Chrisholm Historic Farmstead
2070 Woodsdale Rd.Trenton, OH 45067-0234
513-468-1973 | https://www.chrisholmhistoricfarmstead.org/
Chrisholm Historic Farmstead
In the rolling hills of the Great Miami River valley, visit with farm animals, walk through gardens of herbs and medicinal plants, and see the farmhouse and barns that tell the story of early agriculture in Ohio and of the Amish Mennonite community that prospered at Chrisholm Historic Farmstead.
Chickens, rabbits, and other farm animals call Chrisholm Historic Farmstead home today, but Amish immigrants from the Alsace region of France settled the fertile farmland of the Great Miami River valley in Butler County in 1819. Christian Augspurger, an accomplished farmer, was the leader of this Amish settlement, and descendants of the Amish community and later Mennonite settlers from the Hesse region of Germany still live in the area. Learn about early agriculture and modern science at Show & Tell on the Farm events on Sundays and Thursdays, when the 1873 brick farm home is open for visitors.
When the original stone home built on the property in 1829 by Christian Augspurger burned in 1873, his son Samuel Augspurger built the brick home that currently stands on the property. See artifacts from the history of the Amish Mennonite community in the house at Chrisholm Historic Farmstead, including the piano that Mennonite settlers brought from Germany when they immigrated in 1832, which became a cause of conflict between early and later settlers.
The Amish Mennonite community in Butler County and the Augspurger family have left a lasting legacy on the region. Samuel Augspurger, who inherited his father’s farm in 1848, made an impact by constructing saw, grist, and paper mills that allowed his community to process and sell their own goods. He was also part of the construction of the first bridge across the Great Miami River and the construction of three turnpikes and served as a civic leader in the community. Other ambitious descendants of the Augspurgers are highlighted in the house, including Charles F. Richter, the developer of the Richter Scale to measure seismic magnitude, and Esther Price, the founder of Esther Price Candies.
Notes for Travelers
Young visitors will enjoy spending time at the Playscape, where the playground equipment gives another way to connect with agriculture.