BACKGROUND History
Monroe, Ohio was established in 1817 in the Great Miami River Valley. Up until the early 1900s, Monroe had a population of about 300, two general stores, a handful of churches, a few equipment manufacturing facilities, and residential dwellings . As automobiles became increasingly popular, Cincinnati-Dayton Road became the primary route between Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, and sparked Monroe’s downtown. In 1969, Monroe was hit by a tornado which went through the downtown damaging many structures that had been around for generations. Some buildings were rebuilt, but the downtown never returned to its original state. Today, the downtown is home to City Hall, the fire station, housing, and limited retail and restaurant options. Lemon Monroe High School, which was built in 1925, went through many renovations and expansions before being demolished in 2016. A new elementary and high school, Monroe Elementary & Monroe Junior Senior High School, was constructed off Yankee Road to accommodate for the growing student population. Lemon Monroe High School was located west of the downtown, near City Hall. Monroe Primary School is also near the downtown on Macready Avenue. The former site of Lemon Monroe High School is vacant, and the school district has been exploring options for future use. The School Board may use the land for a future expansion project as they address the district’s future enrollment growth and upgrade their current facilities. This land may also be used for part of a future downtown expansion plan to increase access to school facilities for the public.
East side of former Pike Street, present-day Main Street, where the Monroe National Bank was originally built before relocating in 1910
All historical photos shown have been obtained from the Monroe, Ohio Historical Society Facebook page.
The Monroe National Bank founded in 1905
240 | Advance Monroe 2040 Comprehensive Plan
