Hamilton’s largest neighborhood, New London, offers a variety of terrain and outdoor recreational options
Whether you’re hiking through Miami Woods, sneaking in 18 holes at Potters or watching a game at Badin High School, if you’re on the southern part of the west side you’re more than likely in the heart of the New London neighborhood.
Geographically, New London is the biggest neighborhood in Hamilton by a fair margin. It’s reach stretches along the river to Pyramid Hill. On the northern side of the neighborhood it goes from Millville Road to the city limits. Then of course, there is the titular road that splits the area.
Though it’s massive size, the residents that call New London home realize that the true charm of the neighborhood is the juxtaposition of community and living space.
“When I first moved [to the New London area] I was attracted to the general area. It was the ambiance, the nature, the trees, the open space, and the architecture of the properties that made the difference,” said Kathy Klink. “And they still make the difference.”
Klink has been a resident of the Forest Hills section of the neighborhood for 47 years. She isn’t the oldest in the area, but it’s a safe bet that she has lived there the longest. Typically when you’re situated in one place for an extended period, you can see the subtle changes that evolve into an overhaul. Klink says New London is just as it was back in 1974– a tight-knit community.
“There have been no major changes. We all know our neighbors,” said Klink. “We all connect, we all communicate, we all value this space.”
New London has long been an area cherished by its residents, even before Klink moved in. According to research done by Dick Schnied, settlers cultivated the land as early as 1836. Parts of St. Clair Township and Hanover Township have been annexed by the City of Hamilton to be incorporated into the New London neighborhood. The titular road was originally a privately owned highway dubbed ‘The Hamilton and New London Turnpike’. Accurately named because the current Village of Shandon once went as New London.
Many homes date back to the boom of property directly after the second World War. Though those styles are far from being alone. The Jacob Shafer House at 575 Harrison Ave dates directly after another war– the Civil War. Built in 1865, the home is listed in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. This postbellum home is one of several century old properties including; the Greenview mansion, the former home of Alexander DeArmond and the former property of Harry Koehler Junior.
Other prominent placed inside the bounds of New London include the catholic high school Stephen T. Badin and the public golf course, Potter’s Park.
Badin, opened in 1966 as a co-ed combination of the all-boys Hamilton Catholic and all-girls Notre Dame Academy. The school is named after Fr. Stephen Badin who was the first priest ordained in the United States. The Badin Rams have had many successful sports programs, including the football team which was long led by Terry Malone– who retired in 2003 as the winniest high school football coach in Ohio.
Potter’s Park, which sits adjacent to Badin on New London road is located on land donated by Ellis Potter in 1925. Hamilton Parks Conservancy recently took over Potter’s and has already made drastic improvements.
“I live on Elmwood and when I walk over to Maplewood I can see the major improvements happening on the golf course. Which is extraordinary,” said Klink. “That’s a change that has happened in the last year.”
Since the conservancy took over, they have made a strong push to clear the course of dead trees and bushes. The course now is much more open than it once was.
As Potter’s is rapidly improving, Klink hopes the already tight-knit neighbors can continue to grow closer as a community.
“There is this connection between people that I think is alive and well in New London,” said Klink. “However, there are many more opportunities for us to be better connected. This neighborhood is so huge that we need to find a better way to connect everybody– and I don’t think we have yet discovered that.”
Klink says the connecting communities are searching for ways to better enhance the already fantastic living experience of living in New London.