Let's Talk Clermont

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Episode 49: Utopia, Floods, and Clermont’s Hidden History

Snowpocalypse is here, but we’re still recording. In this episode, we run through a few timely local updates, including a tax update from the Clermont County Treasurer as second half tax bills get recalculated and a reminder that first half real estate taxes are due Friday, February 13, 2026. We also preview two Batavia Township public hearings on Tuesday, February 3 at 6 PM covering proposed State Route 125 overlay updates and a new process for administering previously approved planned developments. Plus, a quick look at New Richmond Schools’ fiscal caution plan and the next steps toward a May levy, and an invitation to weigh in on Pierce Township’s proposed improvements to the White Oak and SR 125 intersection.

Then it’s time for history. We sit down with Cindy Johnson of the Clermont County Historical Society for a wild ride through the real story of Utopia, Ohio. You’ll hear about three different attempts at building a “perfect” community on the river, a Fourierist-style commune that fizzled fast, a spiritualist settlement with a tragic flood collapse, and the later Utopia experiment built on barter and big ideas. Cindy also shares what the Historical Society is working on now, including digitization efforts and a massive project to identify Revolutionary War veterans buried across Clermont County, with some of their pension stories still preserved in local records.

We wrap with a packed events rundown, from library book sales and job fairs to maple syrup demos and a Don Quixote story time with live ballet.

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