History: 

The village of Milford was built on a survey belonging to John Nancarrow a Revolutionary War veteran from Virginia. Nancarrow had a grant of 230 acres but never came here. Due to financial difficulties he sold his Milford survey to Phillip Gatch, on December 20, 1802, for $920.00. In 1806 Gatch sold 125 acres to Ambrose Ransom and two days later Ransom sold 64 1/2 acres to John Hageman. John Hageman was the first permanent settler and named this area Hageman's Mills.

Hageman laid out a village of 46 lots. There were three streets parallel to the river Water St., High St. and Main St. The streets running toward the river were Mill, Cross, (later named for President Garfield), Elm, Locust, and the last was merely known as County Road. County Road ran to the river and connected with the ford across the Little Miami River. The choice lot was No. 1 where the Millcroft now stands. The price was $35.00. Most of the lots sold for the sum of $25.00.

Although Milford's beginnings were religious in nature it was the waterpower that would insure the growth of the community. The first improvement of the water power here was made in 1803 by John Hageman, who put up a small mill. It was rudely built being enclosed with slabs.

By 1815, John Hageman had departed for Indiana and the name of Milford had come into use. The name Milford itself was given to the town because it was the first safe ford north of the Ohio River across the Little Miami. This ford is a shallow place in the river today, as it was when one had to ford the stream to get to the mill. In 1815 a wooden bridge was planned and completed by 1818. The immediate effect of the bridge on travel was so great that other towns made a stir for bridges. Morgan's Raiders burned the single span Bridge built to replace this one that was swept away by the flood in 1858 on July 15, 1863. In 1980, with a census count of 5,232, Milford attained city status.