A private womens school, the Western College for Women began as the Western Female Seminary in 1853 and was named because it was the western representation of Mount Holyoke in the East. Although the College closed in 1974, and its hillside campus became part of Miami University, historic buildings and beautiful stone bridges can still be seen. The district is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and a self-guided walking tour booklet describes 24 sites along with biographies of the people associated with them.