Gatch Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Gatch Site
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Northeastern portion of the site
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | On the Gatch farm, off Gatch Avenue above the Little Miami River |
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| Nearest city | Milford, Ohio |
| Area | 75 acres (30 ha) |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001414 |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1974 |
The Gatch Site is an archaeological site located near Milford, Ohio, United States. It's one of the biggest archaeological sites in Clermont County. Experts believe it was once a Native American village during the Middle Woodland period. This was a long time ago, when people lived in settled communities and started farming.
Discovering the Gatch Site
The Gatch Site covers about 75 acres of land. This area was once part of a farm owned by John N. Gatch. For a long time, local people knew this place was special. They found many artifacts here. These are objects made by people in the past.
Farmers would often find more artifacts when they plowed their fields. The plowing brought old items closer to the surface. Archaeologists have studied the site carefully. They found the most artifacts in the southern and northwestern parts of the farm. These finds included old firepits, campsites, and even burials.
Protecting the Gatch Site
In the mid-2000s, a group called the Valley View Foundation started a project. Their goal was to buy land along the East Fork of the Little Miami River. They wanted to protect parts of the river valley from erosion. Erosion is when soil and rock are worn away by wind or water.
The main part of their project was an area called the "Bottoms." This area is on the north side of the river. It's located west of where Interstate 275 and U.S. Route 50 meet. A company had planned to build on this land in the late 1980s. However, the city of Milford did not allow the building plans.
So, the company sold the land in 2002. Now, the city owns it. The Gatch family farm is located within this "Bottoms" area. The Valley View Foundation pointed out how important the Gatch Site was. They said it was a key part of the area's history. This helped them get support for their conservation program.
National Recognition
In 1974, the National Park Service officially recognized the Gatch Site. They added it to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important places in American history. Being on the list helps protect the site.
The Gatch Site is one of nine archaeological sites in Clermont County on this list. Another site is the Clarke Farm Site. Like the Gatch Site, it has also provided many artifacts from the Woodland period. These sites help us learn about the people who lived here long ago.
