Lebanon

Founded in 1802, Lebanon, Ohio, was once dubbed by noted author and broadcaster Charles Kurault as the most historic spot in the state. Home to Ohio,s oldest business, the iconic Golden Lamb, and the oldest weekly newspaper west of the Allegheny Mountains, the Western Star, Lebanon has sat quietly by the side of the road for over two centuries and waited while the world came to it. Located midway on the main stage route between Cincinnati and Dayton, Lebanon was a natural stopping point for travelers throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, including 12 U.S. presidents and numerous authors and dignitaries who would help mold America,s future. Along the way, Lebanon was home to one of the earliest coeducational teachers colleges, National Normal University, and the largest Shaker community in the west, Union Village. The men and the monuments are all gone now, but the city, rich in history and heritage, remains.

Local author Fred Compton has studied and documented Lebanon's history for over 40 years. He has gathered images from museum archives and several private collections to illustrate the varied and colorful past of this truly unique small town.