Mason, Ohio
Back in 1803, the same year Ohio became a state, a Revolutionary War veteran named William Mason purchased 640 acres of land in what is now Warren County. He paid just $1.25 an acre, for a total of $800, under the terms of the U.S. military land grant program.
By 1815, Mason laid out 16 lots on that land and officially founded the village he modestly named “Palmira.”
However, when residents tried to establish a post office in 1835, they learned the name Palmira was already taken elsewhere in Ohio. To fix the confusion, they renamed the village “Mason” after its founder — and that’s the name that stuck.
The first postmaster, William Kirk, ran the Mason Post Office out of his log cabin. Locals often joked that the entire village could “fit on a postage stamp,” because it was so small — just a few dozen residents, mostly farmers, tradesmen, and their families.
For over a century, Mason remained a quiet rural town. Its economy centered around farming and small businesses along Main Street. The big transformation came in the 20th century, when the construction of Interstate 71 and Kings Island amusement park (opened in 1972) put Mason on the map.
Today, that once postage-stamp-sized village is a vibrant suburb of C
incinnati with thriving schools, industry, and community events — yet the town still celebrates its humble origins each year during Heritage Days, a nod to William Mason’s $800 dream.
By 1815, Mason laid out 16 lots on that land and officially founded the village he modestly named “Palmira.”
However, when residents tried to establish a post office in 1835, they learned the name Palmira was already taken elsewhere in Ohio. To fix the confusion, they renamed the village “Mason” after its founder — and that’s the name that stuck.
The first postmaster, William Kirk, ran the Mason Post Office out of his log cabin. Locals often joked that the entire village could “fit on a postage stamp,” because it was so small — just a few dozen residents, mostly farmers, tradesmen, and their families.
For over a century, Mason remained a quiet rural town. Its economy centered around farming and small businesses along Main Street. The big transformation came in the 20th century, when the construction of Interstate 71 and Kings Island amusement park (opened in 1972) put Mason on the map.
Today, that once postage-stamp-sized village is a vibrant suburb of C
incinnati with thriving schools, industry, and community events — yet the town still celebrates its humble origins each year during Heritage Days, a nod to William Mason’s $800 dream.