15-80 War of 1812 Blockhouse

15-80 War of 1812 Blockhouse 00

Following the American surrender of Fort Detroit in August 1812, panic spread along the Ohio frontier in fear of possible Indian attacks. The boundary of the Indian territory lay approximately 14 miles to the north at the Greenville Treaty line. Ohio Governor Return Jonathan Meigs, Jr. called out the Ohio Militia to defend the frontier […]

14-80 Culbertson Covered Bridge / Reuben L. Partridge (1823-1900) Bridge Builder

14-80 Culbertson Covered Bridge  Reuben L Partridge 1823-1900 Bridge Builder 00

Culbertson Covered Bridge was built in 1872-1873 by Reuben L. Partridge at a cost of $1,375, using his “Partridge Block” truss design. This bridge was originally constructed across Treacle’s Creek on State Route 4, south of Milford Center. In 1921, the bridge was replaced, but the wooden superstructure was saved for reuse for a new […]

12-80 Bigelow Bridge, Ax Handle Rd / The Darby Plains

12-80 Bigelow Bridge Ax Handle Rd  The Darby Plains 00

Constructed in 1873, the Bigelow Bridge spans approximately 100 feet across Little Darby Creek. Reuben Partridge built the superstructure at a cost of $12.50 per linear foot ($1,500). Bercupile & Snell built the masonry foundation at a cost of $7.00 per perch (a perch is approximately 25 cubic feet). Partridge built bridges throughout Union County […]

11-80 Greeneville Treaty Line / Greeneville Treaty Line in Union County

11-80 Greeneville Treaty Line  Greeneville Treaty Line in Union County 00

The Treaty of Greeneville created the Greeneville Treaty Line. It was the boundary between lands in the original possession of the Indians and those they ceded to the United States, which were south and east of the boundary. Major General “Mad” Anthony Wayne negotiated the treaty with the tribes his army defeated at the Battle […]

10-80 Union Township Civil War Monument

10-80 Union Township Civil War Monument 00

The following notice appeared in the Marysville Tribune newspaper, February 5, 1873: To Arms! To Arms! The Monument Association of Union Township propose holding a Fair and Festival in Milford Centre on Feb 20 and 21…the proceeds to be applied to the fund already raised to erect a Monument in memory of the fallen heroes […]

9-80 Spain Creek Covered Bridge

9-80 Spain Creek Covered Bridge 00

The Spain Creek Covered Bridge was designed and constructed by Reuben Partridge in the 1870s. Partridge began his bridge building career in 1866. At a length of 64 feet, the bridge is the smallest of Union County’s historic covered bridges. Spain Creek flows under the bridge to its nearby confluence with Big Darby Creek. The […]

8-80 New California Church

8-80 New California Church 00

The New California Church was organized in 1826 at a time when the congregation was called the Associate Congregation of Darby and represented Presbyterians whose ancestors came from the “Seceder” tradition of Scotland. Seceder Presbyterians were so named because they left or “seceded from” the mainstream Presbyterian Church when the English Crown claimed the right […]

7-80 Cyprian Lee House / Colonel Noah Orr “Union County Giant”

7-80 Cyprian Lee House  Colonel Noah Orr Union County Giant 01

Cyprian Lee (1792-1854) settled in the Union County wilderness in 1820 and purchased the 118 West Sixth Street lot in 1828 for $6. County treasurer, coroner, shoemaker, and anti-slavery activist, Lee lived here in a log cabin until 1832 when this Greek Revival two-story brick house was completed. Other notable citizens to have resided in […]

6-80 Charles Warren Fairbanks Birthplace / Vice President Charles Warren Fairbanks

6-80 Charles Warren Fairbanks Birthplace  Vice President Charles Warren Fairbanks 00

Charles Warren Fairbanks was born in a log cabin near this location in Darby Township on May 11, 1852 to Loriston and Mary Adelaide Fairbanks. The cabin was replaced by a two-story framed house where he was raised to adulthood. Fairbanks married Cornelia Cole in Marysville in 1874 and they moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where […]