Fairfield

History

Prior to European settlement the Fairfield area was home to several Indian tribes, most prominently the Shawnee and the Miami. The prehistoric Hopewell and Adena peoples constructed numerous earthworks around the city, though most were unwittingly removed by early settlers in order to accommodate farm fields. The area that is now Fairfield was part of the original Symmes Purchase. Also known as the Miami Purchase, the region was acquired by Judge John Cleves Symmes from the Continental Congress in 1788 and included much of the land between the Little Miami and Great Miami rivers that became the present day counties of Hamilton, Butler, and Warren. As the area was settled hamlets developed to serve the surrounding countryside. Judge Symmes' great-nephew, Celadon Symmes, was the founder and first settler of Symmes Corner. Located at the intersection of Pleasant Avenue and Nilles Road it now serves as Fairfield's town center. The hamlet of Fair Play was located on the east bank of the Great Miami River. It was known for its mills, including Ohio's first paper mill. The community was destroyed by a flood in the late 1800s. Today the Miami Chapel Cemetery and the Fair Play School are some of the few remaining vestiges of the village. In the 1850s, the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railway (today CSX) was extended through Fairfield, fostering the development of several communities. The villages of Schencks Station and Stockton were established along the rail line. Schencks Station was located near the present-day intersection of Symmes Road and State Route 4 and was named for local landowner Aaron Schenck. Stockton could be found at the crossroads of State Route 4 and Seward Road. Originally known as Jones Station, the village provided area farms with necessities…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The Butler County line serves as Fairfield's southern corporate boundary with a small portion of the City extending into Hamilton County. This portion contains no population. The city is bounded on the north by the City of Hamilton and the eponymously named Fairfield Township; the east by West Chester and Fairfield townships; the south by the cities of Springdale and Forest Park as well as Springfield and Colerain townships; and on the west by Fairfield and Ross townships. The city is bisected by a major rail line and is served by several interstate, federal and state highways which provide for excellent access. This transportation infrastructure has contributed to Fairfield's economic success. Most of Fairfield sits on top of the Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer; one of the largest underground reservoirs in the Midwest. The aquifer provides a clean and safe source of drinking water for communities up and down the course of the Great Miami River. The cities of Fairfield, Hamilton and Cincinnati operate water production facilities within Fairfield corporate boundaries; all of which draw from the aquifer.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  23,025
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  22,372
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  18,817
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  18,019
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  16,807
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  16,610
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  16,479
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  15,138

Largest nearby schools

• Lakota West High School
  High · West Chester · 2,740 students · 24.9:1 ratio
• Lakota East High School
  High · Liberty Township · 2,552 students · 23.9:1 ratio
• Hamilton High School
  High · Hamilton · 2,507 students · 22.2:1 ratio
• Fairfield High School
  High · Fairfield · 2,200 students · 21.6:1 ratio
• Edgewood High School
  High · Trenton · 1,167 students · 25.4:1 ratio
• Crossroads Middle School
  Middle · Fairfield · 1,135 students · 17.7:1 ratio
• Creekside Middle School
  Middle · Fairfield · 1,126 students · 19.1:1 ratio
• D Russel Lee Career-Technology Center
  High · Hamilton · 1,028 students · 4.8:1 ratio