MIAMISBURG  - Only City in the World by That Name

 

Miamisburg is the southern most city in Montgomery County, Ohio. The population was 20,181 in the 2010 Census but unlike all other municipalities in the County, Miamisburg was the only city that increased its population in 2010. Miamisburg is known for its large industry mainly for its nuclear operations during World War II and retail factors such as the Dayton Mall and its surrounding shopping and entertainment complex. The total population reached in Miamisburg and the surrounding Miami Township area is greater than 30,000. The City is also known for being the home to the Miamisburg Mound State Memorial Park with the largest Adena conical mound in Ohio. The entire downtown district is listed on the National Historic Register. Miamisburg was listed as Ohio's Best Hometown in 2008.

 

Many large corporations are currently located in Miamisburg and its surrounding metropolitan area (which includes Miami Township) such as LexisNexis, JatroDiesel, Dayco, X-spine, Isotec, Teradata, and Motoman to name but a few.   Miamisburg is also bordered by the cities of Springboro, West Carrollton and Germantown. The sister city of Miamisburg is Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada.

 

Originally, the small community had been known as “Hole's Station”.  In 1796 Zachariah Hole settled here with his family from Virginia and built a stockade on the west bank of the Great Miami River opposite the mouth of Bear Creek.  Along with the stockade came surveying parties and other settlers who had taken grants out for them to live in log cabins until they could build their own homes.  The little community became known as “Hole’s Station”. Meanwhile more settlers poured into the town from all over but mainly first

American generations of Scotch-Irish and German stock from Pennsylvania, some arriving in this then wilderness as early as 1791.

 

Miamisburg was also one of the cities serviced by the Miami-Erie Canal that stretched from Cincinnati to Lake Erie in the years 1829 through about 1880.  The canal ran north and south along First Street in downtown Miamisburg.  Over the canal was a bridge on Central Avenue that raised vertically to let the tow boats pass then lowered for the buggies and wagons to cross over.  Most Miamisburg'ers call the path that was once the canal, the Cinder Path after it was filled-in and became a parking area for downtown businesses.  Remnants of the canal still exist to the north and south of Miamisburg.  Sun Fish Lock on the canal is part of Miami Township's Sun Fish Lock Park south of the city.

 

Miamisburg was the site of one of the first post-war U.S Atomic Energy Commission facilities, beginning in 1947. The Dayton area had supported numerous secret operations for the War Department during World War II. As the war ended the majority of these operations were moved to the Miamisburg Mound Laboratory which was operated by the Monstanto Chemical Company. The primary purpose of Mound Labs was to monitor all aspects of the US nuclear defense stockpile.

 

The Mound Plant, built in 1947, was situated on a 306–acre site in the city. The workers, who numbered more than 2,000 at the height of production, made plutonium detonators for nuclear weapons. Their work was very classified and as a consequence the plant had a small army of security guards and was ringed by chain-link fencing and razor wire. When the Cold War ended, the plant discontinued the detonator work but continued the make a generators for space probes. In May 1993 the U.S Department of Energy decided to end the all productions at the Mound.

 

The Mound Development Corporation spearheaded the creation of the Mound Advanced Technology Center in the redevelopment of the plant, with the Montgomery County Regional Dispatch Center joining 14 other tenants in March 2009. In December 2010 the Dayton Police Department became the 17th law enforcement agency, along with 11 fire departments, to be dispatched from the regional center.

 

The largest employer in Miamisburg is now Kettering-Sycamore Hospital on Central Avenue just east of the downtown area.  Opened in the 1980s, the Sycamore complex houses not only the hospital, but doctor's office buildings, a nursing home and a large complex of assisted living homes including a Seventh Day Adventist Church and nursery school.  Many new businesses have opened and are now being constructed on the City’s southeast side at the Austin Boulevard Interchange Enterprise Zone.  Austin Pike is an extension of the Miamisburg-Springboro Roard or Linden Avenue from Miamisburg.

 

 

HOUSING

Due to the age of Miamisburg, many houses in the City are mainly Victorian style homes. Other Architectural styles include Queen Ann, Italianate and Second Empire styled buildings.  Much of metropolitan area surrounding old town are single family homes that were built in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and many newer models that were built in the early to mid first decade of the 21st century. Recently, there has been a demand for higher priced luxury homes, evidenced in new developments such as Pipestone, Crains Run, Heincke Woods, and Bear Creek.  There are also numerous apartment complexes and townhouses scattered throughout Miamisburg.

 

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Downtown Miamisburg is generally known as a walkable community where shopping, dining, recreational, and religious destinations are easily accessible by foot.  Miamisburg is also part of the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority, which has many bus routes located throughout the city.  Within ten-minutes either way, the visitor can step onto Main Street in the old Victorian downtown Miamisburg or they can shop and dine and be entertained at the Dayton Mall complex.

 

Tavelers can access Miamisburg on Interstate 75 through three key interchanges;  the Central Avenue (State Route 725) Interchange, the new Austin Pike Boulevard Interchange which is just south of the City limits via Linden Avenue (old Miamisburg-Springboro Road) and Interstate 675 which is accessed from entrance and exits ramps on

I-75 near the Dayton Mall.  A new interchange to the north of Miamisburg in West Carrollton is now being built.

The nearest small regional airport is the Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport adjacent to the Austin Boulevard Interchange.  The main airport for the city is the James M. Cox Dayton International Airport just north of Dayton jwest of the I70-I75 Interchange.  Other small regional public airports include: Moraine Air Park located in Moraine City, Dayton-New Lebanon Airport, located in between Dayton and New Lebanon. Taxi companies provide service in the area.  The CSX and Norfolk-Southern Railroad Lines provide freight services. CSX passes Miamisburg on the west side of the Great Miami River and the Norfolk-Southern line runs just east of the downtown.

 
EDUCATION

Miamisburg comprises the Miamisburg City School District which includes much of adjacent Miami Township. The school system has a growing enrollment of over 5,700 students whose educational needs are served in ten schools that make up the district.

Miamisburg High School (1972 and being expanded)

Wantz Middle School (1927, closes at end of 2011, replaced by new Middle School)

Bauer Elementary (1967)

Bear Elementary (1956)

Jane Chance Elementary (2010)

Maddux-Lang Primary (2008)

Mark Twain Elementary (1950)

Medlar View Elementary (1999)

Mound Elementary (1955)

Middle School (opens 2011)

Kinder Elementary (Closed 2010 being re-built opens 2012)

Miamisburg is currently ranked third in the Dayton Area for the best academic rate scores. Miamisburg schools won the “Excellent District Award” in 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and again in 2006. Miamisburg High School was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence in 1997. Both Wantz Middle School  and Kinder Elementary were awarded Blue Ribbon Awards in the early 21st century. Recently, in 2006, Kinder Elementary celebrated its 100 year anniversary.  The high school current houses 1600 plus students while the new Middle School scheduled to open for the fall term in 2011 will support 1500 students.

Miamisburg is also home to Our Lady of Good Hope Catholic Elementary School (K-5) in downtown Miamisburg and the Bishop Leibold Catholic School Campus (6-12) on the eastern edge of the City.  This City's Schools also provide transportation to and from the Miami Valley Career Technology Center (formerly Montgomery County Joint Vocational Center).

Other Schools in Miamisburg Include:

Dayton Christian School (elementary, middle and high school)

Inspire Center for Learning, and Creative World of Montessori (age 6 wks-12 yrs)

Miamisburg Christian Academy (Grades K-12)

St. James Pre-School (Parochial- Ages 3-5)

Other Schools (Miami & Washington Townships, Centerville, & Springboro)

First School (private pre-school and kindergarten)

Ohio Operating Engineers Training Center

Primrose School (private – infants, toddlers, pre-kindergarten & kindergarten)

School of Possibilities (Grades 10-12)

Spring Valley Academy (K-12, college preparatory, Seventh Day Adventist)

Nearby Colleges and Universities Within Short Distances

University of Dayton (North off Interstate 75 in Dayton, just 15 minutes away)

Sinclair Community College (North off Interstate 75 in Dayton, just 20 minutes away)

Wright State University (North off Interstate 675 in Fairborn, just 30 minutes away)

CULTURE AND RECREACTION

Miamisburg has a varied culture dating back to the 18th century. It is home to a variety of popular buildings located throughout the city such as the Baum Opera House, Market Square Building, the old Carnegie facility in Library Park and several unique church buildings; St. Jacobs, Trinity and Parkview downtown and St. John’s just east of the city.  Minutes north of Miamisburg are also some well known Dayton landmarks such as the Victoria Theatre, Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, Fifth Third Field, University Of Dayton Arena, the Carillon Park and the Fraze Pavilion in Kettering, and north of Dayton sits Hara Arena and the Ervin J. Nutter Center at Wright State University.

Popular Miamisburg Attractions

A Taste of Wine (specialty wines, craft beers, artisan cheeses)

Baum Opera House (available for miscellaneous functions)

Bullwinkle's (restaurant and bar with outside seating)

Cox Arboretum (greenhouses, ponds, butter fly gazebo, plantings)

Dayton Mall (anchors Macy, Pennys, Elder-Beerman, Sears)

English Manor Bed and Breakfast (English Tudor Mansion)

Extra Innings Baseball/Softball Facility

Farrner’s Market (seasonal)

Fox Motors Inc. (pre-owned car sales and memorabilia museum)

Hamburger Wagon (1913 horse-drawn wagon famous for its hamburgers)

Heritage Village (Gebhart Log Tavern Museum - 1811 and Jacob Kercher Log Home - 1808)

Good Time Charlie's

Great Miami Outfitters (kayaks, canoes and all the accessories)

Koffee Kup (popular Miamisburg breakfast and lunch spot)

Library Park (current library and old Carnegie Library)

Market Square Building (Miamisburg Historical Society Headquarters)

Miami Valley Sports Bar

Sycamore Trails Aquatic Center

Sycamore Trails Park (playground, picnic shelters, pond)

TJ Chumps (restaurant and bar- outside seating)

Annual Events

Boo in the Burg (halloween gathering)

Christmas Festival of Lights

Cruise The Burg (auto show)

Great Miami River Races

Memorial Day Parade

Miamisburg Starving Artists (open air art show)

Miamisburg Turkey Trot (8K run/walk)

Spring Fling (annual carnival, craft and food booths at Library Park)

Sunday Concerts in the Park (sesonal at new Riverfront location)

Thunderburg Motorcycle Show

Motels, Hotels and Inns

Comfort Inn

Comfort Inn Suites

Country Inn and Suites

Days Inn

Extended Stay America Hotel

Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham

Holiday Inn

Knights Inn

Red Roof Inn

Studio Extended Stay Hotel

InTown Suites Extended Stay Living

Acme Boat Company (wood-canvas collapsible rowboats)

Advanced Motorcar Corporation

Bookwalter Wagon Works (1849)

Enterprise Buggy Company

Miamisburg Ice and Cold Storage Company

Miamisburg Paper Mill (Friendly Paper Mill)

Mitchell Wheel Works

Ohio Paper Mill (1879)

Star City Bottling Company

Mound Atomic Energy Plant (Monsanto)

Hoover and Gamble Company (operated the Twine Mill and manufactured mill equipment)

Hatfield Motor Car Company (manufactured the Buggyabout and Unique automobiles in 1907)