Transcription contributed by Martie Callihan 2 May 2005

The History of Warren County Ohio
Part IV Township Histories
Washington Township by Samuel Harris
(Chicago, IL: W. H. Beers Co, 1882; reprint, Mt. Vernon, IN: Windmill Publications, 1992)

Page
707

Fort Ancient is situated on the east side of the Little Miami River, on the College Township road, six miles from Lebanon. At just what date the bottom land on which it is located was first settled is unknown. We know that Isaac Wickersham had a tannery here on a small scale at a very early day. He was succeeded by one Wyatt and he by Robert Jack, who, in 1813, purchased the land and enlarged, to some extent, the tannery. He resided there, opening and improving the farm, till 1838, when he sold out, and, in 1839, went West. The names of James Frazee, John Emil and William Thompson occur as proprietors prior to the time the Miami Railroad was built, in 1844, when Francis B. Howell became proprietor. He built a warehouse and storerooms, which were rented or used by his agents. Some years after, another storehouse was built and occupied by various persons till the spring of 1881, when it was burnt

A bridge was built over the Miami, in 1841 or 1842, by William H. Hamilton, which was swept away in the flood of the spring of 1881, by the middle pier giving way. It was replaced by an iron bridge 186 feet long, built in the same season, by the Wilmington Bridge Company, at a cost of $6,275.

Daniel Perrine keeps the hotel and summer resort and a general store; he is also Justice of the Peace, Postmaster, freight and express agent.

The Methodist Episcopal Church built a house of worship in 1876, but, a portion of the indebtedness remaining unpaid, it is not occupied.

There is in the village a public district school, one blacksmith shop and one saloon. The village is at present composed of twelve families and situated at the foot of the hill below the old fort, from which it takes its name.