America 250 Mural
Miami Township • Clermont County, OH
“Historic Miami Township” was created as part of the America250-Clermont County celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday. This painting will become an outdoor mural on the wall of the Miami Township Fitness Court in Community Park in 2025.
“Historic Miami Township” was painted by nationally-known artist and Miami Township resident, Kate Albert. In her unique, whimsical style, she depicts some of the key happenings over the last few centuries that have made the Township what it is today: a home to over 40,000 residents and numerous businesses.
You may not have known that at one point, Miami Township grew a large portion of the nation’s peaches; or that a Chautauqua opened here in 1890 and became a destination for thousands; or that a farmer ploughing his fields happened upon a diamond; or that Lincoln traveled through the area via train!
Below is a list of key elements depicted in this painting, with a brief description of each.
We so appreciate Ms. Albert sharing her talent to bring this snapshot of our rich and diverse area to life. Special thanks to the Clermont County Convention & Visitors Bureau for leading the America250-Clermont County effort; the Milford Miami Township Chamber of Commerce for managing this project; and Ed Brady of Marvelous Milford for providing much of the information and research for this painting.
From left to right:
(1) Miami Township Diamond: In 1896, two young girls playing in a plowed field of a farmer named Joseph R. Taylor in Miami Township discovered a curious pebble and brought it home. As it happened, that stone was a diamond weighing about six carats!
(2) One Room School House: Between 1870 and the 1920s-30s, one room school houses were the norm for this area. Miami Township still has three former one-room school houses standing.
(3) Shaw Farm (Bicentennial Farm): In 1807 Thomas and Martha Shaw, farmers of Quaker ancestry, came to Clermont County from Bucks County, PA. Since then, it has been a working farm, growing mainly corn and pumpkins. Today, they farm 1800 acres, growing corn, soybeans, many varieties of summer vegetables and pumpkins, gourds, and squash. In the summer, locally-grown produce is sold in the gift store. In October, Shaw Farm becomes a favorite place to celebrate the coming of fall with hay rides, a maze, and of course, Halloween pumpkins!
(4) Old Perintown Grist Mill: After Samuel Perin built the first saw mill in the area in 1814, followed by a grist mill in 1817, the area became known as Peron’s Mills. Mills were an important part of early Ohio history; there were well over a thousand grist mills in Ohio in the 19th century. The rivers running through Miami Township made this a perfect place for milling.
(5) Old Perintown Train Depot: Off Round Bottom Road is the site of the Old Perintown (aka Cohoon) train depot. Although the station is gone, the old station (still standing) was converted into a section foreman's house and is still standing.
(6) Leming House: In 1806, four Leming brothers—Ezekiel, John, Gabriel, and Charles—arrived in the area and began farming. In 1844, Ezekiel's son Randall H. Leming purchased 160 acres of land in Mulberry from Paul and Rachel Megrue. Here they constructed their home, now called the Leming House, which is still standing in Community Park off Buckwheat Rd.
(7) Leming House Historical Marker: Leming House is an emblem of historical significance in the region. Constructed in the early 1800s, this elegant structure boasts a rich heritage that dates back to the town’s pioneer days and reflects the prevalent architectural styles of that time.
(8) Mulberry Trees: The area known as “Mulberry” was named in 1831 when a post office was established there. It likely received its name because of the prevalence of mulberry trees.
(9) Ebenezer Baptist Church: This church was founded in 1861 in a log cabin. It was the first Black church in the area, and the congregation still exists today, meeting in their building off Happy Hollow Rd. In fact, the road – initially named Porter’s Run Road, became known as Happy Hollow because of the shouts of joy coming from the church Their sanctuary, built in 1870, remains in use as a multi-purpose area.
(10) Peach Orchard: “The Great Davis Peach Orchard,” established in what’s now Mulberry in 1847, was considered a “pioneer of the west” in cultivating this fruit and established our area as a predominant market for peaches. Horse & Cart:
(11) Train/Abraham Lincoln: Abraham Lincoln passed through Miamiville in February 1861 on his way to his inauguration as President of the United States. Rumor has it that he did lean out the window and wave !
(12) Miamiville Train Depot: This depot was host to the Little Miami Railroad, which began operating in 1841. Today, the route the train took is the Little Miami Scenic Trail, used by bikers, runners, and rollerbladers for exercise and recreation.
(13) Miami Indian Canoeing: The two rivers that flow through Miami Township – the Little Miami and the East Fork of the Little Miami – made it an attractive place for Native Americans to settle.
(14) Boy Scout Camp: Camp Friedlander has been in Miami Township since 1919!
(15) Epworth Heights Hotel: In 1874, Epworth Heights was known as the Cincinnati Camp Meeting Grounds. It was started by the Methodist Church and hosted meetings that often lasted a week or more. In 1890, the first Chautauqua was hosted at this site, existing to "utilize the general demand for summer rest by uniting daily study with healthful recreation and thus render the occasion one of pleasure and instruction combined."
(16) Epworth Heights Auditorium: The grounds contained two auditoriums; the one depicted here was large enough to hold 1,500 people and was used in religious meetings and Chautauqua events.
(17) Little Miami River: The Little Miami River is one of two rivers that run through Clermont County. It is located between Dayton and Cincinnati, and it has been a focal point of this area throughout the ages. Today, the river provides a variety of recreation opportunities.
(18) Black Bear: In 2014, a young black bear crossed the Ohio River from Kentucky and began making his way through Clermont County. He was spotted in multiple places throughout the Miami Township area, and he has become a fond memory for those who saw him (or wished they’d seen him)!
(19) Buck: Miami Township is still home to myriad wildlife, and deer are spotted regularly on the side of the streets and in yards.
(20) Children Playing Hide ‘n Seek: Miami Township is home to over 40,000 people. It is a safe area and is highly sought as a great place to race a family.
(21) Seven Four-Leaf Clovers (not labeled for the sharpest eyes to find!): Look around, you may be lucky enough to find a four-leaf clover in Miami Township! It happens more than you’d think, making this a lucky place to live.