In 1799, weary settlers traveled north from the Ohio River and west from Chillicothe to form a settlement that would eventually become Greenfield, Ohio. Those early settlers staked out their future along Paint Creek. Gen. Duncan McArthur platted the town, which grew quickly. Prominent leaders over the years included Rear Adm. Noble Irwin, Gen. John Hull, Edward L. McClain, and F.R. Harris. Many factories and businesses developed, including Wilknet, Waddell, Greenfield Pad and Textile Company, and C.R. Patterson and Sons. As in all towns, businesses opened and closed, but Greenfield's shining monument throughout the last century, E.L. McClain High School, remains a proud centerpiece of the community.