Symmes Purchase, Historical land acquisition region in southwestern Ohio, US
Symmes Purchase is a historic land tract in southwestern Ohio, situated between the Great Miami River to the west and the Little Miami River to the east. It runs northward from the Ohio River and covers ground that includes some of the earliest European-American settlements in the state.
John Cleves Symmes negotiated a deal with the United States Board of Treasury in 1788 to purchase land between the two Miami Rivers. His final patent, issued in 1794, covered less ground than the original agreement, which caused disputes with settlers who had already built homes on land that fell outside the confirmed boundaries.
The name Symmes Purchase refers directly to the land deal that gave this territory its identity, and locals still use the name today when talking about the region's origins. Towns like Cincinnati and North Bend grew from the first settlements established here, and their early character was shaped by the rivers and roads that defined the original tract.
Historical records often refer to this territory as the Between the Miami Rivers Survey, or MRS, which is useful to know when searching through archives or local history collections. The outer edges of the original tract roughly follow Todhunter Road to the north, Monroe Road to the east, and Oregonia Road along part of its boundary, making it possible to trace the general outline by road.
The survey grid used for this territory runs in the opposite direction from standard American practice, with ranges going south to north and townships aligned west to east. This reversed layout makes old land maps of the area look different from those of nearly every other part of the country, which can catch researchers off guard the first time they encounter them.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
