Editing Hamilton, Ohio (section)

===20th century to present===
[[File:Hamilton OH Historic High ST.jpg|thumb|High Street in downtown Hamilton, 2016]]
In the 1920s, many [[Chicago]] [[gangster]]s established second homes in Hamilton. This gave Hamilton the nickname "Little Chicago". Some of these men appeared to have invested in what became an active district of gambling and prostitution. During [[World War II]], the military declared the entire city off-limits to its enlisted personnel because of its numerous gambling and prostitution establishments.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}} Madame Freeze's and the long row of prostitution houses along Wood Street (now called Pershing Avenue) were notorious among soldiers. Factories in Hamilton converted their operations to support the war effort, manufacturing military supplies, such as tank turrets, [[Liberty ship]] and submarine engines, and machined and stamped metal parts.

With the 1950s came the construction of the new interstate highway, [[I-75]], part of the nationwide system. It bypassed Hamilton after a decision made to reduce traffic through the city. As a result, businesses were drawn to areas outside Hamilton with easier access to I-75. Until 1999, when the [[Butler County Veterans Highway]] was built, Hamilton was the second-largest city in the United States without direct interstate access.<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>

In the late 20th century, industrial restructuring in heavy manufacturing resulted in widespread loss of jobs in older industrial cities, as operations were merged, relocated, and finally moved offshore. Like other [[Rust Belt]] cities in the northern tier, Hamilton has struggled to develop a new economy after such wide-scale changes, but it has retained more of its population than many such cities. In addition, since the late 20th century it has attracted new immigrants, primarily from [[Mexico]] and [[Central America]].

On March 30, 1975, Easter Sunday, [[James Ruppert]] murdered 11 family members in his mother's house at 635 Minor Avenue in Hamilton, in what is referred to as the "[[Easter Sunday Massacre]]". The murders shocked the town of Hamilton and the entire country. This was the deadliest shooting inside a private residence in American history.<!--Cause? Was he prosecuted? -->{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

{{anchor|Renaming}} On May 28, 1986, as part of a plan to increase publicity about Hamilton and boost its revitalization, the City Council voted 5 to 1 in favor of adding an exclamation point to the city's name, similar to the popular musical ''[[Oklahoma!]]''. Thus, Hamilton officially became '''Hamilton!'''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hamilton-city.org/DocumentCenter/View/410|title=Preliminary Feasibility Report |date=June 12, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160612041759/http://www.hamilton-city.org/DocumentCenter/View/410|archive-date=June 12, 2016}}</ref><ref>[http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2001/09/21/loc_citys_gimmick_made.html "City's Gimmick"], ''The Cincinnati Enquirer'', September 21, 2001</ref> While at the time used extensively in the city's documents, letterheads, business cards and on local signage, the [[United States Board on Geographic Names]] did not include the exclamation point; nor did [[Rand McNally]] maps.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hamilton! (Cont'd.) |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/1986/08/15/hamilton-contd/dd31958b-0e75-4a0e-affb-a4d589686c16/ |access-date=September 11, 2018 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=August 15, 1986}}</ref> The exclamation point is generally no longer used. It is not in use on the Hamilton municipal website.<ref>[https://www.hamilton-city.org/ City of Hamilton] Retrieved February 14, 2020.</ref>

In 2009 and 2015, the city won the [[Berkeley Springs, West Virginia|Berkeley Springs]] International Water Tasting Awards for best-tasting municipal water for the United States; and in 2010, the gold medal for the best tasting water in the world. They also placed 3rd (2nd best in America) in 2014, 2017, and 2018; and 5th in 2022.<ref>[https://berkeleyspringswatertasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Winners91-2023.pdf "Water Awards Winners 1991-2023"], Berkeley Springs, West Virginia website, Accessed: October 2, 2024</ref><!-- Expand - where does its water come from; how is it treated?-->