Local events in Gratis Township, Preble County
Nothing is posted for Gratis Township itself yet; here is what is on within 10 miles. All local events in Gratis Township, Preble County
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Checked October 20; the events page is refreshed daily.
How Gratis Township, Preble County began
Gratis Township, in the southeastern corner of Preble County, holds the earliest recorded land entry in all of Preble County: John Leslie's claim on section thirty-six, made as early as 1802 (Wikipedia's county article dates his arrival to 1798). It was settled further in the early 1800s by families including Jonas Randall, who arrived in 1805, and Samuel Stubbs, a Georgia native who settled on section 29 that same year. The 1881 county history records a specific version of the township's naming story: a delegation of Friends (Quakers) petitioning for a new township, led by spokesman Samuel Stubbs, was granted its request after Stubbs suggested it be given 'gratis' -- free -- and the board's clerk, Alexander C. Lanier, both approved it and proposed the name Gratis on the spot; it remains the only Gratis Township in Ohio. A post office called Gratis has operated in the township since 1823. Two incorporated villages, Gratis and West Elkton, lie within its boundaries, and the Brubaker Covered Bridge is among its notable historic structures; the township had 4,224 residents at the 2020 census.
Settled as early as 1802 (John Leslie, section 36) -- the earliest documented land entry in Preble County.
Where the name comes from
The 1881 county history gives a specific origin story: a delegation of Friends (Quakers) petitioned the county commissioners for a new township in Preble County's southeastern corner; when the board balked, spokesman Samuel Stubbs made a final appeal, remarking that the petition should be granted 'gratis' -- free. The board's clerk, Alexander C. Lanier, both advised approving the township and suggested the name Gratis, and it stuck; it remains the only Gratis Township in Ohio. The same source notes a second, less-credited local tradition that the name instead arose because the township's first officers volunteered to serve without pay.
Before the town
No mound, village, trail or treaty site specific to Gratis Township was found in the sources checked.
Nations recorded here: Miami, Shawnee.
Timeline
- — John Leslie entered land in section thirty-six of what became Gratis Township -- the earliest documented settlement anywhere in Preble County (this is the 1881 township history's date; Wikipedia's county article gives 1798), predating the county's own organization by six years.
- — Jonas Randall settled in the township; that same year Samuel Stubbs, born in Georgia in 1766, settled on section 29, along with fellow Quakers Jesse Kenworthy sr. and others.
- — A party of Friends petitioned the county commissioners to set off Gratis Township from the southern part of the much larger original Lanier Township; the petition was granted and the new township named on the spot.
- — A post office called Gratis began operating in the township.
- — West Elkton was laid out within the township by surveyor J. L. Street.
- — Gratis Township's population was recorded at 1,950.
- — Gratis Township's population had grown to 2,186.
- — Shuey's Mill, which may lie in the township (we could not confirm its location), was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- — The U.S. Census recorded 4,224 residents in Gratis Township, including the villages of Gratis and West Elkton.
Stories
The first claim in Preble County
Long before Preble County existed as a jurisdiction, and years before most of its townships saw their first cabin, a settler named John Leslie entered land on section thirty-six of what later became Gratis Township -- a claim the 1881 county history dates to as early as 1802. It is the earliest documented land entry anywhere within the county's eventual boundaries, made in the same general area, near the county's southern edge, where a second early claim was entered around the same time by Hezekiah Phillips farther north. The distinction has often been credited loosely to the county as a whole (Wikipedia's Preble County article, for instance, credits Leslie's arrival to 1798 without specifying a township), but the township-level detail -- and the specific year of 1802 -- comes from the more detailed 1881 township history, which is treated here as the more specific, though not necessarily the more accurate, of the two dates.
Local history sources: en.wikipedia.org · ohiogenealogyexpress.com · heritagepursuit.com · en.wikipedia.org · archive.org · genealogytrails.com
Historic places
1 place in Gratis Township, Preble County on the National Register of Historic Places. Press a pin or a name for its whole record.
-
Brubaker Covered BridgeStructure · Gratis · listed 1975
- Address
- W of Gratis on Aukerman Creek Rd.
- Where
- Gratis, Preble County · ZIP 45320
- What it is
- Structure
- Listed on the National Register
- 1975
- NRIS reference number
- 75001527
- Coordinates
- 39.65163, -84.54398
National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map
Source: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places point file. The listing year is shown where NPS's certification date agrees with the listing's reference number. Listing recognizes significance; it does not restrict a private owner.
Water
Four wells on a 100-acre district wellfield over the Great Miami valley aquifer, St. Clair Twp, north of Hamilton The water here
- Southwest Regional Water District64% of residentsGreat Miami Buried Valley Aquifer (wells)
- Camden, Village Of21% of residentsGroundwater wells (2 wells)
- Middletown City12% of residentsGreat Miami Buried Valley Aquifer (wells)
- Germantown City3% of residentsGroundwater wells (4 wells)
- Catalina Mobile Home Park0% of residentsGroundwater wells (2 wells)
Hospitals, fire stations and more
Inside Gratis Township, Preble County's boundary: 2 high-hazard dams, 2 public schools, 4 poor-rated bridges, 1 museum and 6 spill cases. Press a pin or a name for its whole record and its source.
High-hazard dams (2)
-
Paradise Lakes - North Lake DamTributary To Elk Creek · condition: fair
- Hazard class
- High: a failure would probably cost a life
- Condition
- Fair (assessed 04/22/2021)
- River or stream
- Tributary To Elk Creek
- Purpose
- Recreation
- Type
- Earth
- Height
- 32 ft
- Storage
- 93 acre-feet
- Completed
- 1946
- Owner type
- Private
- County
- Preble County
- Nearest town (NID)
- Greenbush
- Last inspection
- 04/22/2021
- Emergency action plan
- No
- NID ID
- OH00154
National Inventory of Dams record ↗ National Inventory of Dams (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Paradise Lakes - South Lake Dam PoorTributary To Elk Creek · condition: poor
- Hazard class
- High: a failure would probably cost a life
- Condition
- Poor (assessed 04/22/2021)
- River or stream
- Tributary To Elk Creek
- Purpose
- Recreation
- Type
- Earth
- Height
- 40 ft
- Storage
- 87 acre-feet
- Completed
- 1946
- Owner type
- Private
- County
- Preble County
- Nearest town (NID)
- Greenbush
- Last inspection
- 04/22/2021
- Emergency action plan
- No
- NID ID
- OH00155
National Inventory of Dams record ↗ National Inventory of Dams (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
Source: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Inventory of Dams, August 2026. "High hazard" rates what a failure would cost downstream, not how likely one is; the condition is the state's assessment.
Public schools (2)
-
Preble Shawnee High School High School3.5 of 5 stars · Camden
- Address
- 5495 Somers Gratis Rd, Camden, OH 45311
- School district
- Preble Shawnee Local School District
- Kind (NCES)
- Regular School
- Students, 2023-24
- 363
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 28.33
- Report card, 2025-26
- 3.5 of 5 stars
- Performance index
- 71.5%
- Four-year graduation rate
- 97%
- Ohio building IRN
- 034264
- NCES school ID
- 390492803550
NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Preble Shawnee Middle School3 of 5 stars · Camden
- Address
- 5495 Somers Gratis Rd, Camden, OH 45311
- School district
- Preble Shawnee Local School District
- Kind (NCES)
- Regular School
- Students, 2023-24
- 432
- Teachers (full-time equivalent)
- 23
- Report card, 2025-26
- 3 of 5 stars
- Performance index
- 70.7%
- Ohio building IRN
- 019519
- NCES school ID
- 390492806159
NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗
Source: NCES EDGE public school locations 2024-25 and Common Core of Data 2023-24 (type, students, teachers); Ohio School Report Cards 2025-26 (Department of Education and Workforce), matched by name within the district.
Bridges rated poor (4)
-
Gra.jacksonburg over Scotts RunPoor · built 1900
- Condition
- Poor: a deck, superstructure, substructure or culvert rated 4 or below on the 0 to 9 scale
- What it is
- Bridge
- Built
- 1900
- Length
- 9 ft
- Owner
- County
- Vehicles a day
- 462
- Coordinates
- 39.61801, -84.53626
National Bridge Inventory (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Pleasant Valley Rd over Glaces RunPoor · built 2006
- Condition
- Poor: a deck, superstructure, substructure or culvert rated 4 or below on the 0 to 9 scale
- What it is
- Bridge
- Built
- 2006
- Length
- 18 ft
- Owner
- County
- Vehicles a day
- 234
- Coordinates
- 39.62669, -84.49859
National Bridge Inventory (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Quaker Trace Rd over Aukerman CreekPoor · built 1900
- Condition
- Poor: a deck, superstructure, substructure or culvert rated 4 or below on the 0 to 9 scale
- What it is
- Bridge
- Built
- 1900
- Length
- 11 ft
- Owner
- County
- Vehicles a day
- 629
- Coordinates
- 39.65213, -84.57442
National Bridge Inventory (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Sr122 over Elk CreekPoor · built 1983
- Condition
- Poor: a deck, superstructure, substructure or culvert rated 4 or below on the 0 to 9 scale
- What it is
- Bridge
- Built
- 1983
- Length
- 52 ft
- Owner
- State
- Vehicles a day
- 2,890
- Coordinates
- 39.57103, -84.49553
National Bridge Inventory (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory 2025. "Poor" means one major part rated 4 or below on the 0 to 9 scale; it calls for repair, not closing, unless the state posts or closes the bridge.
Museums, historical societies, gardens and zoos (1)
-
Butler County Antique Machinery ClubMuseum · Somerville
- What it is
- Museum
- City
- Somerville
- Coordinates
- 39.57081, -84.56631
Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.
Source: IMLS Museum Data Files, 2018.
Spills reported since 2021 (6)
-
Fish Kill2024-05-30 · Gratis Twp
- Reported
- 2024-05-30
- What spilled
- Fish Kill; Oil Petroleum Not Otherwise Specified (Nos)
- Where
- Gratis Twp, Preble County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SWDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2405EPA0000909
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fuel Oil/ Home Heating / Heating Oil2023-09-09 · Gratis Twp
- Reported
- 2023-09-09
- What spilled
- Fuel Oil/ Home Heating / Heating Oil
- Largest amount reported
- 200 gallons
- Where
- Gratis Twp, Preble County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SWDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2309EPA0001581
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road) Reached water2021-02-19 · Gratis Twp
- Reported
- 2021-02-19
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Largest amount reported
- 35 gallons
- Reached a waterway
- 99 - Unnamed
- Where
- Gratis Twp, Preble County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SWDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2102EPA0000221
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Other / All Other / Trade Name / Mixture / Solution Etc2026-08-20 · Gratis Twp
- Reported
- 2026-08-20
- What spilled
- Other / All Other / Trade Name / Mixture / Solution Etc
- Where
- Gratis Twp, Preble County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SWDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2608EPA0001548
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)2026-07-23 · Gratis
- Reported
- 2026-07-23
- What spilled
- Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road)
- Largest amount reported
- 150 gallons
- Where
- Gratis, Preble County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SWDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2607EPA0001346
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
-
Sewage Sludge / Biosolids2026-03-10 · Gratis Twp
- Reported
- 2026-03-10
- What spilled
- Sewage Sludge / Biosolids
- Largest amount reported
- 13,875 gallons
- Where
- Gratis Twp, Preble County
- Ohio EPA district office
- SWDO
- Ohio EPA case number
- 2603EPA0000342
Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗
Source: Ohio EPA emergency response spill reports, 2021 to September 2026, one point per case where Ohio EPA placed it. A report is what the caller or responder recorded; amounts are often blank or estimated.
Its ZIP codes
Each ZIP code that touches Gratis Township, Preble County, with the share of its residents who live here and the same headline figures as the ZIP page.
Local government
Who holds office in Gratis Township, Preble County, how its elections and ballot issues came out, and the state auditor's record.
Elections for office
| Date | Office | Candidates and votes |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-11-02 | Township Trustee (unofficial count) | Jeff Lynch 401, 50.19%; Greg Thompson 398, 49.81% |
Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.
Auditor of State record
- No fiscal caution, watch or emergency on the Auditor of State's lists.
- Agreed Upon Procedures, 2023 to 2024, released 2026-01-13
The county
Preble County: 12 ZIP codes, 23 cities, villages and townships, 43,242 people.
Nearby places
Quick answers
What county is Gratis Township, Ohio in?
Gratis Township, Preble County is a township in Preble County, Ohio, with 3,218 residents.
When was Gratis Township, Ohio founded?
Gratis Township, Preble County was settled as early as 1802 (John Leslie, section 36) -- the earliest documented land entry in Preble County. Source
How did Gratis Township, Ohio get its name?
The 1881 county history gives a specific origin story: a delegation of Friends (Quakers) petitioned the county commissioners for a new township in Preble County's southeastern corner; when the board balked, spokesman Samuel Stubbs made a final appeal, remarking that the petition should be granted 'gratis' -- free. Source
What ZIP code is Gratis Township, Ohio?
Gratis Township, Preble County is served by ZIP codes 45064 and 45311; 45064 holds the largest share of its residents.
Where does Gratis Township, Ohio get its water?
The main water source for Gratis Township, Preble County (Southwest Regional Water District): Four wells on a 100-acre district wellfield over the Great Miami valley aquifer, St. Clair Twp, north of Hamilton.
Cite this page
Cite this page as:
Cracked Buckeye, "Gratis Township, Preble County", https://crackedbuckeye.com/place/gratis-township-preble-county/, built 2026-10-31, accessed [date].
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