Taking a tour of Hillsboro's historical places

By Leah Robinson
Hillsboro High School

Every town has a story and as a history lover, I love to learn about the history in my hometown. I’ve been on tours of historic and old buildings in Hillsboro, like the Bell's Opera House. And living on a farm, naturally I’ve been to both stockyards in our town. But I wanted to know more of the history behind them after seeing them up close, along with other interesting facts that mentors have told me about that I want to take a deeper dive into.

My family and I have passed by the World’s Largest Horseshoe Crab countless times and on many of those drives I wonder, “What makes this eyesore so important anyway?” When I looked up facts about the World’s Largest Horseshoe Crab recently, I found a lot of interesting information on it. First of all, it was in the movie “Twilight: Eclipse” and was rated top five roadside attractions as seen in blockbuster movies. It has had four homes since it was built in 1995 in Baltimore, Md. Its original purpose was to teach people about marine life and that’s why there’s an opening for people to sit on the inside. After a bankruptcy sale, “Crabbie” was moved to a creationist museum in Kentucky. After that, it was next to a church in Blanchester. “In 2008, daredevil Gene Sullivan jumped over the horseshoe crab and through a flaming ‘Gates of Hell’ as part of his gospel ministry stunt program, Jump for Jesus.” Then in 2015, the church sold Crabbie to a family in Hillsboro, who set it up as a roadside attraction.

Researching Bell’s Opera House provided even more history, not just about the Opera House, but about just Hillsboro in general as well. Back in the 1890s there was a huge need for a stage in Hillsboro. In the 1890’s, its citizens had a love of dramatic productions. They would watch barnstormers’ theatrical performances in, well, barns. And musicals and musicians had no place to perform. High school events, musicals, and plays were often held in the Presbyterian Church because the school didn’t have anywhere to hold those activities. But of course the church services and programs were more of a priority so when there was a church event going on, they couldn’t use it. But the church was about to be demolished and there would be another one put up there, but it would take at least a couple of years or more, so Hillsboroans wouldn’t have anywhere for those sorts of things for at least two years. Therefore, this community needed an opera house on the double. 

But it would cost about $1.5 million in today’s money and there weren't federal grants back in 1895. C.S. Bell, a highly successful businessman of Hillsboro, also wanted to get an opera house put up in town. He decided to donate 90% of the money to make the opera house a reality and the citizens would have to pay $3,000 (in 1895’s money). After a few public meetings at the Farmers and Traders Bank, the plan was set in motion. Plans were drawn and Bell bought a lot known as “Rats’ Row” where most of the buildings were dilapidated eyesores and would be torn down to make way for the opera house. The residents of Hillsboro raised $3000 in about four days. The Bell Opera House was officially opened on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 1895 after about seven and a half months of construction. It was dedicated and the play “Friends” was performed. It was a gala in Hillsboro.

For about 35 years, the Bell's Opera House was very well used. Many famous plays, musicals and other productions were performed in the Bell Opera House by several famous theatre companies and actors and the high school used it for graduations, among other commencements. By 1915, a series of events began that eventually made the opera house obsolete. Mainly, the opening of the Orpheum Theater, the Palace and Forum, and the Colony Theater put the Bell's Opera House out of use. Along with the fact that in 1936 a new high school was constructed with a gymnasium and auditorium, which made it no longer necessary to have plays, musical performances, and graduation ceremonies at the opera house. It was closed to performances by 1939 and leased out until 1942. There have been several (mostly special) occasions when the opera house has been opened to the public for tours.
 
Most everyone knows what a courtroom looks like. Many people have been called for jury duty, even for the grand jury. Lots of people have seen the inside of the Highland County Courthouse here in Hillsboro. But I bet most of them didn’t know that the original part of it was the oldest courthouse still in use in Ohio. It was built from 1832-34 and cost $244,654.79 in today’s money. There was an addition to the original courthouse on the west end in 1883 and another addition constructed on the north side in 1895 that became the jail and sheriff’s office. 

Johnny Paycheck, a famous country singer, was tried and convicted in the courthouse for shooting a man in the head during a bar fight in Hillsboro.

Many people have been to Union Stockyards and Producers, Inc. Stockyards. But lots of people do not know that together they make Hillsboro the only city on this side of the Mississippi River to have two stockyards in operation. Union Stockyards first came to Hillsboro when they purchased the facility from Hillsboro Livestock Co. in 1958. The original name was Washington C.H. Union Stockyards Company but was changed to Union Stockyards Co. Inc. shortly after the facilities in Hillsboro were purchased. It was on land that used to belong to Samuel P. and Elizabeth W. Scott. On August 23, 1965 Union Stockyards held a meeting to develop a special graded feeder calf sale. Harry Knauff was elected chairman. They’ve been known for their feeder calf sales ever since. In 2007, Union Stockyards moved to where it now operates today.

United Producers Inc. originally had the name Producers Cooperative Commission Association when it was started by farmers in the early 1930s. It was formed by a merger of Eastern Order Buying Company, Producers Livestock Credit Association, and other livestock markets in Pittsburgh, Pa., Cleveland, and Columbus in 1934. Eastern Order Buying Company and Producers Livestock Credit Association continued as subsidiaries of the new parent company. In 1943, the name was changed to Producers Livestock Cooperative Association. Sometime in the 1940s, they started a daily hog market. 

In 1946, 13 markets were bought from Dr. Sharon. Over the years, lamb pools and veal calves became a very important part of the markets. The name was changed again in 1956 to Producers Livestock Association. That same year, the current structure in Hillsboro was built and the first auction in the arena was held on April 1, 1957. After the first graded feeder calf sale the same year, feeder calf sales became a major part of business. Then they merged with the Cincinnati Livestock Producers Association in 1962. This brought in six more markets, totaling to 19 markets involved. United Producers was originally part of the Cincinnati Livestock Producers Association. 

In 1999, Producers Livestock Association and the MFA Livestock Association that’s in Missouri merged together. This produced a new parent company that’s named United Producers, Inc. (UPI). When these two combined together, a governing board of directors and a delegate system was established. UPI acquired the assets of Interstate Producers Livestock Association in Indiana and the Michigan Livestock Exchange in Michigan, Indiana, and Kentucky in 2001. 

Since the original building was built, there have been several major additions to the facilities. A feed handling and livestock storage area and another feeder cattle holding facility were all added on a few different occasions. Also, another sale arena for pigs, goats, and sheep was added so that the original was used exclusively for cattle and other large animals so both types of sales can be happening at the same time. Today, United Producers, Inc. still provides credit and risk management services along with livestock marketing.

After all my research, I have learned a lot of interesting things about my hometown of Hillsboro and its historical places. I never knew that the World’s Largest Horseshoe Crab was originally used for teaching people about marine life in Baltimore, Md., or that the people of Hillsboro were so fascinated with the arts that they were desperate for an opera house. I hope they’re at least half as interested in the arts now, so they can come support our band, choir, and drama programs at Hillsboro High School and Middle School. And I would’ve never guessed that Johnny Paycheck was tried and convicted at the Highland County Courthouse, which I also learned was the oldest operating courthouse in Ohio. 

Another thing that I found out that’s very interesting is that United Producers, Inc. does credit and risk management services in addition to their livestock sales. And I had no idea that Union Stockyards originally came out of Washington Court House. 

The city of Hillsboro has tons of fascinating history if you just look deeper into it.

Leah Robinson is vice president of Community Development for the Hillsboro Great Oaks FFA Chapter.