Happy birthday, Fairfield! 5 things to know about the city as it turns 65

Fairfield officially became a city on Oct. 20, 1955.

In honor of its 65th birthday, here are things to know about the growth of Fairfield, from the city’s website:

Named for look of the area

Fairfield is part of an area that was set in the “Symmes Purchase” in 1794, when Judge John Cleves Symmes, who has been a Revolutionary War colonel and congressman from New Jersey, bought a span of 330,000 acres. It was named Fairfield “for the natural beauty of the surrounding fields,” according to the city.

It started as part of Fairfield Twp.

The community grew with the help of travel in Ohio 127 and Ohio 4 and the installation of toll roads, the Miami and Erie Canal, the railroad and streetcars.

Moves to make a city started in 1953

The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce made moves to annex part of Fairfield Twp. beginning in 1953, and residents decided to form a village in July 1954 and then, on Oct. 20, 1955, the city of Fairfield.

Big growth in the 1970s

According to the city:A vital link to Interstate 275 opened just before 1970, making the community even more accessible and desirable. The population more than doubled during the decade, from 14,680 to 30,777, the greatest increase in any decade of the city’s history.”

Next phase came after plant closure

The city faced arguably its biggest challenge with the late 1980s closure of the Fisher Body plant. Fisher Body, according to the city, contributed about $1.7 million to the city’s overall income tax revenues. Fairfield was on the “cutting edge” in offering tax incentives to attract businesses to the city, officials said. The city had a lot of vacant land, so staff focused efforts to grow and diversity businesses on that area, which changed its economy.

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