Loveland, Ohio

After a quick snack and iced-coffee at the Branch Hill Coffee Shop I continued on, almost missing the sharp left turn onto Branch Hill Loveland Road.  Many years ago I lived in this area and enjoyed countless Saturday and Sunday afternoons driving these crazy back roads, not worrying if I was lost and always knowing I would stumble upon something interesting whether it be a small town, old cemetery, views of the river or just a great place to grab a bite to eat. For me, driving the Buckeye Trail is not about getting to a place, it’s about the journey and enjoying each turn and bend in the road.  I am still in the early stages of this new adventure and so far it has been great fun. After a long day of scouting the trail, taking pictures and getting a little sunburned, I come home exhausted and excited to be back out on the road the next day.

Historic buildings in downtown Loveland

With that said let’s head to Loveland. I have had many great meals in this old town along the Little Miami River and did my fair share of jogging on the bike trail.  Loveland has the good fortune of possessing great old buildings, a distinct, well defined downtown area with a popular bike trail cutting through its center and proximity to larger communities. Not every river town can remain relevant over time. Some towns simply fade away.

I am hard-pressed to pick my favorite place to eat.
Paxton's always delivers. The service is great and they remember your name.
I am partial to the pulled pork quesadilla and a cold beer. 

At times, Loveland reminds me of a mini- Hyde Park. There’s always people running, walking or biking along the bike trail and there are plenty of great places to eat. Sit quietly and you will hear runners talking about how training is going for their next race or bicyclists discussing how they fared during their most recent century ride (that’s 100 miles of biking!).  With all the energy pulsing through town there is an equally calm, relaxed undercurrent keeping all in balance. Kids head down to the river for fishing, swimming and skipping rocks on summer days. Older gentlemen meet at the park to visit and the eateries along the trail tempt us all to enjoy a good meal and a relaxed afternoon.

The Little Miami River

After exploring the riverbank, I took shelter in the shade
beside the Little Miami Scenic River & Trail Center.

With your drive into Loveland you experience firsthand what drew early residents to the area. I found many references when reading about Loveland to it being called 'Little Switzerland of the Miami Valley.' While the river did impede development on the west bank of the river until a wagon bridge was built in 1872, the area beckoned residents with its natural beauty, fertile soil, rich woods, river and later, railway transportation.   

Loveland was settled by Colonel Thomas Paxton in 1795, but it is named after James Loveland, who operated a general store in town. As the story goes, people  were told to, Drop off the mail and packages at Loveland’s store or simply, at Loveland’s. 

Loveland Sweets; Fine candies

Loveland may have been born a river town, but it grew and prospered as a railroad town. By the mid 1850’s the Marietta and Cincinnati railroad was operating in Loveland and by the end of the nineteenth century delivering 40 passengers a day and 12 freight trains between Loveland and Cincinnati. 

The Works - Great pizza!

After sampling a few treats from Loveland Sweets, a short stroll along the bike trail (Buckeye Trail) was in order.
Here are a few points of interest I found while reading the history of Loveland that I will research a bit more:

• The first house on the site of the town was built about 1813, by Patrick McGarvey, a deserter from the British army
• During the Civil War, Confederate Brig. Gen. John Hunt Morgan and his troops passed through Loveland, seizing possessions of northern and southern sympathizers.
• In 1886, the skeleton of a mastodon and prehistoric stone tools were found in a Loveland gravel pit.

The bike trail  runs directly in front of The Little Miami Scenic River and Trail Center