History of the
Area
- The
Christmas song "Up On the House Top" was
written in New Paris in 1864 by the Reverend Benjamin
Hanby.
- Preble
County is located in the heart of the old Northwest
Territory. General Arthur St. Clair marched through this
area in 1791 on his way to the Maumee River where he was
defeated by Chief Little Turtle of the Miami. The Miami
were part of the Northwest Indian Confederation, which
included the Shawnee, Delaware, Ottawa, Iroquois,
Chippewa & Potawatami. They killed 692 men out of a
force of 3000, handing American forces the worst defeat
they would suffer at the hands of Native Americans. This
area would not be safe for settlement until after General
Mad Anthony Wayne defeated the Indians at the Battle of
Fallen Timbers on August 20, 1794. On August 3, 1795 the
Treaty of Greenville was signed just north of here. The
treaty signed away the Indians rights to most of Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan. It also ended British
influence in the area.
- Annie
Oakley was born on a small farm outside of Greenville in
1860.
- The
Shawnee Tecumseh was born near Springfield just east of
here.
- Young
William Henry Harrison helped build Ft. St. Clair in
Eaton, Ohio during March of 1792 just south of here. He
also spent part of that winter at Ft. Jefferson in New
Madison, just north of here. He became our 9th President
in 1841.
- The
Golden Inn is located on the historic National Road,
which is known today as U.S. Rt. 40. The road was created
by an act of Congress in 1806, and signed into law by
Thomas Jefferson. The road stretched from Baltimore,
Maryland to Vandalia, Illinois.
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