Christian Waldschmidt Homestead

In 1794, Christian Waldschmidt, a veteran of the Revolutionary War, moved his family to a site on the Little Miami River and built a community called New Germany. In 1804, he built his home, which included a store and tavern. Waldschmidt was a businessman and encouraged new settlement by staffing a church, helping to found a school, and beginning industries vital to the survival of his new home, such as a paper mill, a cooperative distillery, woolen mill, sawmill, and a blacksmith shop.

During the Civil War, the house and surrounding grounds were part of Camp Dennison, used primarily as a general training center, recruiting depot, and hospital post, and named in honor of Governor William Dennison. The main house, now known as Waldschmidt House, served as the headquarters for General Joshua Bates.

The Christian Waldschmidt Homestead is a member of the Museums & Historic Sites of Greater Cincinnati, which encourages an appreciation of history through tourism, educational programming, and other activities.

Madonna of the Trail

The Madonna of the Trail is a series of monuments dedicated to the spirit of pioneer women in the United States. These monuments were erected in each of the twelve states through which the National Old Trails Road passes, from Maryland to California. All of the Madonnas originally faced west, and were dedicated in the late 1920s.

Ohio’s Madonna of the Trail was originally located along Route 40 in Springfield. It has since been relocated, and is now in the National Road Commons on West Main Street, Springfield.

DAR Plantation at Mohican National Forest

President Franklin D. Roosevelt organized the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) in 1933 to offer employment to out of work citizens, and help the National Forests recover from over-harvesting, devastating fires, and little replanting. Pine trees were sold to organizations for a penny each to help share the cost of the project.

In 1939, the NSDAR President General, Sarah Corbin Robert, chose the Penny Pine program as one of her Golden Jubilee National Projects. Each state was to have a memorial forest, beginning in 1939 and culminating in 1941 on the NSDAR 50th anniversary. Five dollars an acre at a penny each equaled 500 trees.

The Ohio Daughters quickly supported this project by initially donating 18,000 white pine trees which were planted over 34 acres. On September 25, 1958, this DAR Reforestation and Conservation project, known as the DAR Plantation, was dedicated by Elizabeth Darragh Petree, OSDAR State Regent. Over 100 members attended; and Betty O'Neil, serving as First Lady of Ohio, assisted in the dedication.