The Charming Small Town In Ohio That Was Named After A Historic Mill
By Sarah McCosham|Published August 01, 2022
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
Close your eyes and point to a place on a Buckeye State map and you’re bound to land on a charming small town in Ohio. While Ohio might be best-known for the Three C’s (Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati), the heart and soul of the Buckeye State really does lie in its small towns. These are places full of hard-working people with a proud history; places like Milford, Ohio. This charming small town in Ohio isn’t just irresistibly charming; it has a fascinating history, too — starting with its namesake.
Milford is a town of about 6,800 in Southwest Ohio. It's a river town, located on the banks of the Little Miami -- and this geography plays a key role in the town's history.
Established in 1836, the area was first surveyed by John Nancarrow, a Revolutionary War veteran from Virginia, in 1803. John Hageman was the first permanent settler, and the area was originally named Hangeman's Mill.
In 1803 Hageman put up a small mill along the riverbanks to improve water power. After Hangeman left for Indiana in 1815, Milford became the popular name of the area.
Milford is an abbreviated form of "mill ford" and was so named because it was the first safe ford across the Little Miami River, and was the only way for many people to reach the mill.
But the history and legacy of this original mill can be felt throughout the town. All improvements and construction in Milford's downtown are carefully arranged around the standing structures with new businesses, like Little Miami Brewing Company, breathing life into these historic buildings.
Nestled on the banks of the Little Miami River, Milford is an impossibly charming small town in Ohio sure to capture your heart. While its namesake is no longer standing, there are plenty of historic buildings and businesses that are testament to the town's past and present and will continue to stand proud into the future.
