Butler County, Oh

Settlement in Butler County began when Fort Hamilton was built on the Great Miami River in 1791. For the next century, water shaped the county's fortunes. Settlers built towns, commerce moved on the river, and mills and factories grew up along the Miami and Erie Canal and its hydraulic canals in Hamilton and Middletown. The devastating 1913 flood tested residents' resolve and reshaped parts of the landscape. Despite losses caused by the flood, the county's important landmarks remained. The vintage postcards presented here illustrate Butler County life from the days of the fort through the 1950s. A special chapter honors Miami University, which was chartered in 1809. Miami has become a beacon of learning set among the fields and the alma mater of thousands.

Cheryl Bauer and husband Randy McNutt are members of the Butler County Historical Society and graduates of Miami University. Bauer is the author of Van Wert County. With Rob Portman, she wrote Wisdom's Paradise: The Forgotten Shakers of Union Village. McNutt has written 11 books, including Lost Ohio: More Travels Into Haunted Landscapes, Ghost Towns, and Forgotten Lives. Together, Bauer and McNutt also authored Hamilton.