Hamilton

History

Hamilton originated as Fort Hamilton, named to honor Alexander Hamilton, first Secretary of the Treasury. The fort was constructed in September through October 1791 by General Arthur St. Clair, governor of the Northwest Territory. It was the first of several built north from Fort Washington into Indian territory. The fort was built to serve as a supply station for the troops of St. Clair during his campaign in the Northwest Indian War. Later, it was used by General "Mad" Anthony Wayne. It was located upstream from the mouth of the Great Miami River, where the river is shallow during normal flow and easily forded on its gravelly bottom by men, animals, and wagons. In 1792, the fort was enlarged with a stable area by General Wayne. The fort was abandoned in 1796 after the signing of the Treaty of Greenville. A settlement grew up around Fort Hamilton and was platted as Fairfield in 1794. By 1800, Hamilton was becoming an agricultural and regional trading town. The town was platted, government was seated, and the town named by 1803. Hamilton was first incorporated by act of the Ohio General Assembly in 1810, but lost its status in 1815 for failure to hold elections. It was reincorporated in 1827 with Rossville, the community across the Great Miami River in St. Clair Township. The two places severed their connection in 1831 only to be rejoined in 1854. Designated the county seat, this became a city in 1857. On March 14, 1867, Hamilton withdrew from the townships of Fairfield and St. Clair to form a "paper township", but the city government is dominant. On the afternoon of September 17, 1859, Abraham Lincoln arrived at the Hamilton Station (the station is on the city's Historic Preservation list). He gave a campaign speech in support of his fellow Republican, William…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. It lies along the Great Miami River.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  23,312
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  22,587
• Carolina Chickadee

  Poecile carolinensis (Audubon, 1834) · Aves
  18,948
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  18,260
• Song Sparrow

  Melospiza melodia (A.Wilson, 1810) · Aves
  17,872
• American Goldfinch

  Spinus tristis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  17,503
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  16,859
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  15,338

Largest nearby schools

• Lakota West High School
  High · West Chester · 2,740 students · 24.9:1 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
• Ross High School
  High · Hamilton · 933 students · 23.3:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 2.5 — 2026-02-22
  2 km NE of Hillsboro, Ohio
• M 2.78 — 2017-12-17
  6 km ENE of Germantown, Kentucky
• M 2.6 — 2013-07-23
  6 km NNE of Germantown, Kentucky
• M 3.8 — 2004-09-12
  4 km NW of Manilla, Indiana