The Miami Military Institute (MMI) was a college preparatorymilitary academy located in Germantown, Ohio. Originally founded as the Twin Valley College in 1885, the school was reorganized as the all-boys Miami Military Institute in 1894.
In 1885, Orvon Graff Brown, a 22-year old professor at the Cincinnati Wesleyan University, leased a disused building in Germantown.[1] The building had been built in 1876 for the failed Germantown Institute and was currently being used as a Militia Armory.[1] In 1886 Brown established the Twin Valley College, and a branch of the Ohio Conservatory of Music. Initially the school was staffed by instructors from the Wesleyan, which was headed by Brown's parents, Rev. W.K and Martha McClellan Brown.[2] In 1894 the school was reorganized into the Miami Military Institute. In December 1903 a fire destroyed the original Germantown Institute building, and a new campus was completed by the start of the 1904 school year. The school grew significantly throughout the 1910s and 1920s, but was significantly effected by the Great Depression. Following the death of its founder, Orvan Graff Brown, the school closed its doors in 1934.[3][4]
Almost 150 cadets of the academy served in World War I, more than half of them as commissioned officers. Seven of these cadets died in the conflict.[5]
Post-MMI building historyedit
From the 1937 to the 1990s, the buildings that were once MMI acted as a Methodist camp, and was affectionately known as "Camp Miami" by locals. Due to increasing maintenance costs, the former MMI Campus was sold in the 1990s and a new building was constructed nearby for Camp Miami, which continued to operate into 2001.[3][6] It was later a very popular location for Urban exploration from the 1990s to 2015.
By 2015, the building was in an extreme state of disrepair. Most of the exterior windows had been broken by vandals and urban explorers trying to gain entry, and the roof was on the verge of collapsing due to lack of maintenance. Restoration was deemed impossible, so during the summer of 2015, the buildings on the site were demolished, and the asphalt parking lot removed. As of 2016, the only remaining structure on the site is the MMI's flagpole. The school's infirmary still stands, on South Main Street in Germantown.
Museum displaysedit
Artifacts from the MMI can be found on display at both the Germantown historical society museum, located on West Center Street, and at the Veteran's Memorial Museum, located on South Main Street.
Referencesedit
^ abThe Bayonet, Volume XXXI, Miami Military Institute, 1930, p. 2 [full citation needed]
miami, military, institute, college, preparatory, military, academy, located, germantown, ohio, originally, founded, twin, valley, college, 1885, school, reorganized, boys, 1894, addresswest, warren, streetgermantown, ohiounited, statesinformationtypemilitary,. The Miami Military Institute MMI was a college preparatory military academy located in Germantown Ohio Originally founded as the Twin Valley College in 1885 the school was reorganized as the all boys Miami Military Institute in 1894 Miami Military InstituteAddressWest Warren StreetGermantown OhioUnited StatesInformationTypeMilitary boarding schoolPrivateEstablished1885 Twin Valley College 1894 Miami Military Institute FounderCol Orvan Graff BrownClosed1934Grades7 12Campus24 acres 9 7 ha Color s Blue and white NewspaperThe Bayonet Contents 1 History 1 1 Post MMI building history 2 Museum displays 3 ReferencesHistory editIn 1885 Orvon Graff Brown a 22 year old professor at the Cincinnati Wesleyan University leased a disused building in Germantown 1 The building had been built in 1876 for the failed Germantown Institute and was currently being used as a Militia Armory 1 In 1886 Brown established the Twin Valley College and a branch of the Ohio Conservatory of Music Initially the school was staffed by instructors from the Wesleyan which was headed by Brown s parents Rev W K and Martha McClellan Brown 2 In 1894 the school was reorganized into the Miami Military Institute In December 1903 a fire destroyed the original Germantown Institute building and a new campus was completed by the start of the 1904 school year The school grew significantly throughout the 1910s and 1920s but was significantly effected by the Great Depression Following the death of its founder Orvan Graff Brown the school closed its doors in 1934 3 4 Almost 150 cadets of the academy served in World War I more than half of them as commissioned officers Seven of these cadets died in the conflict 5 Post MMI building history edit From the 1937 to the 1990s the buildings that were once MMI acted as a Methodist camp and was affectionately known as Camp Miami by locals Due to increasing maintenance costs the former MMI Campus was sold in the 1990s and a new building was constructed nearby for Camp Miami which continued to operate into 2001 3 6 It was later a very popular location for Urban exploration from the 1990s to 2015 By 2015 the building was in an extreme state of disrepair Most of the exterior windows had been broken by vandals and urban explorers trying to gain entry and the roof was on the verge of collapsing due to lack of maintenance Restoration was deemed impossible so during the summer of 2015 the buildings on the site were demolished and the asphalt parking lot removed As of 2016 the only remaining structure on the site is the MMI s flagpole The school s infirmary still stands on South Main Street in Germantown Museum displays editArtifacts from the MMI can be found on display at both the Germantown historical society museum located on West Center Street and at the Veteran s Memorial Museum located on South Main Street References edit a b The Bayonet Volume XXXI Miami Military Institute 1930 p 2 full citation needed Lulu Reed Brown Memoirs 1927 p 11 full citation needed a b Maj S K Brown is Dead Son of Institute Founder Dayton Daily News 19 August 1949 p 40 Retrieved 10 April 2021 Miami Military Institute Photographs Martha McClellan Brown Papers MS 147 Wright State University 22 June 2015 Retrieved 10 April 2021 Memorial Gold Stars Service Records Miami Military Institute Dayton OH 75 1926 via Dayton Metro Library Camp Miami Formerly the Miami Military Institute MMI CardCow com The Germantown Press 1979 Retrieved 10 April 2021 39 37 33 3 N 84 22 27 7 W 39 625917 N 84 374361 W 39 625917 84 374361 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Miami Military Institute amp oldid 1217991370, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
