Steve Hagaman is a native, and current resident, of southwestern Ohio who has pursued a life-long interest in machinery, architecture, and building techniques. He started working with his hands to build things while growing up on a farm and being exposed to industrial arts, drafting, and woodworking in high school. After high school he pursued training first in Natural Resources Conservation at Vincennes University and, later, in Organizational Leadership at Xavier University.
Also soon after completing high school, Steve apprenticed with a retired master carpenter on the restoration of an 1850s-era barn which instilled in him a deep appreciation of older buildings and construction methods. This experience led to his interest in the mills of Hamilton County, Ohio, and surrounding counties in Indiana and Kentucky.
