Loveland City Hall history

1858: Well-known mountain-man Mariano Medina first visits Thompson Valley, but leaves soon after.

1860: Medina returns with his family and a small group of Spanish settlers and acquires land next to the Big Thompson River.

1867: Andrew Douty relocates his flour mill to the valley from Boulder.

1870: David Barnes and his family purchase 320 acres in the Thompson Valley.

The Little Miami River, which separates Clermont and Hamilton Counties, was a limiting factor to growth in the area until the construction of a bridge in 1872.

In 1873, a new flour mill owner arrived to the area, David Barnes.

On May 16, 1876, Loveland was incorporated as a village with a population of less than 800 residents.

1877: Once the crops were harvested, Barnes begins to plot an 80-acre town site.

By the time Medina died in 1878, Namaqua had faded into history.

Homes began to follow shortly thereafter and on May 11, 1881, the residents voted to incorporate.

1886: David Barnes, the town’s pioneer who was adored by the residents, passes away.

Loveland's First Congregational Church was organized in 1901.

Another major employer was the Spring Glade Orchard, which was the largest cherry orchard west of the Mississippi River during the late 1920s.

The Elks bought the building in 1926. (Fourth stop)

The Loveland Post Office & Federal Building (#8) where Loveland’s Valentine Remailing Program first began in 1947.

The congregation moved to a new church in 1957 and the old church building eventually was purchased by the Lutheran church.

By 1960 cherries were no longer farmed in Loveland as the industry wasn’t able to compete with cherry growers in California and Michigan.