Butler County, Ohio#History

{{short description|County in Ohio, United States}}

{{Distinguish|Butler, Ohio}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Butler County

| state = Ohio

| flag = Flag of Butler County, Ohio.png

| seal = Seal of Butler County Ohio.svg

| founded = May 1, 1803{{Cite web |title=Ohio County Profiles: Butler County |url=http://www.odod.state.oh.us/research/FILES/S0/Butler.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070621230424/http://www.odod.state.oh.us/research/FILES/S0/Butler.pdf |archive-date=June 21, 2007 |access-date=April 28, 2007 |publisher=Ohio Department of Development}}

| seat wl = Hamilton

| largest city = Hamilton

| area_total_sq_mi = 470

| area_land_sq_mi = 467

| area_water_sq_mi = 3.1

| area percentage = 0.7%

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 390357

| pop_est_as_of = 2024

| population_est = 399542 {{increase}}

| density_sq_mi = auto

| time zone = Eastern

| web = https://bcohio.gov

| named for = General Richard Butler

| ex image = ButlerCountyCourthouseNorthFace02.jpg

| ex image size = 250px

| ex image cap = Butler County Courthouse

| district = 8th }}

Butler County is a county located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 390,357.{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/butlercountyohio/PST045221 |access-date=July 6, 2022 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} Its county seat and largest city is Hamilton.{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}} It is named for General Richard Butler, who died in 1791 during St. Clair's Defeat.{{Cite book |last=Rennick |first=Robert M. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=azPttlmsv24C&pg=PT103 |title=Kentucky Place Names |date=August 28, 2013 |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |isbn=9780813144016 |pages=103– |access-date=September 6, 2014}} Located along the Great Miami River, it is also home to Miami University, a public university founded in 1809.

Butler County is part of the Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area. The majority of the county is in District 52 of the State House.

Major highways

{{div col|colwidth=18em}}

  • {{Jct|state=OH|I|75}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|US|27}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|US|42}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|US|127}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|SR|4}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|SR|63}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|SR|73}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|SR|122}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|SR|126}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|SR|128}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|SR|129}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|SR|130}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|SR|177}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|SR|503}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|SR|732}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|SR|744}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|SR|747}}
  • {{Jct|state=OH|SR|748}}

{{div col end}}

History

Successive cultures of ancient Indigenous peoples of the Americas occupied areas of the county. They built large earthworks, seven of which were still standing and recorded by a Smithsonian survey.{{Cite book |last=Squier |first=E.G. |url=http://www.wdl.org/en/item/4301/view/1/57/ |title=Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley |publisher=Smithsonian Institution |year=1848 |location=Washington, D.C. |page=57 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908225841/http://www.wdl.org/en/item/4301/view/1/57/ |archive-date=September 8, 2014 |url-status=live}}

Early French explorers likely passed through the area along the Miami River.{{Cite book |last=Bartlow |first=Bert Surene |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H283AQAAMAAJ |title=Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio |publisher=B. F. Bowen |year=1905 |access-date=June 22, 2014}} The gravesites of David and Margaret Gregory indicate they were some of the first white settlers in the area in Liberty Township. White settlers began moving into the area in larger numbers after the 1793 Treaty of Greenville was signed with the Native Americans of the area.

Butler County was formed on March 24, 1803, from portions of Hamilton County. It is named for General Richard Butler.{{Cite book |last=Taylor, William Alexander |url=https://archive.org/details/ohiostatesmenan00taylgoog |title=Ohio Statesmen and Annals of Progress |publisher=Press of the Westbote Company |year=1899 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/ohiostatesmenan00taylgoog/page/n264 243]}} Between 1803 and 1823, the townships of the county became officially recognized. Large portions of the county were held by non-resident owners, including 640 acres owned by future President William H Harrison. Some land that was originally part of Butler County was reassigned to Warren County in the north and Hamilton County to the south. Butler County's original size was 480 sq miles.

In 1830, Peter Schrock emigrated from France to live in Butler County.

Around the late 1860s or early 1870s, the community of Mauds was the sight of an attempt by a local entrepreneur to construct a mill that worked via perpetual motion. A large crowd gathered to watch the mill start, and when it did not, laughter ensued. Nothing was heard from the unnamed entrepreneur again, and the mill quickly vanished. The local newspapers did not record the event, and the only record of its occurrence was transmitted by elderly residents of Mauds to one William Marion Miller of Miami University.Arthur W.J.G. Ord-Hume, Perpetual Motion: The History of an Obsession (New York: Barnes & Noble, 1977), 208-212.

The Great Flood of 1913 affected much of the county, particularly the communities of Middletown, Ohio where approximately 25% of the town was flooded and 6 people died and Hamilton, Ohio, where 46% of the city was flooded, over 300 buildings destroyed, and at least 98 people killed.{{Cite book |last=United States. Weather Bureau |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_8BGAQAAIAAJ&q=hamilton&pg=PA116 |title=Bulletin: Lettered Ser |publisher=United States. Weather Bureau |year=1913 |pages=54–55}}

In the 1920s, Butler, Pickaway and Washington counties were central areas of the rural membership of the Ku Klux Klan in Ohio.{{Cite book |last=Giffin |first=William Wayne |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Z2MCDFaRcD0C&pg=PA115 |title=African Americans and the Color Line in Ohio, 1915-1930 |publisher=Ohio State University Press |year=2005 |isbn=9780814210031 |pages=115– |access-date=June 22, 2014}}

In 1957, the Ohio Legislature established Hueston Woods State Park, which covers 3,596 acres in Butler and neighboring Preble County. In addition to a 625-acre manmade lake, the park contains the 200-acre Hueston Woods, one of the last near-virgin growths of American beech and maple in Ohio.{{Cite book |last=Ney |first=Jason |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-fjVJzgWd0IC&pg=PA154 |title=America's Natural Places: The Midwest |last2=Nichols |first2=Terri |date=November 25, 2009 |publisher=ABC-CLIO |isbn=9780313353178 |pages=154– |access-date=June 22, 2014}}

Geography and geology

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|470|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|467|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|3.1|sqmi}} (0.7%) is water.{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_39.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140504223453/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_39.txt |archive-date=May 4, 2014 |access-date=February 7, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

The majority of Butler County consists of the river valleys of the Great and Little Miami Rivers. The valley was originally carved by glaciation.

The soil at highest uplands is frequently heavy in clay, moving downhill to a sandy loam, while in the valleys the soil is black with river deposits.

Before deforestation by settlers, much of the area was forests of American beech and maple trees.

=Adjacent counties=

Demographics

{{US Census population

| 1810 = 11150

| 1820 = 21746

| 1830 = 27142

| 1840 = 28173

| 1850 = 30789

| 1860 = 35840

| 1870 = 39912

| 1880 = 42579

| 1890 = 48597

| 1900 = 56870

| 1910 = 70271

| 1920 = 87025

| 1930 = 114084

| 1940 = 120249

| 1950 = 147203

| 1960 = 199076

| 1970 = 226207

| 1980 = 258787

| 1990 = 291479

| 2000 = 332807

| 2010 = 368130

| 2020 = 390357

| estyear = 2024

| estimate = 399542

| estref= {{Cite web |title=QuickFacts Butler County |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/butlercountyohio/PST040224| access-date=May 18, 2025 |website=census.gov }}

| align-fn = center

| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=February 7, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}
1790-1960{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/ |archive-date=August 11, 2012 |access-date=February 7, 2015 |publisher=University of Virginia Library}} 1900-1990{{Cite web |date=March 27, 1995 |editor-last=Forstall |editor-first=Richard L. |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/oh190090.txt |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214234943/http://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/oh190090.txt |archive-date=February 14, 2015 |access-date=February 7, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}
1990-2000{{Cite web |date=April 2, 2001 |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218203824/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=December 18, 2014 |access-date=February 7, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} 2010-2020

}}

=2000 census=

As of the census{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov |access-date=January 31, 2008 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} of 2000, there were 332,807 people, 123,082 households, and 87,880 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|712|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 129,793 housing units at an average density of {{convert|278|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the county was 91.20% White, 5.27% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 1.55% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.62% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. 1.43% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 28.1% were of German, 16.7% American, 10.7% Irish, and 9.8% English ancestry according to Census 2000. Those citing "American" ancestry in Butler County are of overwhelmingly English extraction, most English Americans identify simply as American because their ancestors have been in North America for centuries{{emdash}}in some cases since the 1600s.{{Cite web |title=Ancestry of the Population by State: 1980 - Table 3 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/files/pc80-s1-10/tab03.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224233043/http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/files/pc80-s1-10/tab03.pdf |archive-date=February 24, 2012 |access-date=February 10, 2012}}[https://books.google.com/books?id=SVoAXh-dNuYC&dq=Sharing+the+dream:+white+males+in+multicultural+America++english+ancestry&pg=PA57 Sharing the Dream: White Males in a Multicultural America] By Dominic J. Pulera.Reynolds Farley, 'The New Census Question about Ancestry: What Did It Tell Us?', Demography, Vol. 28, No. 3 (August 1991), pp. 414, 421.Stanley Lieberson and Lawrence Santi, 'The Use of Nativity Data to Estimate Ethnic Characteristics and Patterns', Social Science Research, Vol. 14, No. 1 (1985), pp. 44–46.Stanley Lieberson and Mary C. Waters, 'Ethnic Groups in Flux: The Changing Ethnic Responses of American Whites', Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, Vol. 487, No. 79 (September 1986), pp. 82–86.

There were 123,082 households, out of which 35.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 10.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.60% were non-families. 22.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.90% under the age of 18, 11.90% from 18 to 24, 29.80% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 10.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $47,885, and the median income for a family was $57,513. Males had a median income of $42,052 versus $27,602 for females. The per capita income for the county was $22,076. About 5.40% of families and 8.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.10% of those under age 18 and 7.00% of those age 65 or over.

=2010 census=

As of the census of 2010, there were 368,130 people, 135,960 households, and 95,404 families residing in the county.{{Cite web |title=DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US39017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213021829/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US39017 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=December 27, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} The population density was {{convert|788.2|PD/sqmi}}. There were 148,273 housing units at an average density of {{convert|317.5|/sqmi}}.{{Cite web |title=Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US39017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213234554/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US39017 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=December 27, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} The racial makeup of the county was 86.0% white, 7.3% black or African American, 2.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.1% Pacific islander, 1.8% from other races, and 2.1% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.0% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 27.0% were German, 14.8% were American, 13.6% were Irish, and 9.7% were English.{{Cite web |title=DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US39017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213025808/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US39017 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=December 27, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

Of the 135,960 households, 35.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 29.8% were non-families, and 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.10. The median age was 36.0 years.

The median income for a household in the county was $54,788 and the median income for a family was $68,539. Males had a median income of $50,499 versus $37,094 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,892. About 8.3% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.{{Cite web |title=DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates |url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US39017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213021102/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US39017 |archive-date=February 13, 2020 |access-date=December 27, 2015 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}

Politics

Prior to 1952, Butler County was strongly Democratic in presidential elections, only backing two Republican candidates for president from 1856 to 1948. The Republican Party was in fact so weak that Eugene Debs came in second in the 1912 election. Starting with the 1952 election, it has become a Republican Party stronghold, with the sole Democrat to win the county in a presidential election since then being Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 in the midst of his statewide and national landslide victory.

{{PresHead|place=Butler County, Ohio|source={{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323225526/https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/ |archive-date=March 23, 2018 |access-date=April 30, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}}}

{{PresRow|2024|Republican|114,831|66,713|1,708|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|2020|Republican|114,392|69,613|2,732|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|2016|Republican|106,976|58,642|9,376|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|2012|Republican|105,176|62,388|2,966|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|2008|Republican|105,341|66,030|2,688|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|2004|Republican|109,872|56,243|704|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|2000|Republican|86,587|46,390|3,760|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1996|Republican|67,023|43,690|11,685|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1992|Republican|63,375|39,682|28,055|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1988|Republican|75,725|33,770|713|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1984|Republican|76,216|27,700|598|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1980|Republican|61,231|31,796|5,874|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1976|Republican|49,625|35,123|1,469|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1972|Republican|50,380|21,194|2,061|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1968|Republican|35,962|23,649|14,191|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|31,413|42,278|0|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1960|Republican|46,518|32,778|0|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1956|Republican|41,785|24,331|0|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1952|Republican|35,769|30,751|0|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|21,393|24,276|322|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|22,702|26,698|0|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|23,380|30,821|0|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|17,842|29,892|2,098|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|19,673|22,516|1,819|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1928|Republican|29,124|15,663|255|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1924|Republican|19,349|11,612|3,437|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|14,998|16,437|1,961|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|5,850|10,806|1,736|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|3,431|7,763|5,469|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|7,320|9,678|1,026|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|7,048|7,397|1,066|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|6,025|8,880|339|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|5,936|8,724|103|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1892|Democratic|4,636|7,834|352|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1888|Democratic|4,143|7,454|319|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1884|Democratic|3,976|6,751|102|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1880|Democratic|3,831|6,266|10|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1876|Democratic|3,351|6,029|11|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1872|Democratic|2,993|4,926|52|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1868|Democratic|3,298|4,945|0|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1864|Democratic|3,250|4,316|0|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1860|Democratic|2,867|4,109|340|Ohio}}

{{PresRow|1856|Democratic|2,301|3,509|296|Ohio}}

|}

{{U.S. SenHead|place=Butler County, Ohio|Seat=1|source={{cite news |title=2024 Senate Election (Official Returns) |website=Commonwealth of Texas by county |date=November 5, 2024 |access-date=December 5, 2024 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-elections/ohio-senate-results}}}}

{{U.S. SenRow|2024|Republican|104,952|69,734|6,557|Ohio}}

{{U.S. SenFoot}}

Education

There are sixteen school districts having territory in Butler County.{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st39_oh/schooldistrict_maps/c39017_butler/DC20SD_C39017.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Butler County, OH|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=2024-07-18}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st39_oh/schooldistrict_maps/c39017_butler/DC20SD_C39017_SD2MS.txt Text list]

=Primary Boundaries in Butler County=

=Partial Boundaries in Butler County=

=Private High Schools=

=Higher Education=

Butler County is home to Miami University.

==Campuses==

Butler County is also home to Butler Tech, a Career Technical Education institution for High School students and Adults. Butler Tech has campuses in West Chester and Fairfield Township.

Communities

=Cities=

{{div col}}

{{div col end}}

=Villages=

=Census-designated places=

=Unincorporated communities=

=Townships=

There are thirteen civil townships in Butler County and three paper townships:

==Civil==

==Paper==

  • Hamilton
  • Heritage (Fairfield){{Cite web |title=Archived copy |url=http://www.bocc.hamilton-co.org/agenda%5CImages.nsf/LUImagesByKey/257~01041995~09:30:00~15~15.pdf/$FILE/15.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140713135808/http://www.bocc.hamilton-co.org/agenda%5CImages.nsf/LUImagesByKey/257~01041995~09:30:00~15~15.pdf/$FILE/15.pdf |archive-date=July 13, 2014 |access-date=June 30, 2022 |website=www.bocc.hamilton-co.org}}
  • Middletown

==Ohio House Districts==

==Ohio Senate Districts==

Transportation

The Butler County Regional Transit Authority provides bus service throughout the county primarily serving Hamilton, Oxford, and Middletown. The service connects to the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority in Springdale.

==Notable people==

{{div col}}

{{div col end}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

Further reading

  • Bert S. Barlow, W.H. Todhunter, Stephen D. Cone, Joseph J. Pater, and Frederick Schneider, eds. Centennial History of Butler County, Ohio. Hamilton, Ohio: B.F. Bowen, 1905.
  • Jim Blount. The 1900s: 100 Years In the History of Butler County, Ohio. Hamilton, Ohio: Past Present Press, 2000.
  • Butler County Engineer's Office. Butler County Official Transportation Map, 2003. Fairfield Township, Butler County, Ohio: The Office, 2003.
  • [http://www.rootsweb.com/~ohbutler/cyc/index.html A History and Biographical Cyclopaedia of Butler County, Ohio with Illustrations and Sketches of Its Representative Men and Pioneers]. Cincinnati, Ohio: Western Biographical Publishing Company, 1882.
  • Ohio. Secretary of State. The Ohio municipal and township roster, 2002–2003. Columbus, Ohio: The Secretary, 2003.