Great Dayton Flood - Osborn, Ohio

Osborn, Ohio

Ironically, the small village of Osborn, Ohio which had little damage from the flood, was the city most affected by the flood’s aftermath. The village lay in the area designated to become part of the Huffman flood plain. The mainlines of the Erie Railroad, the New York Central Railroad, and the Ohio Electric Railway tracks running through Osborn were moved several miles south to run through Fairfield, Ohio.

The citizens of Osborn decided to move their homes instead of abandoning them, and almost 400 homes were moved three miles (5 km) to new foundations along Hebble Creek next to Fairfield. Some years later, the two towns merged to create Fairborn, Ohio with the name selected to reflect the merging of the two villages.