History

7 14 Climatological and Geological MapsThe Beginning

In 1787, Judge John Cleves Symmes, a colonel in the Revolutionary War and congressman from New Jersey, received word from Major Benjamin Stites that he had located "the garden spot of any place that he had seen."

After a visit to this area, Judge Symmes purchased all the lands between the mouth and the source of the two Miami Rivers, approximately 330,000 acres for about 67 cents per acre. President George Washington signed the land patent that became known as the Symmes, or Miami, Purchase in 1794.

The first settlers were veterans of the Revolutionary War who had served under General Arthur St. Clair and General Anthony Wayne. Many were from New Jersey.

Life for these early settlers was treacherous. Battles with Native Americans kept many from settling on their lands, and hunger and exposure to the elements were common threats.

As one account states, "To go on their lands, was almost certain death, and to stay in the villages, without employment, brought them to the verge of starvation. The inhabitants generally, were stinted in the means of sustenance, and depended chiefly on game and fish, with such agricultural products as they could raise in the immediate vicinity of the villages. After they had endured these privations as long as they were tolerable, the more resolute determined to brave the consequences of moving on their land. The plan they adopted for safety was this: Those families whose lands were contiguous, united together to accomplish their purpose, and in this, a number of distinct associations were formed, for mutual protection. The men engaged in these enterprises went out well armed. Each party erected a strong blockhouse, with cabins contiguous, enclosed by log pickets, and commenced clearing their land. During the day, one of them was placed as a sentinel, to watch the approach of an enemy, while his comrades were engaged at work. At sunset, they returned to the blockhouse, taking everything of value within the pickets."

Pioneers gave this area the name of Fairfield for the natural beauty of the surrounding fields.

The Formative Years

Then as now, the main thoroughfares were U.S. Route 127 and State Route 4. These roads at that time were little more than bridle paths, but progress came fast with advances in transportation.

Toll roads, the Miami and Erie Canal, the Cincinnati-Hamilton & Dayton Railroad, and two electric interurban lines contributed greatly to the community’s growth.

Streetcars began traveling the traction line, which ran along Pleasant Avenue, in 1898. Known to go as fast as 90 miles per hour, these cars were heavy and well-built, large as a railroad passenger car, but with a ride like a featherbed. Some people walked a mile or more to gain transportation on this traction.

Predominately an agricultural area, hamlets known as Symmes Corner, Jones Station (later Stockton Station), Furmandale (also called Snaptown), Fairplay (also called Black Bottom) and Flenner’s Corner grew into thriving communities.

What is now Fairfield was originally a part of Fairfield Township, one of 13 townships in Butler County, Ohio.

Birth of a City

The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce recognized the potential of Fairfield Township. In October 1953, the Chamber published a map showing the areas under consideration for annexation. The map indicated that the Hamilton border would extend south beyond Nilles Road, and west beyond Gilmore Road. The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce launched a campaign to convince township landowners that the annexation would result in lower utility rates, better street maintenance and increased property values.

Fairfield Township residents saw the annexation as the loss of industrial revenues, the loss of their school system, and the loss of the opportunity for self-government.  Concerned residents joined together to form a village on July 10, 1954 and then by way of special census became a city on October 20, 1955.

The 1960s were a decade of growth in Fairfield. It was a period during which the fledgling city matured and began to establish a variety of services. The City increased water production, constructed a sanitary sewer system, and expanded police and fire protection. New streets criss-crossed former farmland. In addition to city-based services, exploding population growth yielded a post office, a new high school, library and a new Sacred Heart Catholic Church for the parish established in the late 1950s.

Map of Fairfield circa 1966 - click on it to enlarge

1966 City of Fairfield Street Map

Change & Challenge

Fairfield in the 1970s was positioned for strong residential growth. The community had already become extremely attractive to families shopping for homes. The school district was regarded as among the best in the region and the community was friendly to business.

A vital link to Interstate 275 opened just before 1970, making the community even more accessible and desirable. The population more than doubled during the decade, from 14,680 to 30,777, the greatest increase in any decade of the City’s history.

Voters approved a Charter for the City of Fairfield adopting the “Council-Administrator” form of government, effective the first day of the 1980s. Under this system of local government, political leadership was combined with strong managerial experience, making local government highly effective and adaptable.

After the unprecedented residential growth of the 1970s, the need for balanced growth became evident.

General Motors announced that the Hamilton-Fairfield Chevrolet Pontiac Canada Group, known as the Fisher Body plant, would be phased out in the first quarter of 1989. The effect of the plant closing was a loss of 2,500 jobs and 28 percent of the City’s income tax revenue, amounting to $1.7 million.

In addition to that challenge, the city also dealt with needs for flood control, road improvement and essential services.

The City regained economic balance in the 1990s and experienced wide, diverse business development. With a population of 39,729 at the beginning of 1990, the City’s explosive population growth had begun to slow, allowing it to focus on quality development of remaining residential and commercial areas. During this time, Fairfield updated and expanded its sanitary sewers, established detention basins for better stormwater control, continued to address road improvements, and began planning for a community Town Center.

Today

At the beginning of the new millennium, Fairfield is strategically positioned to build on its strong foundation, sustain its neighborhoods and business community, and offer quality of life facilities, services and programs. As the City matures, the residential areas are approaching full development. Attracting high paying jobs to the commercial and industrial zones, and building on the respect earned from the surrounding metropolitan area will continue to be a priority.

Since its humble beginnings in 1955, the City has matured into a quality community with a reputation for excellence.


9 14 3-4 Butler County Map

Click here to read a booklet about the City that was published in 1962 by the League of Women Voters. Front 


1875 Butler County Atlas

  1. 1 Cover Sheet
  2. 2 TOC
  3. 3 TOC II
  4. 4 6-7 United States Map
  5. 6 10-11 Ohio State Map
  6. 7 14 Climatological and Geological Maps
  7. 8 14 1-2 Butler County Officers
  8. 9 14 3-4 Butler County Map
  9. 9 14 3-4 Butler County Map
  10. 10 15 Portraits I
  11. 11 16 Portraits II
  12. 12 17 Portraits III
  13. 13 18 Portraits IV
  14. 14 19 Portraits V
  15. 15 20 Portraits VI
  16. 16 21 Portraits VII
  17. 17 22 History of Butler County I
  18. 18 23 History of Butler County II
  19. 19 24 History of Butler County III
  20. 20 25 History of the Townships of Butler County
  21. 21 26 Personal Sketches I
  22. 22 27 Personal Sketches II
  23. 23 28 Personal Sketches III
  24. 24 28 1-4 Personal Sketches IV
  25. 25 28 1-2 Personal Sketches V
  26. 26 30-31 Fairfield Township Map
  27. 27 32 Reed Family Jones Station
  28. 28 33 Residence of Amor Smith
  29. 29 34 Residence of David Crawford Forest Cottage
  30. 30 35 Residence of Conrad Windisch
  31. 31 36 Residence of James Beatty
  32. 32 37 Residence of Isaac K Morris Pleasant View
  33. 33 38 Benjamin R Symmes
  34. 34 39 Thomas Slade Family
  35. 35 40 Residence of John Bobenmeyer
  36. 36 41 William N Hunter
  37. 37 42-43 Butler County Fairgrounds
  38. 38 44 Residences of William Shaffer and Col John Martin
  39. 41 47 Residences of David Huston and Celadon Symmes
  40. 42 48-49 Greenwood Cemetery
  41. 43 50 Greenland Steam and Horse-Power Ice-Works and James Cullen Ice-Works
  42. 44 51 Residence of Pollock Wilson Oak Hill
  43. 45 52-53 City of Hamilton First Ward
  44. 46 54 View of Courthouse and County Buildings
  45. 47 55 Fort Hamilton as it appeared 1791-93
  46. 48 56-57 City of Hamilton Second Ward
  47. 49 58 Residence of HPK Peck and School Buildings
  48. 50 59 Miami Paper Mills and Campbell Residences
  49. 51 60-61 City of Hamilton Third Ward
  50. 52 62 City of Hamilton Businesses I
  51. 53 63 City of Hamilton Businesses II
  52. 54 64-65 City of Hamitlon Fourth Ward Darrtown_Jacksonburg_Gano
  53. 55 66 City of Hamilton Businesses III
  54. 56 67 City of Hamilton Businesses IV
  55. 57 68 City of Hamilton Businesses V
  56. 58 69 City of Hamilton Businesses VI
  57. 59 70 City of Hamilton Businesses VII
  58. 61 72 Samuel and Elizabeth Bonnell
  59. 62 73 Oxford Twp Maudville College Corner
  60. 63 74 Residences of Miller Jasper-Rose Hughes
  61. 64 75 City of Hamilton Businesses VIII
  62. 64 76 Residences of Samuel Kyle and Philip Hughes
  63. 65 77 Residences of Micajah Hughes and Peter Shafor
  64. 66 78 Residences of John Shepherd and Silas Williamson
  65. 67 79 Residence of Arthur Elliott and Birthplace of James Woodmansee
  66. 68 80 Residence of BF Kyle
  67. 69 81 Residence of the Hon Peter Murphy
  68. 70 82-83 Liberty Twp and Lemon Twp
  69. 71 84 Samuel and Eliza Dickey
  70. 72 85 Residence of John R Shafor
  71. 73 86 Residenceses of Ellison Harkrader and AE Harding
  72. 74 87 Residenceses of FJ Tytus and SV Curtis
  73. 75 88 Tytus Paper Co and Middletown Mills
  74. 76 89 Excello Writing Paper Mills and Harding Paper Mills
  75. 77 90-91 Middletown Somerville Westchester Maps
  76. 80 94 Residences and School
  77. 81 95 Wayne Twp Map
  78. 82 96 Residences of Philip Ray James Fitton Maple Grove Farm
  79. 83 97 Residences of JB Wihtrow and Benj Hinkle
  80. 84 98 Madison Twp Map
  81. 85 99 Residence of Jacob Emrick
  82. 86 100 Residence of John Augspurger
  83. 87 101 Residences of John and Samuel Augspurger
  84. 88 102 Residence of JG Long
  85. 89 103 Middlehof and Residences of Robt Reese and John Evans
  86. 90 104 Ross Twp Map
  87. 91 105 Residences of Griffin Halstead and Nehemiah Wade
  88. 92 106 Oxford Twp Map
  89. 93 107 Western Femal Seminary
  90. 94 108 Miami University
  91. 95 109 Reily Twp Map
  92. 96 110 Residences of Wm Stevens and Alexander Ogle
  93. 97 111 Various Residences I
  94. 98 112 Various Residences II
  95. 99 113 Various Residences III
  96. 100 114 Hanover Twp Map
  97. 101 115 Residence of James Beckett
  98. 102 116 Residence of Peter Lintner
  99. 103 117 Residence of Samual Carr
  100. 104 118 Residences of Hervy and John Ross
  101. 105 119 Residences of Robert Dick and James Lewis
  102. 106 120 Morgan Twp Map
  103. 107 121 Residence of Milton Vail
  104. 108 122 Residence of JJ Davis
  105. 109 123 Residence of TF Jones
  106. 110 124 Residence of Andrew Jones
  107. 111 125 Residences of Evan Evans and Thomas Appleton
  108. 112 126 Residences of Sam De Armond and John Evans
  109. 113 127 Various Residences
  110. 114 128 Millford Twp Map
  111. 115 129 Residences of George Kramer and Wm Lane
  112. 116 130 Residences of WH Harris and the Ogle Sisters
  113. 117 131 Union Twp Map
  114. 118 132 Residence of James Beckett
  115. 119 133 Residence of George Vinnedge
  116. 120 134 Residences of GL Gano and E Beekley
  117. 121 135 Boarding House of Henry Stickels and Union Cemetery
  118. 122 136 St Clair Twp Map
  119. 123 137 Augspurger and Mc Clung Co and Woodsdale
  120. 124 138 Residences of Franklin Wehr JE Overpeck
  121. 125 139 Residences of FM Moore WC Stephenson and James Cummins
  122. 126 140 Various Small Towns I
  123. 127 141 Various Small Towns II
  124. 128 142 Directory Ciyt of Hamilton
  125. 129 143 Directory Hamilton Middletown and Hanover Twp
  126. 130 144 Directoy Oxford Liberty and Millford
  127. 131 145 Directory Fairfield Wayne and St Clair Twps
  128. 132 146 Directory of Reily Madison and Morgan Twps
  129. 133 147 Directory of Ross Lemon and Union Twps
  130. 1875 Butler County Atlas I