In 2002, the Valley View Foundation was established by a group of passionate citizens who shared a vision to preserve one of the last family farms in this area to serve as a nature preserve. More than $4 million has been raised through donations, public and private grants to make Valley View a reality for all to enjoy. The property lies almost entirely within a 100-year floodplain and includes ex
amples of every ecosystem in southwest Ohio including: streamside and isolated wetlands, steep wooded hillsides, riparian forests, native tallgrass, wildflower prairies and more than one mile of the East Fork of the Little Miami River. Valley View also has a rich history that spans about 12,000 years. Sitting on a broad plain at the confluence of the East Fork and Little Miami Rivers just 8 miles upstream of the Ohio River, this land was the equivalent of a highway interchange for Native Americans. It contains artifacts dated to 10,000 B.C. and was at the base of an elaborate mound system known as the Milford Works that was surveyed by the Army Corps at the request of Thomas Jefferson in the early 1800s. The descendants of the three families that settled this land shortly after the Revolutionary War still live on surrounding properties and have pictures, letters, stories and artifacts that explain what took place on the land for the past 200 years. In 2015, after 164 years of enjoying their family home, the Gatch family transferred ownership of historic Arrowhead Farm to Valley View for permanent preservation. It is a beautiful part of the property overlooking the lower fields. Today, Valley View includes a total of 190 acres, open daily to the public, dawn to dusk at no cost. The foundation is supported by generous donations from members and community partners. Valley View has more than five miles of trails running through its fields and woodlands. Volunteer teams maintain the property which serves as an outdoor classroom for school children, includes Milford's first community garden, a hops field, 3 historic barns, an1820 farmhouse, and offer a variety of outdoor events throughout the year.
