hamilton township administration
the good:
Text
* The completed project will reduce travel time through the corridor, improve safety, and prepare the Township for future growth.
* Two lanes plus all existing left turn lanes are anticipated to remain open during peak travel times
7780 S. State Route 48 Maineville, OH 45039 Phone: (513) 683.8520 Fax: (513) 683.4325 Mark Sousa - Board Chair Joe Rozzi - Trustee Darryl Cordrey - Trustee Kurt Weber - Fiscal Officer Township Administrator Steve Pegram (513) 239.2372 Police Department Scott Hughes - Police Chief (513) 683.0538 (Non Emergency) Fire & Emergency Services Jason Jewett - Fire Chief (513) 683.1622 (Non Emergency) Public Works Director Don Pelfrey (513) 683.5360 Planning and Zoning Administrator - Cathy Walton (513) 239.2371 Assistant Fiscal Officer Ellen Horman (513) 239.2377 Human Resources Manager Cheryl Allgeyer (513) 239.2384 Zoning Inspector Cory Sanders (513) 334.9689 Parks & Recreation Nicole Earley (513) 239.2391 Cemetery Sexton/PW Admin. Asst. Chrisie Hainey (513) 683.5320 Administrative Assistant (513) 683-8520
* Road closures are not anticipated
Summer 2023
Summer! Ahhhhh, a time for family vacations, backyard bbq's, hangin' poolside, and traffic? Yikes! Everywhere we go, no matter East or West, North or South, construction traffic surrounds us! Construction season is upon us. Contractors use the warm, (usually) dry days of summer when kids are out of school to complete road and bridge projects. Could you imagine how much we'd be complaining if this were happening when school is in session? Well, don't worry; you're about to have that opportunity. Again. We've been trying to prepare you for what to expect with the upcoming SR 48 improvements in past newsletter issues, and now it's showtime! The thoroughfare project of SR 48 and US 22&3 will begin any time now and let's just say, you're going to need to pack your patience. This along with the ongoing King Avenue bridge improvements (continuing through the end of 2023) are sure to test our patience in the year ahead. So find a podcast you love, download some meditative breathing exercises and fasten your seat belts for the road trip ahead!
PACK YOUR PATIENCE
Newsletter
Even though the now infamous zipper merge is located in Deerfield Township, we feel confident in saying it has a huge effect on Hamilton Township residents. It's a hot topic on social media with people standing firmly on one side of the fence or the other. Your blood may be beginning to boil just thinking about it! We're hoping this article will convert a non-zipper to a zipper and we can all reach the sign that welcomes us to Hamilton Township 40% faster! If you're ever heading East on US 22&3 at rush hour, it's impossible to not see the way traffic backs up. Heck, you're most likely sitting in the left lane patiently awaiting the light to change in hopes you make it through this one. Suddenly, you see a car zip past you in the right lane and you think to yourself, "What a jerk!" We've all been there. We've been taught to be patient, courteous drivers that follow the laws of traffic. It's easy to get frustrated by a driver that we think is cutting the line. "Why couldn't they just be patient like the rest of us?" I'm not letting that person in, they can't skip ahead of traffic and cut in front of all of us!" You're probably either staring straight ahead with your hands clenched to the steering wheel or shooting dirty looks at the car that's trying to zipper into the thru lane. All while staying as close as possible to the car in front of you to not let them in at all costs. Well, what if we told you that in this particular situation, you as a thru lane driver are actually contributing to the delays and congestion. That wide open right lane is not intended to remain unoccupied. ODOT even installed signs offering us encouragement to "USE BOTH LANES" and "TAKE TURNS MERGING." Using both lanes maximizes road space and reduces congestion.
DO YOU ZIPPER?
NEED MORE ENCOURAGEMENT? CLICK HERE TO WATCH A VIDEO DEMONSTRATION.
how to zipper
* Take turns at the merge point
ZIP IT UP!
* Resist the urge to merge early
We're here to explain the reasoning behind the zipper merge and how it helps alleviate traffic if used properly. A zipper merge is a late merge tactic to encourage drivers to use both lanes up to the merge point. Many drivers think it's polite to merge early and move to the thru lane. If you're this kind of driver, you also probably think it's rude to wait until the last car length in the ending lane to merge. However this can cause slow-downs in advance of the merged lanes. Leaving a lane unoccupied can lead to unexpected or sudden lane switching and increased speeds (aka "the jerk"). Conversely, a zipper merge encourages drivers to stay in their current lane of travel up to the merge point and then take turns with drivers in the other lane, easing into the single lane and merging like a zipper. With traffic flowing in both lanes, the zipper merge has proven to ease congestion, increase efficiency, and balance drivers' rate of speed. While some may think it makes sense to move into the thru traffic lane sooner, this only works best when traffic is moving at regular speed and there are no back-ups. The zipper merge is better used where there is heavy traffic or slow-downs due to congestion and traffic zones. If we all zipper we will eliminate the (previously known as) "jerk" by fully utilizing both lanes and reducing congestion by up to 40%! Give it a try! Tell your friends! You may just find yourself less stressed by the time you reach home.
* Use both lanes until the merge point
pARK PROGRESS
Still to Come
MARR PARK
MOUNTS PARK
Picnic shelter to be installed with funding from ODNR Natureworks grant
Completed
*New 5 and under playground equipment installed *Painted interior and exterior of restrooms and the Gazebo *New concession sign, field ID signs and information board installed *Ball fields re-graded & treated
TESTERMAN PARK
Click here TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT
Bleachers replaced New water fountains installed
*Playground equipment installed *Demolition work was completed to remove old ball fields *Planted pollinator garden with assistance of Girl Scouts on Earth Day; check out the larger one on Striker Road as well! *Both lakes are now open to paddlecraft
October 14
EVENT CORNER
TRICK OR TREAT, 6PM-8PM
Little Miami Area Chamber Cardboard Boat Regatta 8.19 | Noon-3:00 pm | Oeder's Lake
TRUNK OR TREAT & pet masquerade
Join the HTPD, HTFR, and Loveland PD for this annual event that brings our community and law enforcement together for a fun filled night! Giveaways, bounce houses, petting zoo, balloon animals, food trucks, police & fire demonstrations, and fireworks!
National Night Out 8.1 | 6:00 pm- Dusk | Oeder's Lake
August 1 22
This annual event brings creativity and ingenuity together for a day full of racing to see who can stay afloat. Awards for People's Choice, Most Creative, and "The Titanic." Don't miss the event ending Crash & Sink Derby! Food trucks, music, and lots of laughter!
DECEMBER 16 TH
OCTOBER 31 st
Hamilton Township & The Village of Maineville have created a wonderful partnership and will be hosting some community events jointly to benefit all of our residents together!
Sunflower Field Late September | Daily | Mounts Park
JOINT TREE LIGHTING CELEBRATION
Hamilton Township Fire Rescue opens its doors to give you an up-close look at all that we have to offer our residents. Check out the services we offer and take a sneak peek at our living quarters, common areas and bays to see what a day in the life is like. Demonstrations, meet the Chiefs, FREE lunch and more!
OCTOBER 21 st
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WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA
Station 76 Open House 10.14 | 11:00 am-2:00 pm | Station 76
This field of blooms provides tranquility, nature at work, and endless photo opportunities. Be sure to stop by to take in the sights of these magnificent flowers and learn more about the benefits they provide to our environment.
Late September
August 19 19 22
DECEMBER 9 TH
Once upon a time in the far reaches of Hamilton Township sat a rare Hopewell earthwork known as the Warren County Serpent Mound. It was located inside a loop of Baker's Creek, just south of the Little Miami River off of Stubbs Mill Road. This massive effigy mound, estimated to be 1,900 feet long, 15-20 feet wide and three to five feet high was the pride of Warren County for many years. It was cherished by locals, and old-timers will tell you stories of a parent bringing them to see it or it being a destination for a school field trip. In the early years, Indians were known to come and worship there. When the Baker family owned it in the 1800's they enjoyed showing it to visitors and even allowed a recruiting station to be established in the lower field of the mound during the Civil War where the Little Miami Railroad stopped to enlist men. In 1876 the National Guard camped at the site of the mound for a week and their white tents were seen again in 1878 when General Denver of Wilmington came to speak. The serpent mound was first brought to the attention of the archaeological world during the winter of 1839 after a brief visit by Colonel Charles Whittlesey of Cleveland. He was commissioned to survey and map all the archaeological sites in Ohio. While in the area he discovered a cluster of earthworks which covered an area south and east of Stubbs Mill Road. Since he had only viewed the mound briefly in a snowstorm he simply showed it as a large "W" when he published a map of it in 1850. It didn't gain national attention until Dr. S. S. Scoville of Lebanon came across it in the spring of 1892 and summoned Frederick Putnam of Harvard University to examine it. Frederick Putnam was familiar with effigy mounds (those shaped like animals) as he had saved the Great Serpent Mound in Adams County, Ohio which was the only known effigy mound in the United States up to then. He was also familiar with this area as he had examined the prehistoric Foster Earthworks overlooking the Little Miami River just two years prior. Upon arrival, Putnam recognized the mound as being constructed in the same manner as the one in Adams County but it was considerably longer. Putnam received permission from Jonas Stubbs, the owner of the mound (whose family also had a series of mills directly across the river at Stubbstown), to excavate the mound. Putnam summoned Dr. Charles Metz of Madisonville who had discovered the Turner Mounds in Cincinnati and a young 20 year old student assistant, Harlan Smith, to excavate it. Cuts were made in the mound at intervals and the mound was found to be made of clay with ashes along the edges with stones inside standing upright on each side along the entire length; like the backbone of an animal.
Whittlesey's W Map
Historic
Tales of the Township
The Warren County serpent mound
Dr. Metz's Map
While Dr. Metz was certain the mound was an effigy, Smith disagreed with his superior so much he wrote articles in major archaeological journals claiming it wasn't and publicly discredited sources that said it was. Why was this 20 year old student so obsessed with making sure this mound was never accepted as an effigy mound? No one knows for sure, but his actions created a controversy that remains unanswered to this day. In 1909, The Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society ignored Smith's claims and officially recognized the mound as an effigy. They tried to purchase it several time between 1914 and 1927. It was also listed as an effigy mound in the 1915 Ohio State Archaeological Atlas. Over the years, ownership of the Serpent Mound passed from Levi Baker to Jonas Stubbs, on to E. L. Spence and finally to Larry Schuchter. During that span of over 100 years, people came from all over the country to see the massive mound that looked like a snake. In fact, it had been referred to as the Kingsnake Mound in the early days. On several occasions there was talk of turning the mound into a park as it was a favorite picnic spot. One man offered money to put a marker at the mound and several people offered money to purchase the mound, but no one ever followed through with the offers. There were gaps in the serpent mound from farming and excavation plus most of the head was destroyed when an early road was built to the river. State Senator John Holden of Morrow used his influence to have it restored by the WPA in 1938. The mound by then was owned by Larry Schuchter, who was thinking of selling it. However, after being so impressed with a visit to the Great Serpent Mound of Adams County, he promised to never sell it to someone that would destroy it.
Harvard University Photo of Serpent Mound
The Warren County serpent mound, cont.
NEXT ISSUE: The Longley Brothers: Printers of playing cards & Civil War Cavalry banners in Foster.
F U N
Want to learn more about the discoveries of Metz and Putnam? Check out Dr. Charles Louis Metz and the American Indian Archaeology of the Little Miami River Valley (Tankersley and Newman, 2016).
Thank you to Dr. Karen Dinsmore for her contributions. Special thanks to Judy Evans Smith, Kathy Oeder, Dan Kindel, and Salem Township Library for their help with this article.
did you miss our issue about warren county's lost township? click here to get caught up!
f a c t s At the intersection of Stubbs Mills and Mason Morrow Milgrove Roads there once stood a saw mill, grist mill, woolen mill and cooper shop known as Stubbstown. This group of mills, also referred to as Stubbs Mills, was owned by Isaac Stubbs, a Quaker who moved to Ohio from Georgia. He purchased a grist mill from Jabish Phillips in 1806 and added other mills and a home in 1822. All of this was eventually passed onto his son Zimri Stubbs. His other son, Isaac, who owned the Golden Lamb, lived on 320 acres that eventually sold to J.W. King of Xenia and became Kings Mills.
By 1950, the Ohio Indian Relic Collectors Society began to doubt that the mound was actually a serpent effigy, so an eight-member Warren County Serpent Mound Committee was appointed to look into the status of the mound. When they presented their report in 1951 it was decided that an exhaustive investigation should be made as to whether or not it was an effigy mound to satisfy a handful of doubters including the Cincinnati Enquirer, who claimed the WPA had created the effigy. Aerial photographs were produced and written statements were obtained from over 50 archaeologists and prominent people who had direct knowledge of the mound. Warren King Morehead, grandson of J.W. King (of the King Powder Factory), was one of the many archaeologists listed in the report who believed the mound to be an effigy mound. Having saved Ft. Ancient, he had taken a train to the Serpent Mound to examine it. The committee presented its findings in a 350-page report with the conclusion the mound was indeed, an effigy mound. Whether it was or wasn't didn't matter because the Warren County Serpent Mound was a rare, one-of-a-kind prehistoric earthwork that was significant in and of itself. Unfortunately people couldn't see that, and wasted over two years dwelling on the controversy instead of raising funds to save the rare mound. Meanwhile, Larry Schucter put a price of $10,000 on the mound which was far more than any group wishing to save it could afford. In 1961, Schuchter broke his promise and sold the mound to a gravel company. On March 31, 1971 there was a great sadness among those who valued the mound including Harvard University and The Smithsonian as The Western Star broke the news that the Warren County Serpent Mound had been gobbled up by a gravel company. It was a terrible loss for Hamilton Township and Warren County as it had lost one of the two largest and best-preserved earthworks of its kind in the world.
3 Cups All Purpose Flour 1 Tsp. Baking Soda 1/4 Tsp. Baking Powder 1 1/4 Tsp. Salt 2 1/4 Tsp. Cinnamon 1/4 Tsp. Nutmeg 3 Eggs 2 Cups Sugar 1 Cup Salad Oil 2 Cups Unpeeled, Raw Zucchini, Grated (2 small) 3 Tsp. Vanilla 1 Cup Chopped Nuts, Optional
Chrisie's Kitchen
Zucchini is busting out of our gardens and we've got a great way to spin it into a sweet treat!
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans with cooking spray. 2. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix thoroughly. Set aside. 3. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Stir in sugar and oil. Mix well. Add flour mixture and stir just enough to blend ingredients. Mix in zucchini, then add vanilla and nuts. 4. Pour the batter into the loaf pans and bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 5. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer to wire cooling rack to cool completely. .
Zucchini Bread
RESIDENT corner
Directions
Chrisie made her summer zucchini bread for us in the office recently and it's too good not to share! Chrisie is our Cemetery Sexton and Administrative Assistant for the Public Works Department and enjoys all things family in her free time.
Eagle Scout Aaron Frommeyer completed his Eagle Scout Service Project at Mounts Park by building and installing 3 benches for park visitors to sit and take in the natural beauty of the park. Congratulations and Thank You to Aaron! Each year tens of thousands of Scouts strive to achieve the coveted Eagle Scout rank by applying character, citizenship, and Scouting values in their daily lives. One of the rank requirements is to plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, school, or community.
Congratulations to Hamilton Township resident and recent graduate of Kings High School, Mali Robinson, daughter of Emily & Paul Robinson who was recently awarded the Prestigious Hickman/Stewart Outstanding Character Award of $1,000 at the KLSD Awards night.
Ingredients
Warren County Foundation celebrates 25 years of helping impact our community
Reach out today to learn more about how you can positively impact Hamilton Township and Warren County through charitable giving. www.WarrenCountyFoundation.org - 513-934-1001 - Tom Seddon, CEO
The Warren County Foundation, in cooperation with the Duke Energy Foundation, made a total of $15,000 in Small Business Assistance Grants this year to 12 recipients in Hamilton Township/Morrow/SE Warren County. Hamilton Township Administrator, Steve Pegram, assisted with the grant rewards to small business owners.
The Warren County Foundation (WCF) helps impact Hamilton Township by delivering its mission to enhance the quality of life in Warren County through charitable giving. In 2023, WCF is striving to expand its impact throughout the county with donors and non-profit, government, school and business partners. WCF serves Hamilton Township and the Warren County region by: 1) Providing a variety of funds, backroom support, and investment options to assist individuals and organizations for charitable giving. 2) Addressing community needs by making grants to area non-profit organizations
WCF's Impact in Hamilton Township: "The COVID grant funding that was provided by the Warren County Foundation (WCF) to Family Promise of Warren County (FPWC) touched every area of need in the early days of the pandemic. With this funding FPWC was able to continue to provide services to our families in crisis of homelessness in a way that was safe for all. The support that WCF provides is vitally important to the nonprofit sector in Warren County and all that we serve. " -Linda Rabolt, Executive Director, Family Promise
Our community lined the streets of downtown Maineville and flocked to Testerman Park to take in the sights of our 3rd Annual Freedom Parade & Festival! Vietnam War Veteran Ron Durham served as our 2023 Grand Marshal. Our parade participants put on a great show for our community! .
Grand Marshal Ron Durham The Exchange Club of West Chester Warren County Veterans Civil Air Patrol, Lt Col Jerome P. Ashman Squadron Warren County Little League Victory Pints Barney Wright, WC Treasurer Chief Deputy Barry Riley, WCSO Hill's Martial Arts Richard & Kathy Oeder The Kembel Family Girl Scout Troop 4413 EVO Fit USS Cincinnati Commissioning Foundation Scoopz Northern Cincinnati Youth Orchestra Adam Mathews, State Rep HT Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association Girl Scouts of Western Ohio The Estes Family Jeep Life Kroger Yard Love Little Miami Do Good Mission Mosquito Joe Warren County GOP The Pettit Family Schill Grounds Management F.A.R.M. Club Hughes for Ohio BTW Painting Across the Pond Farm Shine Orthodontics Little Miami Youth Baseball Ohio Chapter E-2 Little Miami Area Chamber of Commerce The Lawson Family Barrett's Towing & Recovery
A HUGE shout out to all of our community volunteers who helped to make this event possible.
Hamilton Township Trustee Mark Sousa Trustee Joe Rozzi Trustee Darryl Cordrey Administrator Steve Pegram Police Chief Hughes & Fire Chief Jewett Public Works Director Don Pelfrey HT Police Department HT Fire Rescue HT Public Works HT Administration Team
Special Thanks
Click here to see our full event calendar
Please Support Those that Support our Community
Volunteers
Parade Lineup
Village of Maineville Mayor Bob Beebe Vice Mayor Katie Hughes Village Council Members: Doug Drook Patricia Tomsic Linda Humphries Allison Billups Scott Williams Fiscal Officer Mary Beth Campbell Street Department