Description

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Hillsboro was carved out of the thick woods of central Highland County in 1807. The small village soon built itself up from a collection of rough log buildings to a place of considerable prominence in southern Ohio. Blessed with an unusually healthy climate and rich surrounding farmlands, the town became an important business center and transportation hub. It was the home of many state and federal officeholders, including a multiterm governor of Ohio. Hillsboro became a center of women's education as early as 1839, with as many as three women's colleges in operation at one time. In 1873, many of these college-educated women launched the Women's Temperance Crusade against the sale of liquor, which led directly to the federal passage of Prohibition in 1919.
Tara Beery is a retired veterinarian with a passion for Hillsboro's history. She lives in Hillsboro with her husband, son, and daughter. The Highland County Historical Society opened its archives to provide the historical photographs for this collection. Special effort was made to select images that have not been used in previous histories, though some old favorites will be found among these less-seen photographs.