PHOTOS: 2016 Bellbrook Sugar Maple Festival
1. What's in a name? Early suggestions for a name for the new town were "Opdykeville" and "Clanceyville" before Bellbrook was agreed upon. The first part of the name comes from an early proprietor, Stephen Bell, and the second part from the Little Sugar Creek that flows through part of town.
2. Oink oink. Bellbrook played an important role in the early pork business. Thousands of hogs were driven to slaughter houses near the village, butchered and packed and then driven to Cincinnati by wagon.
» RELATED: Bellbrook historical home demolished
3. Let's make a toast. The first tavern in town, the Clancey House, was opened in 1816 by James Clancey after his cabin became the hub of activities in the town. The "publick house of entertainment" became a popular destination for the region.
» EXCLUSIVE CONTENT: Download our apps for real-time alerts on the news you care about
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
4. Fountain of youth. While digging a well in 1882, Andrew Byrd encountered a "strong vein of water." A trowel dunked in the water became magnetized, as did other pieces of steel. The "medicinal qualities" of the water prompted Byrd to open a "sanatorium" at Magnetic Springs to treat all manner of disease.
MORE ANNIVERSARIES
» HUBER HEIGHTS: How it became a city
» BEAVERCREEK: Its history since 1803
» WRIGHT-PATT: Formed in 1948 from key areas of flight history
» LEBANON: From Ichabod Corwin to today
5. A lost harvest. Jesse Sanders, a Bellbrook mechanic, is credited for the design of the first wheat reaper. He worked on it for five years before displaying it publicly in 1845. It is believed a man in the crowd at the demonstration stole his idea, and the pattern was marketed by a Chicago company.
» NEWS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up for our email newsletters on the topics you love
About the Author