Anderson Township, Hamilton County, Ohio

History

Anderson Township's earliest settlement came in 1788, when pioneer Benjamin Stites settled near the mouth of the Little Miami River. The township was organized in 1793 as part of the Virginia Military District and was bounded by the Ohio and Little Miami Rivers, and the mouth of the Eight Mile Creek to the east. The township was important during its early days as the site of Flinn's Ford, the southernmost crossing of the Little Miami River. Anderson Township remained mainly undeveloped forest and agricultural land until post-World War II suburbanization brought new infrastructure to the community. The population grew by an average of 1,000 persons per year from the 1950s through the early 1990s bringing massive residential and commercial developments to the area. Anderson Township is named for Richard Clough Anderson, Virginia's chief surveyor when the township was created.

Geography

Located in the southeastern corner of the county along the Ohio River, Anderson Township has the following borders:

Anderson Township includes the following census-designated places:

The township is composed of 31.2 square miles (80.8 km²) of rolling hills with steep, wooded hillsides leading down to the Little Miami and Ohio rivers. As of 1990, 36% of Anderson Township had been developed into suburban communities for Cincinnati, 13% into farmland, and the remainder being left as woodland.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 43,446 people in the township. The population density was 1,392.5 people per square mile. There were 16,684 housing units at an average density of 534.7/sq mile). The racial makeup of the township was 94.9% White, 1.1% African American, and 4.0% of all other races combined.

In the township the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 20, 12.4% from 20 to 34, 22.0% from 35 to 49, 22.1% from 50 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.9 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $88,008.

Government

The township is governed by a three-member board of trustees, who are elected in November of odd-numbered years to a four-year term beginning on the following January 1. Two are elected in the year after the presidential election and one is elected in the year before it. There is also an elected township fiscal officer, who serves a four-year term beginning on April 1 of the year after the election, which is held in November of the year before the presidential election. Vacancies in the fiscal officership or on the board of trustees are filled by the remaining trustees. Anderson Township is also a member of the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments.

Police and Fire Services

Police services are provided by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. Fire and Emergency Medical Services are provided by the Anderson Township Fire Department.

Major Roads

Anderson Township is served by Interstate 275, US Route 52, State Route 32 and State Route 125 (Beechmont Avenue). Interstate 275 crosses the Ohio River into Kentucky near the southern border of the township on the Combs-Hehl Bridge. Anderson Township is also in close proximity to US Route 27, US Route 50 and Interstate 471.

Transit

Anderson Township is served by the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, which provides local and commuter bus service on various routes to and from the township. Ridesharing platforms Uber and Lyft provide services to, from and within the township.

Airports

Cincinnati Municipal Lunken Airport (IATA: LUK) provides private and limited amounts of commercial air service and is located immediately southwest of the township near the confluence of the Ohio and Little Miami Rivers. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (IATA: CVG) provides most commercial air service to the area and is located approximately 20 miles southwest in nearby Hebron, Kentucky.

Rail

Rail service is provided by Norfolk Southern Railway in the northernmost portions of the township on a rail line between Cincinnati and Portsmouth.

Schools

Nearly all of Anderson Township is located in the Forest Hills Local School District. The district boasts an "Excellent with Distinction" rating from Ohio Department of Education.

Forest Hills Local School District serves an approximate student population of 7,655 in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The district employs 422 full-time classroom teachers and the district's overall student/teacher ratio is 18.1:1, with an instructional expense of $4,048 per student.

Schools within the district include:

In 2005 the Forest Hills School District was presented a banner from the Ohio Department of Education recognizing the achievement of receiving an "Excellent" rating on the State Report Card for five consecutive years. Only 47 of the state’s 614 school districts have achieved an Excellent rating for five consecutive years putting the district in the top 8 percent of districts in the state. This was achieved with more than 7,000 students and by spending less per pupil than many of the other school districts that are rated excellent.

Library

Anderson Township is served by a branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County., and consistently has one of the highest rates of circulation of the Library's branches.

Notable People

Recreation

Anderson Township is home to Coney Island Amusement Park, Sunlite Pool, Riverbend Music Center and Belterra Park Gaming & Entertainment Center, as well as numerous parks, greenspaces and outdoor activities.