusive of the village of New Miami, which lies...
to form a "paper township
Paper township
A paper township is a type of civil township under Ohio law that does not act as a functioning unit of civil government. Such townships usually exist due to annexation by cities and villages.-Defunct townships:...
", but the city government is dominant.
On the afternoon of September 17, 1859, Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
arrived at the Hamilton Station (the station is on the city's Historic Preservation list). He gave a campaign speech in support of his fellow Republican, William Dennison
William Dennison
William Dennison or Denison may refer to:*William Dennison , 18th-century Master of University College, Oxford*William Dennison, Jr. , American politician, Governor of Ohio and U.S...
, who was running for Ohio governor. Lincoln's speech concentrated on popular sovereignty. He began: "This beautiful and far-famed Miami Valley is the garden spot of the world." It was during this campaign that the relatively unknown Lincoln was first mentioned as a possible presidential contender.
By mid-19th century, Hamilton had become a significant manufacturing city. Its early products were often machines and equipment used to process the region’s farm produce, such as steam engines, hay cutters, reapers, and threshers. Other production included machine tools, house hardware, saws for mills, paper, paper making machinery, carriages, guns, whiskey, beer, woolen goods, and myriad and diverse output made from metal, grain, and cloth. By the 20th century, the town was a manufacturing center for vaults and safes, machine tools, cans for veggies, paper, paper making machinery, locomotives, frogs and switches for railroads, steam engines, diesel engines, foundry products, printing presses, automobile parts, war materiel, Liberty ship engines, gun lathes. Manufacturers used coke to feed furnaces. Its by-product, gas, fueled street lights. The Great Miami River valley, in which Hamilton was located, was an industrial giant.
The county courthouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
because of its monumental architecture, was constructed between 1885 and 1889. The city has three historic districts, including areas of turn-of-the-century homes. Like Cincinnati, Hamilton had many German and Italian immigrants, whose influence showed in culture, architecture and food. Hamilton also had a Jewish
American Jews
American Jews, also known as Jewish Americans, are American citizens of the Jewish faith or Jewish ethnicity. The Jewish community in the United States is composed predominantly of Ashkenazi Jews who emigrated from Central and Eastern Europe, and their U.S.-born descendants...
community; Beth Israel Synagogue
Beth Israel Synagogue (Hamilton, Ohio)
Beth Israel Synagogue is an egalitarian Conservative synagogue located at 50 North 6th Street in Hamilton, Ohio. Originally Orthodox, it was organized by eight families in 1901 as an alternative to Hamilton's existing synagogue, which was Reform, and obtained a charter from the State of Ohio as...
was founded in 1901 as an Orthodox
Orthodox Judaism
Orthodox Judaism , is the approach to Judaism which adheres to the traditional interpretation and application of the laws and ethics of the Torah as legislated in the Talmudic texts by the Sanhedrin and subsequently developed and applied by the later authorities known as the Gaonim, Rishonim, and...
alternative to Hamilton's existing Reform
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism refers to various beliefs, practices and organizations associated with the Reform Jewish movement in North America, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. In general, it maintains that Judaism and Jewish traditions should be modernized and should be compatible with participation in the...
synagogue.
In the 1920s, many Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
s had second homes in Hamilton. This gave Hamilton the nickname "Little Chicago". Some appeared to have invested in what became an active district of gambling and prostitution.
During World War II, the entire city was declared off-limits to military personnel because of its numerous gambling and prostitution establishments. Madame Freeze's and the long row of prostitution houses along Wood Street (now called Pershing Ave) were notorious among soldiers. Factories in Hamilton manufactured military supplies, such as tank turrets, Liberty ship
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
and submarine engines, and machined and stamped metal parts.
The 1950s brought the construction of the new interstate highway I-75 and bypassed the city. Until 1999, when the Butler County Veterans Highway was built, Hamilton was the second largest city in the United States without direct interstate access.
On May 28, 1986, as part of a plan to increase publicity about Hamilton, the city council voted 5-1 in favor of adding an exclamation point to the city's name. Thus, Hamilton officially became Hamilton! While used extensively in the city's documents, letterheads, business cards and on local signage, "Hamilton!" was not successful in getting Rand McNally
Rand McNally
Rand McNally is an American publisher of maps, atlases, textbooks, and globes for travel, reference, commercial, and educational uses. It also provides online consumer street maps and directions, as well as commercial transportation routing software and mileage data...
to use the new moniker on state maps. The city's website does not use the exclamation point.
The city has become known for its support of the arts, especially public sculpture. On August 16, 2000, Ohio’s Governor Bob Taft declared and formally recognized Hamilton as “the City of Sculpture”. This sparked a vision for a group of community members who officially formed Hamilton, Ohio City of Sculpture, Inc. a 503c organization. This organization has been successful at adding many new sculptures in public spaces around Hamilton.
The city has won the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Awards for best-tasting municipal water for the United States in 2009; and the best in the World, Gold Medal, in 2010.
Geography
Hamilton is located at 39°23′45"N 84°33′54"W (39.395806, -84.564920).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 22.1 square miles (57.2 km²), of which, 21.6 square miles (55.9 km²) of it is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km²) of it (2.13%) is water.
503c should be 501 (c) (3)
Demographics
Hamilton's earliest population contained soldiers from General Wayne's army, and early merchants and settlers, primarily with Scotch-Irish or German heritage. As time progressed the mixture of peoples' origins followed that of the United States generally. As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 60,690 people, 24,188 households, and 15,867 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,808.2 people per square mile (1,084.3/km²). There were 25,913 housing units at an average density of 1,199.0 per square mile (463.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.94% White, 7.55% African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.46% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.58% of the population.
There were 24,188 households out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.4% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $35,365, and the median income for a family was $41,936. Males had a median income of $32,646 versus $23,850 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,493. About 10.6% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.1% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.
1913 flood
There is ample geographic and geological evidence that floods have occurred throughout the valley since prehistoric times, and there is historic evidence in diaries, anecdotes, folk tales, letters, official records, post cards, and the like that major flooding occurred with some regularity [1814, 1828, 1832, 1847, 1866, 1883, 1897, 1898, 1907]. Sometimes enough to fill some of Hamilton’s streets. That is, until March 1913 when the flood of floods occurred. Not only did heavy rain fall over the entire watershed, but it fell on frozen ground that was already saturated from previous lighter rains, assuring the worst scenario - high run-off. At least 90% of the rain went directly into the streams, creeks, and rivers. Between 9 to 11 inches of rain fell over five days, March 25 to March 29, 1913. An amount equivalent to about 30 days’ discharge of water over Niagara Falls, flowed through the Miami Valley during the ensuing flood. In the Great Miami River Valley, 360 lost their lives, about 200 of those in Hamilton, some drowned, some were washed away and never found, others perished from various diseases, suicide, and complications. Damage in the Valley was calculated at $100,000,000, the equivalent of $2,000,000,000 in today’s value. The strength of the waters brought down all four of Hamilton's bridges within two hours, Black Street bridge, High Street-Main Street bridge, railroad bridge, and the Columbia bridge. In Hamilton the flood waters rose with unexpected and frightening suddenness, reaching over three to eight feet in depth in downtown, and up to fifteen or more feet in the North End, along Fifth Street and through South Hamilton Crossing. The waters spread from D Street on the west to what is now Erie Highway on the east. The waters' rise was so swift that many were trapped in the upper floors of businesses and houses. In some cases, people had to escape to their attics, and then break through the roof as the waters rose even more. Temperatures hovered near freezing. The water current varied, but in constricted locations raced at more than twenty miles per hour. The dead, more than 1,000 drowned horses, livestock, pets, & Sewage tainted the water. 10,000 people were made homeless in Hamilton, Ohio, a town with 35,000 residents. Thousands of houses were destroyed, and more too damaged to repair had to be demolished. One out of every three residents was displaced.Hamilton Hydraulic
The Hamilton Hydraulic, also called the Hamilton & Rossville Hydraulic, was a system devised to supply water power to shops and mills; it spurred one of Hamilton's greatest periods of industrial and population growth (1840-1860). Specially built canals and natural reservoirs brought water from the Great Miami River north of Hamilton into the town as a source of power for future industries.The hydraulic began about four miles north of Hamilton on the river, where a dam was built to divert water into the system. Nearby, two reservoirs stored water for the hydraulic, whose main canal continued south along North Fifth Street to present Market Street. There it took a sharp west turn to the river at the present intersection of Market Street and North Monument Avenue, between the former Hamilton Municipal Building and the present Courtyard by Marriott. The first water passed through the system in January 1845. As the water flowed through the canal, it turned millstones in the hydraulic. The project had been a risky one because there were no shops along its course to use the power when the company was organized in 1842. The gamble paid off. Several small industries were built on the hydraulic in the 1840s. One was the Beckett Paper Co.
The hydraulic remained a principal source of power for Hamilton industries through the 1870s when stationary steam engines became practical and affordable. Later, most of the hydraulic canal was covered and/or filled. The hydraulic attracted Henry Ford to Hamilton after World War I when he sought a site for a tractor factory. Ford built a plant — which soon converted to producing auto parts — at the north end of North Fifth Street so it could take advantage of power provided by a branch of the hydraulic.
A Rossville hydraulic also was built, but never achieved the success of the Hamilton system.
Miami Conservancy District
Following the disastrous 1913 flood in the Great Miami River Valley, citizens realized that the only way to prevent future flooding was to deal with protection on a watershed basis. So, citizens from all the major cities in the valley, Piqua, Troy, Dayton, Carlisle, Franklin, Miamisburg, Middletown, and Hamilton, as examples, gathered together to find a solution. There were no enabling laws in Ohio at that time, so legislation was drafted and subsequently passed by the legislature and signed into law by Governor James Cox. Although challenged several times in the courts, the laws creating the Miami Conservancy District withstood those attacks, and since have withstood the tests of time. By 1915, an engineering staff was employed, and plans made for valley-long channel improvements, levees, and basins to temporarily retain excessive rains. The system was designed to withstand rains and flows that would be up to 40% greater than those of 1913. Up to the present time, waters have been retained more than 1,000 times, thereby preventing flooding. Construction began in 1915 and was completed in 1923. The Miami Conservancy District was the first of its kind in the nation, and continues to set leading examples of sound engineering and flood control protection; this flood protection system was unique, being created, built, and supported just by those who benefit. The Miami Conservancy District is financially supported by an assessment on each property that was affected by the 1913 waters, and the present benefit that this property has since it is not in danger of flooding. Likewise all the other areas also have an assessment because they benefit by reducing or eliminating danger to infrastructure, commerce, and transportation.Education
Hamilton is served by the Hamilton City School district. The district has underway a major $200 million capital program including construction of eight elementary schools, a freshman school, two completely renovated middle schools, and an upgraded high school with two new gyms, a new media center, six new classrooms and a new cafeteria. In 2002, President George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
visited Hamilton and signed The No Child Left Behind Act into law at Hamilton High School. Talawanda, Ross, and New Miami School Districts also serve corners of the city.
Miami University
Miami University
Miami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
has a regional campus in the city. Miami University Hamilton
Miami University Hamilton
-The Campus:A regional campus of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, Miami Hamilton was established in 1968 in Hamilton, Ohio. On Miami's regional campuses, students can earn an associate degree and/or complete the following baccalaureate degrees: Bachelor of Science in Nursing , Bachelor of Science...
opened in 1968 and now has more than 12,500 students. Another campus is found in nearby Middletown
Middletown, Ohio
Middletown is an All-America City located in Butler and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Formerly in Lemon, Turtlecreek, and Franklin townships, Middletown was incorporated by the Ohio General Assembly on February 11, 1833, and became a city in 1886...
and has about 2,700 students.
Stephen T. Badin High School, a private Catholic high school of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and several Catholic elementary schools (St. Ann, St. Peters in Chains, and St Joseph Consolidated School), serve the city and surrounding area.
Lane Library System
The Lane Public Library is located in an architectural significant building in the heart of Hamilton’s Historic German Village. Built in 1866 by local philanthropist, Clark Lane, Lane Library has the distinction of being the oldest public library west of the Alleghenies. Now in its 135th year, the library building has experienced floods, fires and at least six separate renovations or expansion projects but continues to endure today as a focal point of the Hamilton community.A significant building renovation in 1995-1996 permitted the blending of Victorian architectural character with the technology needed to support the community's library needs into the first quarter of the 21st century. The 25,000 square foot building currently houses several library administration Departments as well as the Circulation, Information, Teen, and Children's Departments and a wonderful Local History Room, all which provide direct service to the community.
Clark donated the first collection of materials to the library, approximately 3,000 books. Today, the collection is over 123,000 in number! In addition to the bestseller books and the research volumes, the library currently offers the community access to videos, DVDs, CDs, CD Roms, puppets, audio books and eBooks. In the year 2000 over 435,000 items were checked out of Clark Lane's library and staff members answered over 48,500 reference questions. The caretakers of this wonderful, versatile community resource are the staff members, dedicated to providing each user with quality, convenient service- A true destination for any community member or visitor to the Hamilton area.
Notable natives
- William AllenWilliam Allen (congressman)William Allen was an United States Congressman from Ohio during the early part of the American Civil War....
, born near Hamilton, later United States Congressman - Ray CombsRay CombsRaymond Neil "Ray" Combs, Jr. was an American comedian, actor, and host of the game show Family Feud on CBS and in syndication from 1988 to 1994.-Early life and career:...
, comedian and second host of Family FeudFamily FeudFamily Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people... - Aaron Cook, professional baseball player
- Greg DulliGreg Dulli-Biography:Greg Dulli was born and brought up in the working-class city of Hamilton, Ohio. Although he was raised a Catholic, he is now agnostic. Dulli first came to public attention in the late 1980s with The Afghan Whigs when he joined D.C. transplant bassist John Curley and Louisville, Kentucky,...
, musician - Kevin GreveyKevin GreveyKevin Michael Grevey is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'5" swingman, the left-handed Grevey played for the Washington Bullets from 1975-1983 and the Milwaukee Bucks from 1983-1985...
, professional basketball player - William Dean HowellsWilliam Dean HowellsWilliam Dean Howells was an American realist author and literary critic. Nicknamed "The Dean of American Letters", he was particularly known for his tenure as editor of the Atlantic Monthly as well as his own writings, including the Christmas story "Christmas Every Day" and the novel The Rise of...
, author - Mark Lewis, professional baseball player
- John MartinkovicJohn MartinkovicJohn George Martinkovic is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League for the Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants. He played college football and basketball at Xavier University and was drafted in the sixth round of the 1951 NFL Draft by the Washington...
, NFL player for the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
and New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - Robert McCloskeyRobert McCloskeyRobert McCloskey was an American author and illustrator of children's books. McCloskey wrote and illustrated eight books, two of which won the Caldecott Medal, the American Library Association's annual award of distinction for children's book illustration.Many of McCloskey's books were set on the...
, author - Dean MillerDean Miller (broadcaster)Dean Miller, born Dean C. Stuhlmueller , was an American actor and broadcaster, perhaps best known for his role as the son-in-law in the CBS sitcom December Bride...
, actor and businessman, born in Hamilton - Jane Gray Nelson, Texas state senator
- Joe NuxhallJoe NuxhallJoseph Henry Nuxhall was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, mostly for the Cincinnati Reds. Immediately after retiring as a player, he became a radio broadcaster for the Reds from 1967 through 2004, and continued part-time up until his death in 2007...
, professional baseball player - Mark PeckMark PeckMark Everett Peck is a New Zealand politician. He is a member of the Labour Party. He was MP for Invercargill from 1993, when he first won the seat in the 1993 elections until 2005 when he announced he would not stand for re-election at the 2005 Parliamentary elections.-Early life:Peck was born in...
, New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
member of ParliamentMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,... - Nan PhelpsNan PhelpsNan Phelps , was an American folk artist from London, Kentucky. Phelps’ work has often been compared to the more famous Grandma Moses in both style and subject matter.-Biography:...
, artist - Charles Richter, seismologist and creator of the Richter scale
- Brady SealsBrady SealsBrady Seals is an American country music artist. He is the cousin of Jim Seals and Dan Seals and Johnny Duncan, the nephew of Troy Seals, and the husband of former BNA Records recording artist Lisa Stewart...
, former pianistPianistA pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...
and song writer for Little TexasLittle TexasLittle Texas is an American country music band founded in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1988 by Tim Rushlow , Brady Seals , Del Gray , Porter Howell , Dwayne O'Brien , and Duane Propes . Signed to Warner Bros... - John Cleves Symmes, Jr., soldier, philosopher
- Jim Tracy, professional baseball player and manager
- Roger TroutmanRoger TroutmanRoger Troutman was the lead singer of the band Zapp who helped spearhead the Funk movement and heavily influenced West Coast hip hop due to the scene's heavy sampling of his music over the years...
, singer, songwriter - Brandon UnderwoodBrandon UnderwoodBrandon Dante Underwood is an American football safety of the National Football League. He's currently a free agent. Underwood was drafted by the Packers in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
, NFL player for the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... - E. J. Underwood, professional football player for the Cleveland Gladiators; played for Edmonton EskimosEdmonton EskimosThe Edmonton Eskimos are a Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They currently play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League . Edmonton is currently the third-youngest franchise in the CFL, although there were clubs with the name Edmonton Eskimos as early as 1895...
New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Buffalo BillsBuffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... - Scott WalkerScott Walker (singer)Scott Walker, born Noel Scott Engel on January 9, 1943 is an American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, and the former lead singer of The Walker Brothers. Despite being American born, Walker's chart success has largely come in the United Kingdom, where his first four solo albums...
, musician, singer, member of the Walker Brothers - Steven J. Morse, Musician, Guitarist, Deep Purple, Dixie Dregs, Kansas
- Jimmy WynnJimmy WynnJames Sherman Wynn , nicknamed the "Toy Cannon," is a former Major League Baseball center fielder. During a 15-year baseball career, he played from 1963-1977 for five different teams: the Houston Colt .45s/Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, and Milwaukee Brewers...
, MLB player for the Houston AstrosHouston AstrosThe Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
, Los Angeles DodgersLos Angeles DodgersThe Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, Atlanta BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, and the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League... - Steve "Dandy" Brown, singer, songwriter, producer; Orquesta del Desierto, Hermano, Bad Dandy