Hamilton, OH

Hamilton is a town of about 61,000, located on the banks of the Great Miami River. Close to the major metropolitan areas of Cincinnati and Dayton, Hamilton offers a wide variety of opportunities to its visitors and residents. Hamilton was voted one of the 25 best places to buy and own a home in the entire United States by the National Association of Homebuilders. This type of honor can be attributed to Hamilton's dedication to arts and culture, educational resources and hometown feel. And not only is Hamilton regarded as a good place to reside, Forbes magazine has rated Hamilton one of the top 40 places to do business in the United States.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Hamilton has unemployment rate of 5.5 percent. Some of the most common industries for the residents of Hamilton include manufacturing, educational, health and social services, and retail trade.

Ft. Hamilton Hospital is the city's largest employer.

Hamilton also has many companies that are on the leading edge of technology in their industries. For example, Bilstein, a Krupp-Hoesch Automotive subsidiary, does advanced development work in shock absorbers and struts. International Paper Company produces fine and printing papers at its Hamilton Mill.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

The city of Hamilton accommodates a mostly urban population of more than 62,000. Neighborhoods and districts of Hamilton accommodate around 26,000 houses out of which more than 24,000 are occupied. Of the occupied houses, more than half are owner occupied while renters occupy the remainder.

The city of Hamilton is walkable. Most places like restaurants, bars and coffee shops are located close to the center of the city.

Hamilton is home to three historic districts:

• Rossville Historic District is located on the west side of the Great Miami River across from downtown Hamilton. The area contains 123 historic buildings, including large mansions along South D Street and Ross Avenue.
• The German Village Historic District is bounded by Vine, Dayton, Riverfront Plaza and Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. It includes 177 historic buildings, including the Stewart Avenue School, which has been part of the physical and social fabric of German Village for more than a century.
• Dayton-Campbell Historic District consists of 210 structures built during the last quarter of the nineteenth century and first quarter of the twentieth century when it was home to Hamilton's prominent industrialists. Houses in the district represent the rich variety of architectural styles popular at the district's height, including Queen Anne, Italianate, Second Empire, and Georgian Revival.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Referred to as "The City of Sculpture," Hamilton has many venues dedicated to the appreciation of the arts:

• The Fitton Center for CreativeArts provides opportunities to explore artistic, musical, educational and social experiences. A nonprofit community arts center, the Fitton Center offers classes, performances, exhibitions and entertainment by and for the community.
• Mad Anthony Theatre Company, the in-house theatre group of the Fitton Center, showcases an array of performances, from musical comedies to world-famous plays.
• The Hamilton Fairfield Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1951, comprises 75 members and puts on 10 to 12 performances each year.
• Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park, a 265-acre sculpture park and outdoor museum, overlooks the Great Miami River.
• The Greater Hamilton Civic Theatre offers workshops and theatrical performances in association with the Hamilton Little Theatre, which is sponsored by the local YMCA.

BEST BETS

• The Whistle Stop Train Room: Home to historical replicas of the Hamilton area. The display is continually growing.
• Hamilton Ohio Scale Auto Raceway: State-of-the-art model cars race on asphalt at speeds up to 75 miles per hour. The raceway is home to Tri-State RC Auto Racers (TSRCAR).
• Hamilton Historic District Walking Tour: A self-guided tour highlighting the three historic districts and downtown Hamilton. The tour identifies homes, businesses, and industrial and public buildings of great significance to the city of Hamilton.
• Main Street Marketplace: Nearly 20 vendors display their fresh products and offer demonstrations and samplings.
• Lane Hooven House: A rare octagonal home, built in 1863. Today the home is used by the Hamilton Community Foundation.
• Butler County Soldiers, Sailors and Pioneers Monument: This three-story monument was built in 1906 at the site of Fort Hamilton by local citizens who wanted to commemorate the memory of soldiers, sailors and pioneers. Other military displays can be found inside the structure.

FAMILY FUN

Hamilton has highlighted its riverfront property, making great use of the land for the town's residents and visitors alike to enjoy:

• Campbell Guard is a YMCA camp housed on the banks of the Great Miami River designed for children to learn about and appreciate nature.
• Skaters' Park is a newly constructed 8,000-square-foot park.
• Hamilton Parks and Recreation Department maintains abundant hiking trails and scenic riverbanks for hikers, bikers and nature enthusiasts along the Great Miami River. The department also maintains more than 40 recreational facilities and 25 neighborhood parks that include picnic areas, grills, playgrounds and shelter houses.
• Mary's Plant Farm is a small farm where visitors are welcome to explore different tree varieties and take note of the best growing conditions.
• Gilmore Ponds Interpretive Reserve is a park overflowing with wildlife and ecosystems for observation through decks and from a viewing tower.

EVENTS

Hamilton hosts many community events for both enrichment and entertainment.

• The Butler County Fair, the Flying Circus and Oktoberfest allow fun for the whole family.
• The Great Miami River Days give participants a chance to explore and revel in the beauty of the banks that Hamilton calls home.
• The Miami Hamilton Artist Series, the Hamilton-Fairfield Antique and Classic Car Parade, and the Michael J. Colligan History Project allow those with special interests to share their passion with fellow event-goers.
• Hamilton also hosts a variety of seasonal events, including IceFest and the Harvest Moon Maze.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Hamilton's first industries included textiles and paper, along with many water-related industries, due to Hamilton's proximity to the Great Miami River.
• In 1791, Hamilton appeared on the map as Fort Hamilton, named after Alexander Hamilton, the country's first secretary of the treasury.
• William Dean Howells, the author of Abraham Lincoln's first biography, "A Boys Town," was originally from Hamilton.
• Butler County, in which Hamilton resides, is ranked third in the state of Ohio and 121st in the country for quality of life in urban counties.
• Major League Baseball's youngest player ever, Joe Nuxhall, was a ninth-grade student in Hamilton while pitching for the Cincinnati Reds.
• Hamilton has set a goal to be a Tree City USA by the year 2020. A committee was formed in 1999 to help the city meet the requirements set by the National Arbor Day Foundation.