Millvale

Milford is all about community. People get lunch at their neighbor’s restaurant and a haircut at their family friend’s salon. “Whether it’s a food drive or after-school school programs, people here are always willing to get involved and support the community,” says Lonnie Jenkins, who’s been the director of the Millvale Recreation Center for 8 years. In this small-town atmosphere, you’d have no clue downtown Cincinnati is a 5 mile drive away.

When you cross over Mill Creek into the neighborhood, it might feel like you’re in the middle of nowhere. The roads cut through densely wooded hills with aged houses placed here and there throughout the trees. Once you drive up Beekman Street, the trees grow thin, and you’ll find yourself in the center of the neighborhood. You can find residential streets sprouting off the main road that are less than a mile walk or drive to most local businesses. If you go south on Beekman Street, you’ll find a few grid-patterned streets with older row houses built in the 1920s. For the median price of $120,000, you could find a 1960s two-bedroom ranch-style or bungalow on the north end or a 1920s fixer-upper row house on the neighborhood’s south end. Part of the community atmosphere comes from the fact that people here don’t move very often, so you won’t always be able to find a home up for sale. If you’d rather build a house than wait for one, open lots are available for $5,000.

Students here may attend Cincinnati City School District, which is graded a B-minus by Niche. Kids here will likely go through a two-school pipeline, with elementary being kindergarten through sixth grade and high school being seventh through 12th grade. They could begin at Ethel M. Taylor Academy, which Niche grades a C. Ethel is less than a mile walk from most homes in the neighborhood and has a partnership with the Millvale Recreation Center next door. After school, kids walk to the Recreation Center for organized activities that teach them the importance of physical health. While elementary is zoned by location, high school assignment is done by a lottery, so students can be assigned anywhere in the district. They could go to Gilbert A. Dater High School, which is graded a C by Niche.

Along with kids, Adults also rely on the Millvale Recreation Center for physical activities and educational courses. “We serve the community in any way we can,” says Jenkins, “along with fitness classes, we have a food pantry and help people fill out their taxes.” The Center has all your traditional indoor facilities like basketball courts, pools and workout areas, but they also have an outdoor pool and community garden. During the holidays, the Center organizes community events to bring people together and help those in need, like a Halloween party and food drives for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Besides the Recreation Center, there isn’t much activity in the neighborhood, but that gives you time to check out the local restaurants. Jewell’s Soul Food serves up all the stick-to-your-ribs classics, but locals swear by her famous mac and cheese. Walk next door to The Surfin Salmon, where you can get salmon in any way imaginable. There are small markets in the area, but for your more substantial shopping needs, there’s a Walmart 5 miles away. For a rainy day activity, drive just over a mile away to the American Sign Museum. This neon wonderland displays signs from over 100 years of American history. For a day full of shopping and dining, downtown Cincinnati is just a 5 mile drive or bus ride away.

When you’re this close to a major city, it’s hard to find a place with such a neighborly spirit, but that’s exactly what you’ll find in Millvale.

Written By

Ed Coombs

Photography Contributed By

Daniele Giuseppe Del Gaudio

Video By

Jordan Sain