Side A: Thomas Burk Sr. purchased a quarter section of federal land here in 1804. A school house was erected on this purchase in 1809. That same year, a road from Williams’ Mill (Millville) was blazed and a saw mill was built on Indian Creek west of this marker. Obadiah Welliver opened a tavern on his purchase in 1812. Burk sold his grist mill in 1818 and it is thought that the hamlet around this mill was called Dogtown because of a vicious dogfight there. In 1825, Reily Post Office was established at Welliver’s Tavern. That year a woolen mill with textile production machinery was built by Elias Sayres, near the saw mill. Multi-millionaire Elias Jackson (“Lucky”) Baldwin (1828-1909), the founder of Santa Anita Racetrack near Los Angeles, was born here.
Side B: The Millville, Reily, and Milton Turnpike brought prosperity to the village now renamed Bunker Hill. School House No. 10 stood nearby from 1849-1857. By 1850, clothing manufacturing was the major business here. A Post Office was established in 1852. A Universalist church was dedicated in 1855. During the Civil War, the Peace Democrats, called Copperheads, were active in this area. Ohio Congressman Clement Vallandigham, future Peace Democratic leader, campaigned here in 1860 and a traditional Democratic Party pole raising was held here in 1863. Coopers, cobblers, blacksmiths, wagon shops, saddlers, a sorghum mill, a huckster (traveling salesman), a photographer, a clothes pin factory, a band, a music teacher, and a baseball team were here during the 19th century. The Post Office closed in 1906. By 1912, the church had closed.
Sponsors: LCNB National Bank, WM. E. Smith Charitable Trust, Reily Township Historical Societyand the Ohio History Connection
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