St. PARIS, Ohio (WDTN) – Paris, France, has been the focus of hosting the 2024 Summer Olympics in recent weeks.
But in the Miami Valley there are two villages that bear the Paris name – St. Paris and New Paris.
2 NEWS anchor Kelley King visited both locations to explore the French connection.
Founded in 1831, St. Paris in Champaign County is known as “Pony Wagon Town,” once a center for the manufacture of the colorful wagons.
France 2024: The latest from the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris
Council member Terry Ervin has lived in St. Paris since 1992.
“St. Paris is a pretty cool place, a special place because there are a lot of nice people here. People are friendly, you know. They hold the door for you. They help you,” says Ervin.
Local shops line West Main Street in downtown.
“Sometimes I go to the hardware store because I just need something. It’s a pretty cool place. And there’s a furniture store there too. Whenever we need a mattress or something, we go there. My wife usually goes to the cafe here, Little Birds Cafe, on her way to work in the morning,” Ervin explains.
Although not the Eiffel Tower, St. Paris has a kind of landmark with two huge water towers.
Photos: Celebrities everywhere at the Olympic Games in Paris
“Paris is hosting the Olympics. I don’t think we have enough swimming pools or things like that,” Ervin laughs and jokes. “I mean, we have softball fields and things like that.”
Aaralyn Maddux, a graduate of Graham High School, recently took a trip abroad and visited Paris, France.
“I’ve been to Dublin and London, but Paris was definitely my favorite. I was there for two days, so we did Paris. I saw the Eiffel Tower. We went to the Louvre. It was beautiful. The people were great. The food was great. And then we went to Versailles. The next day. It was beautiful. The architecture was beautiful,” Maddux describes.
For Maddux, St. Paris is his home.
“I grew up here. I’ve lived here my whole life. I’ve never moved. I just love the community,” Maddux explains.
PHOTOS: What did the Olympic Games look like 100 years ago?
Her mother owns Little Birds Cafe on the corner of South Springfield and West Main Streets. The cafe has been open for about two years.
The West Main Coffeehouse further down the street has been open for several months.
“We have all kinds of coffee from Hemisphere. We also have Velvet ice cream. We have sourdough bread from McNabb. We have different organic cupcakes. We have meat and muffins from Bair Farm. We have all kinds of local vendors. We have beautiful flowers,” says Miranda Bateson, co-owner of West Main Coffeehouse.
Bateson moved to St. Paris in September, a few months before the cafe opened.
“I love St. Paris because my grandparents had a grocery store when I was a little girl,” Bateson says. “It’s just wonderful to be back here and everyone is just wonderful. And I love how tight-knit this little town is. It’s just beautiful.”
Not to be confused with St. Paris, about 60 miles away in Preble County, lies the village of New Paris.
It became famous through the Christmas carol “Up on the Housetop,” which Reverend Benjamin Hanby wrote in 1864.
Olympic History: A look back at the times when the USA hosted the Games
Natural Springs Resort in New Paris is a family-friendly park and campground with over 200 sites and over a dozen cabins for rent.
“We have a lot to offer in terms of the lake you see here and in terms of swimming. We also have a heated wading pool,” says Steve Adams, who has been resort manager for 18 years.
The resort also offers volleyball, basketball and playgrounds for children.
“We also offer swimming in the lake and people come here to scuba dive,” says Adams. “We also rent paddle boats and kayaks.”
Adams jokes that all Olympic sports exist, just not at the Olympic level.
In downtown New Paris on East Main Street, the New Paris Antique Mall plays on the name Paris.
“We have the Eiffel Tower in our logo,” smiles Linda Kelley, who owns the shop with her husband Keith. “We’re really proud of it. And we love antiques. We love looking for finds. We love fixing things and selling them to people.”
“This town was settled by farmers from Paris, Kentucky,” explains Keith Kelley.
There are even decorative Eiffel Towers in the store.
“My husband has always had a great interest in antiques. One time he came here, saw the building for sale, bought it and wanted to open this antique shop,” Linda Kelley describes. “We’re actually only a mile from 70 and Route 40, so it’s a perfect location. It’s an old historic building. It was built in 1873.”
The Kelleys have owned the store for 15 years.
“We’ve been here for 15 years and we love every minute. I joined the Chamber of Commerce as soon as I arrived to help,” says Keith Kelley. “Some of my friends asked me why I chose New Paris. And I said, well, it’s just my hometown America.”
Both New Paris and St. Paris are home to a lot of history and pieces of the past. This tale of two cities is just as special as its French namesake, which lies more than 4,000 miles away.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports and streaming video, visit WDTN.com.
PARIS
