Overview

Nowhere is the boom and excitement of suburban Cincinnati's fast-paced growth more evident than in Mason; its population has exploded since the early ‘90s - nearly tripling to 30,000 today - and is still growing. In turn, business and educational opportunities, government, housing and recreation have progressed at a dizzying place to keep up with this once largely rural farming area. New shopping centers, restaurants, upscale boutiques, salons, dozens of new subdivisions - and some rush hour and weekend traffic jams - have sprung up on the Northeast edge of Cincinnati in nearby Warren County.

According to CNN Money, the City of Mason is one of the top 100 places to live in the United States. Large and expansive, Mason is quickly developing a reputation for offering healthy commerce, good schools, new homes and a modern lifestyle. Located off I-71, Mason lies between Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati International Airport and Dayton International Airport.

Business is big in Mason, supporting many professional and management jobs, as well as a manufacturing base. Mason is home to 17 commerce parks and several more planned or under development, as well as three of Warren County's largest employers - Cintas, Luxottica Retail and the Procter & Gamble Health Research Center. Warren County is Ohio's second fastest growing county (only behind Delaware County, near Columbus), and Mason is the county's fastest growing city.

In the trail of the economic boom a host of new residences and subdivisions are taking root. Among the most fantastic is the Long Cove development, which is minutes from I-71 and within walking distance of the new Deerfield Shopping Center and Regal Cinema development. Long Cove features multi-million dollar homes, a walking trail and small lake, and has repeatedly served as the site for the annual Homearama home show event. Mason also offers more affordable modern subdivisions in other areas, as well as a smaller selection of apartments and condos. Older, smaller homes can also be found clustered around the historic downtown area in the northern part of the city.

Mason is a wonderful place for families and belongs to the highly rated Mason City, Kings Local and Lebanon City school districts. It's also known as a place to have fun; Mason boasts the region's best known theme park, Kings Island, as well as the newer Beach Water Park and Great Wolf Lodge and Conference Center. Recreation is also a top priority in Mason; the Tennis Masters Series draws world class men's and women's professional tennis every summer, bringing reputable players such as Andre Agassi, Serena Williams and Roger Federer. Mason also provides one of the region's largest community centers, which includes a fitness center, several gyms, indoor pools and place to eat, as well as an outdoor municipal pool and water park. Unlike many municipal community centers, these facilities are open to residents and non-residents alike.

For entertainment, there's plenty to do, especially in and around the Deerfield Towne Center, which houses the 16-screen Regal Cinemas, a wide variety of restaurants and fun shops, such as Border's Books, Whole Foods Market and more. A car is a necessity to get around, as Mason is large and also home to some of the region's busiest thouroughfares - but many retail areas and eateries now are linked by sidewalks, so one can park and go.

Parks & Gardens

Pine Hill Lakes Park Mason

There are trails and two fishing lakes at the Pine Hills Lakes Park. Also, the amphitheatre holds annual Sunshine concerts. Unlike the new super playgrounds, this quiet playground is worn from many climbing hands and feet. Set on a hill, the spot has a beautiful view of the lake and the ducks. The equipment is on a smaller scale, featuring slides, a tire wall and a few swings. The floor of the playground is covered in wood chips and there is plenty of shade around. It's a good place for an afternoon picnic. Run by the City of Mason Park District, Pine Hill is at 211 Kings Mills Road.

Address: 211 King Mills Road | Mason, OH

 

Heritage Oak Park Mason

Heritage Oak Park is the largest park in Mason. There are lighted basketball and tennis courts, two playgrounds and basketball and soccer fields. The park also has two children's playgrounds, two picnic shelters, and restroom facilities.

Open:
March - October: sunrise to 11:00 p.m., Sunday - Thursday
sunrise to midnight, Friday - Saturday
November - February: daylight hours

Address: 4601 U.S. 42 North | Mason, OH

 

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

The Cincinnati Zoo is located in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Avondale. It was founded on 65 acres (260,000 m²) in the middle of the city, and since then it has acquired some of the surrounding blocks and several reserves in Cincinnati's outer suburbs. Cincinnati Zoo's urban setting differentiates it from some other American zoos which are in suburban areas.

Address: 3400 Vine Street | Cincinnati, OH 45220-1399

Amusement & Theme Parks

Paramount King's Island

In 1972, Kings Island, an amusement park, opened near Cincinnati, Ohio. It quickly emerged as one of the most popular parks in the United States of America. During its first season, approximately two million people visited the park, which covered 150 acres and had thirty-one rides. Admission tickets cost six dollars, and parking was free.

There are 13 world class coasters, live shows and more at Paramount's Kings Island. One of the newer attractions is Nickelodeon Universe.

Address: 6300 Kings Island Drive | Mason, OH | 45040
Tel: 1 513 754-5700 |

Paramount's Kings Island Amusement Park

Located only 24 miles from Cincinnati, Kings Island Amusement Park offers fun and entertainment for all ages. The park is full of things to do with rides for kids, family rides, water rides and thrill rides, featuring world class roller coasters. There is also live stage productions playing in the theaters, fireworks and cuddly characters to visit with the children.

Address: 5688 Kings Island Drive | Mason, OH | 45034
Tel: 1 513 754-5901 |

 

 

Fitness & Recreation Centers

Lou Eves Municipal Pool Mason

In Corwin M. Nixon Park is the Lou Eves Municipal Pool. Diving boards, eight 25-meter racing lanes, zero depth entry, water mushroom, tot pool, grass beach, playground, 150 foot water slide, shade shelters, and a large snack bar and eating area make the pool ideal for the entire family.

Address: 6249 Mason-Montgomery Rd | Mason, OH
Tel: 1 513 229-8553 |

 

Mason Community Center

The Mason Community Center has many facilities which include swimming pools, meeting rooms, indoor playground, fitness centers and arts and crafts area.

Address: 6050 Mason-Montgomery Road | Mason, OH
Tel: 1 513 229-8555 |

Water Parks, Mason.

The Beach Waterpark

The park offers more than 40 rides and attractions and 35 acres of water fun. Float along the lazy river that winds though the entire park. For the thrill seekers try the Aztec Adventure water coaster or the Cliff with it's five story drop.

Address: 2590 Water Park Drive, | Mason, OH | 45040
Tel: 513 398-SWIM |

About Mason | History Of Mason

Mason is a city in southwestern Warren County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2000 census, Mason's population was 22,016. It was the fastest-growing and most populous city in the county. Until February 1997, it was part of Deerfield Township.

On June 1, 1803, Revolutionary War veteran William Mason paid $1,700 at auction to purchase 640 acres of land in what is now downtown Mason. In 1815, he platted 16 lots on this land and named the village "Palmira." In 1832, 2 years after the death of William Mason and according to his will, over 40 more lots were platted on the north, south, and west of Palmira. When the plat was officially recorded, the name of the village was listed as "Palmyra."

In 1835, a petition was sent to the federal post office to correct the name of the town. It had been listed as Kirkwood, possibly an error because the postmaster at the time was William Kirkwood. When village officials were informed that there was another Palmyra in Ohio, the name was officially changed to "Mason." Mason remained a small farming community for another 125 years. In 1970, a year before the town was incorporated to become a city, there were fewer than 5,700 residents. Today, the City of Mason covers over 11,200 acres and is home to nearly 25,000 people and approximately 500 businesses. (Historical information from Around Mason, Ohio: A Story, by Rose Marie Springman.)

The City of Mason continues to draw upon its history as it eagerly anticipates the future. It is increasingly being recognized as a rapidly growing, progressive community with an attractive industrial base. Known as a business-friendly community, it stands ready to work with developers and business owners to create a carefully planned and attractive community that serves both residents and businesses. The number of new businesses regularly looking to locate in Mason and the expansion of existing enterprises confirms Mason's success. Cintas Corporation, Mitsubishi, Procter & Gamble's Health Care Research Center, and Luxottica Retail are among the premier companies located in Mason.

Mason is also recognized as the resort area of southwest Ohio. Kings Island Amusement Park, The Beach Waterpark, Great Wolf Lodge and Conference Center, and The Golf Center at Kings Island are among the prominent recreation destinations in Mason. Mason is home to the world-recognized Tennis Masters Series-Cincinnati as well as several well-loved local annual events. The Alverta Green Museum, operated by the Mason Historical Society, keeps the city in touch with its historical roots.

Mason has preserved its small town charm, but maintains a high level of municipal services and a prestigious corporate community. Over $50 million in utility and infrastructure projects have prepared the city for the ongoing growth.

A combination of fortunate location, far-sighted city leadership, innovative management, outstanding schools, successful corporations, and a close-knit traditional community have succeeded in building a progressive, polished city with a comfortable hometown feel.

Demographics of Mason City

Building and Construction
Permits were issued for 298 new residential and commercial buildings in 2003. The estimated value of these structures was $116 million. In 2006, 97 permits were issued for an estimated value of $47 million.

City Personnel
The City of Mason employs about 180 full-time employees and about 200 part-time employees.

Climate
Annual average temperature - 54 degrees
July average maximum temperature - 86 degrees
January average temperature - 21 degrees
Annual average rainfall - 34"
Annual average snowfall - 29"

Education

Mason City Schools
6 public schools
Student enrollment 2003-2004 - 8,642 students
Student enrollment 2007-2008 - 10,485 students

3 private schools
962 students

A few public school students are in the Kings Local or Lebanon City School District

Elevation
700 - 950 feet above sea level

History
Founded 1815 as the Village of Palmira
Charter approved 1969
Incorporated as a city 1971

Location
22 miles northeast of Cincinnati
28 miles south of Dayton
Centrally located between Interstates 71 and 75
Just a few miles north of I-275

Parks
7 city parks cover 301 acres that include baseball fields, basketball courts, disc golf course, fishing lakes, football fields, hiking trails, picnic shelters, playgrounds, soccer fields, softball fields, a swimming pool, tennis courts, volleyball courts, and wildlife areas.

The City of Mason operates the Mason Community Center. It includes a center for older adults as well as classrooms, a fitness area, group exercise room, meeting and party rooms for rent, two swimming pools, and weight room. Many classes for all ages and interests are held each month. The Mason Community Center is open to everyone, regardless of residency.

Places of Worship
23 facilities representing 13 denominations

Population
1980 Census - 8,692
1990 Census - 11,452
2000 Census - 22,019
2006 Census estimate - 29,491

Residences
The average new single family residence in Mason contains 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and approximately 3,400 square feet. The median value of this single family house and lot was estimated to be about $350,000 in 2005.

Residency
Fees for many programs, including passes to the Mason Community Center, are determined by your residency. You are a Mason resident if you live within the municipal limits of the City of Mason. You are a Community resident if you live within the City of Mason or within the boundaries of the Mason City School District.

Having a Mason mailing address (zip code 45040) does not mean you are also a city resident. Many residents outside the city limits have the 45040 zip code.

Roadways
170 miles of roadway
160 miles of storm sewers
131 miles of water line
150 miles of sanitary sewer line

Size
18 square miles

Community of Mason City, Ohio

Mason is considered one of the most desirable communities in the Cincinnati metropolis and has earned a reputation as a progressive, innovative community. The city is a destination for corporations seeking a thriving business environment and for families desiring attractive neighborhoods and nationally ranked schools. It is located in the southwest portion of Ohio, 22 miles northeast of Cincinnati and 30 miles south of Dayton.

Mason, one of the fastest growing cities in Ohio, is in the southwest quadrant of Warren County, the second fastest growing county in Ohio. More than 36 miles of interstate highways give businesses and residents easy access to the metropolitan centers of both Cincinnati and Dayton and fuel the area's tremendous residential growth as well as unprecedented business expansion.

Mason is strategically located between the Cincinnati region's two most vital commerce corridors, Interstates 71 and 75, just north of the I-275 beltway. The city is served by two direct interchanges: on I-71 at Western Row Road and at State Route 741/Kings Mills Road. It also is served by an interchange to I-75 at Tylersville Road just two miles west of the city.

Mason residents and businesses have access to several airports. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in northern Kentucky is about forty-five minutes from Mason via two interstate routes. Seventeen major regional and commuter airlines provide non-stop or direct service to over 105 cities in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Dayton Airport in Ohio is also about forty-five minutes away, and Port Columbus is about 90 minutes away. Private airports in Blue Ash and Cincinnati (Lunken Field) are nearby.

The city continues to to be a top choice for quality companies that are relocating or expanding. In choosing Mason, companies cite the interstate access, availability of land for development within protected business parks, rising property values, the established core of high-tech businesses and labor, and an exceptional level of support and services. Mason's progressive business development programs are widely known in the region.

Nearly 500 businesses operate in Mason's 18 square miles. High-tech companies, corporate headquarters, and light industries are particularly attracted to Mason. More than 90 corporations have headquarters or manufacturing operations in Mason's 17 commerce parks. In the twelve years ending in 2002, Mason became home to numerous national companies and now has one of the region's largest complements of international businesses. This is a credit to the city's successful economic strategy to balance high-tech corporations with attractive housing.

Mason's industrial facilities employ nearly as many people as live in the city, about 26,500 people. Three of the 10 largest employers in Warren County are located in Mason. Mason's fifteen largest employers provide work for more than 9,000 persons and generate more than $5.3 million annually in income tax revenue. In 2001, new investments reached record heights, adding $121 million and 768,000 square feet of new corporate and industrial space, and bringing over 1500 new jobs to the city.

Almost all of the city is served by the Mason City School District, which has earned a perfect score and an "Excellent/Effective" rating on the state report card each year beginning in 2000. It serves approximately 10,500 students. The city also has three private schools that educate about 960 students in kindergarten through high school. Higher education opportunities are available at Sinclair Community College's Courseview Campus and within commuting distance at the University of Cincinnati, Miami University of Ohio, and smaller, private colleges.

Almost all of the day-to-day needs of families can be found right in the city, from grocery stores to professional offices. Three regional shopping centers are about 20 minutes away.

Residents of the City of Mason have many recreational opportunities available at their doorstep. Three public golf courses, a water park, and Paramount's Kings Island amusement park all lie within city boundaries. The city is also home to the annual Western-Southern Life Tennis Masters, one of nine required men's tournaments. Six city parks cover 242 acres and include fishing lakes, walking trails, ball fields, tennis courts, picnic shelters, and playgrounds. The Mason Community Center is one of the largest public recreation facilities in the state. It has a competition pool, leisure pool, gymnasium, field house, fitness area, weight room, walking track, senior center, and classroom and meeting areas. A continually expanding network of bike paths connects neighborhoods to schools, parks, and downtown.

Mayors of Mason

A "Mayors Wall" hangs in the Mason Municipal Center. It is a list of past mayors of Mason, with room to add new mayors as they are elected.

Former mayors (left to right) Don Mollman, Peter Beck, Betty Davis, and Dick Staten joined Mayor Char Pelfrey (center) in unveiling the mayors wall on October 23, 2006.

The list of past mayors is:

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Term		Mayor's Name
1840 - 1850		Mason Seward*
1850 - 1851		David W. VanDyke*
1851 - 1852		James Fugate*
1852 - 1854		David W. VanDyke
1854 - 1856		Thomas Crawford
1856 - 1858		Richard H. Cunningham*
1858		A.C. Bates*
1858 - 1859		David W. VanDyke
1859 - 1860		Ephriam L. Meighen
1860 - 1861		Elias Meighen*
1861 - 1865		David W. VanDyke
1865 - 1866		Thomas J. Blackburn
1866 - 1867		Felix S. Welton*
1867 - 1869		W. Felter
1869 - 1874		Robert Huston Bennett*
1874 - 1876		David W. VanDyke
1876 - 1878		Thomas J. Blackburn
1878 - 1880		Benjamin D. Welton*
1880 - 1882		David W. VanDyke
1882 - 1884		Robert Huston Bennett
1884 - 1890		Joseph P. Torbett*
1890 - 1892		Robert Huston Bennett
1892 - 1898		William C. Van Fossen*
1898 - 1903		John W. Lowe*
1903 - 1904		W. C. Ritter
1904		Walter W. Voorhis*
1904 - 1905		James Shurts*
1905 - 1909		Dr. John M. VanDyke*
1909 - 1913		John W. Lowe
1913 - 1917		Dr. Michael H. Houseworth*
1917 - 1919		W. Hoss
1919 - 1921		Dr. Michael H. Houseworth
1921 - 1925		Wilmer Littell*
1925 - 1927		William C. Van Fossen
1927 - 1935		Joseph L. Davis
1935		Harry Chesney*
1935 - 1947		William E. Bishop*
1947 - 1949		R. T. Cunningham*
1949 - 1951		Ronald Shurtz*
1951 - 1954		Loring D. "Barney" Lane*
1954		Carl Sanker*
1954 - 1957		Francis M. Girton*
1957 - 1965		Charles G. Anderson*
1965 - 1968		Russell "Chick" Houghton*
1968 - 1969		George Wilson*
1969 - 1971		Donald Mollman
1971 - 1973		Robert Ayer
1973 - 1975		Arlie Parke*
1975 - 1978		Louis Eves*
1978 - 1980		Rea Boone
1980 - 1993		Louis Eves
1993 - 1997		James "Dick" Staten
1997 - 1999		Betty Davis
1999 - 2003		John McCurley
2003 - 2005		Peter Beck
2005 - 2007		Charlene A. Pelfrey
2007 - 2009		Tom Grossmann

* Interred at Rose Hill Cemetery

Mason Veterans Memorial

Over 1000 people, including at least 150 veterans, attended the dedication of the Mason Veterans' Memorial on Saturday, November 8, 2003.

Neil Armstrong, a Korean War veteran and the first man to walk on the moon, was the guest of honor. He was introduced by Congressman Rob Portman (U.S. House of Representatives, Second District) and spoke briefly about the history of aviation in armed conflicts in the United States.

In addition to Mr. Armstrong, Colonel Michael J. Belzil, Commander of the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, also spoke. The significance of the memorial design was described through a poem by Lonna Kingsbury.

At the head of the memorial a flag proudly waves above a wall depicting the 5 branches of the service: Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, and Navy. At the base of the wall and around the flag are memorial bricks for veterans. These and other bricks to the sides of the memorial were purchased by citizens to help pay for its construction.

The main feature of the memorial is a set of 10 pillars representing the 10 major conflicts in American History. The height of each pillar is proportional to the number of casualties in the war. At the end of the row is a low stone representing the hope for peace and the end to casualties in war.

An eternal flame at the lower end of the memorial will burn until all prisoners of war and missing in action are returned to American soil. It stands in front of a wall of tears that represents the sorrows of all those affected by war.