Oxford

Milford Township feels like the middle of nowhere, but that’s what people love about it. Forty miles outside Cincinnati, you can have a single-family home with more than 5 acres of land all to yourself. The area is mostly agricultural land between three small towns: Darrtown, Collinsville and Somerville. <br><br>Darrtown's 2 square miles of residential streets follow a grid pattern, and you'll find a handful of local businesses in the middle of town. Five miles north, Somerville also has a grid layout but fewer homes than Darrtown, and 4 miles east, less-populated Collinsville has only a few rows of homes, many with a clear view of the prairie. Architecture is pretty consistent throughout the area, with primarily ranch-style, prairie-style or Colonial Revival homes, but none are the main draw. “Most of what you’re paying for here is the land,” says Paul Gillespie, a Milford Township Trustee for over 30 years, “because of agricultural zoning, many lots are over 5 acres.” A three-bedroom ranch-style home on a half-acre lot can sell for about $250,000, whereas the same house on a 6-acre lot can go for around $450,000. <br><br>Students may attend Talawanda City Schools, which Niche graded a B overall. They can begin at Bogan Elementary, which is graded a B by Niche. They move on to Talawanda Middle School, which Niche graded a B-minus. Finally, they end at Talawanda High School, which is graded a B by Niche. Talawanda High hosts summer sports camps ranging from basketball to swimming and diving for local kids. <br><br>Most of the open space here is occupied by farmland, so locals love to take advantage of the available public spaces. One of those spots is the Collinsville Community Center. “The center is the main meeting ground for local events and clubs,” says Gillespie. On a sunny day, people go to Edot Park for outdoor fun. The park is less than a mile walk from most homes in Darrtown and has a playground and baseball diamonds. <br><br>When it comes to shopping, grain and feed stores prevail, while grocery and retail stores are sparse. There are a couple of staple restaurants like The Hitching Post Saloon, which opened in 1815, making it the oldest saloon in Ohio. Their thick-cut fried bologna sandwich is a favorite among locals. For a convenient bite to eat, stop at Megan’s Grocery & Pizza. If you’re looking for more options, drive just over 5 miles west to the city of Miami, where you’ll find a selection of restaurants. While you’re there, you can also check off your grocery list at Kroger and Walmart. <br><br>Yes, Milford Township is mostly open fields, but that’s exactly why people come here. When the suburbs of Cincinnati feel crowded, you can go here for some needed breathing room.

Folks in Reily have room to breathe in homes surrounded by acres of Ohio prairie land, but the community is still at the center of life here. “People here work to help each other out,” says Dennis Conrad, Reily Fire Chief and Town Trustee for over 40 years. “For example, our squad is all volunteers, made up of farmers, business owners and people that work up the road in Oxford.” People here can enjoy the tranquility of a rural lifestyle mixed with the neighborly atmosphere of a small town. Reily is almost entirely farmland, but at the center of it all is the main street area that’s no more than a square mile. The architecture in town has a historic prairie charm, with homes dating between the 1840s and 1940s that have simple square designs, wood siding and front porches perfectly built for a rocking chair. These homes range from a two-bedroom ranch-style or bungalow for about $160,000 to a four-bedroom colonial revival for $330,000 with classic wooden shutters and a white picket fence bordering a spacious yard. Due to agricultural zoning, homes on the farmland outside of town must be on 5 or more acres of land. Homes on these larger lots have a wide-open view of the Ohio prairie, but more land means a higher price. A 2000s three-bedroom ranch-style ranges from $530,000 on a 6-acre lot to $825,000 on an expansive 21-acre lot. Students may attend the Talawanda City School District, beginning at Maude Marshall Elementary and continuing to Talawanda Middle School, both graded a B-minus by Niche. They round out their education at Talawanda High School, rated a B. Talawanda High hosts summer sports camps ranging from basketball to swimming and diving for local kids. Residents gather for events at the Reily Community Center in town. “The community gathers here annually for the Fire Department & EMS Fish Fry,” says Conrad. “This year, the town threw an extra big celebration after we won Ohio’s Fire Department of The Year.” The Community Center also has a playground and fields for baseball and softball. Residents also walk less than half a mile to Indian Creek MetroPark for a 135-acre wooded escape with almost 2 miles of off-road hiking trails and a playground. Fishermen can cast a line in Indian Creek, which runs through the park. There’s one eatery in town, Reily Pizza, on Main Street. For more shopping and dining, residents drive 6 miles north to Oxford for grocery shopping at Kroger. In the same plaza as Kroger, Tollgate Shopping Mall has retail stores like T.J. Maxx and several fast-food restaurants. Oxford is also home to Miami University of Ohio, so residents can make the short drive on a Fall Saturday to catch a football game at Yager Stadium.