Clifton Mill has been in family for 31 years

Satariano family continues to build on magnificent display.

The Satariano family knows the secret to having an unbelievably terrific year.

All it takes is 31 years, 4 million Christmas lights and some elbow grease.

Just a 20-minute scenic drive from downtown Dayton is the Clifton Mill, one of the largest water-powered grist mills still in existence.

It predates the state of Ohio itself and now is the picturesque setting of one of Dayton’s most cherished holiday traditions, The Legendary Lights of Historic Clifton Mill.

In 1987, Anthony Satariano was 25 years old when his parents, Anthony Sr. and “Mrs. S,” purchased the Mill.

“One of the first things we decided as a family is when we purchased the Mill, we were walking around and thinking about how old and traditional and amazing it is to be the keeper of a piece of history,” Satariano said. “My father then says to us, ‘Let’s decorate this and put some lights on it.’ We bought 100,000 lights, thinking we had enough to last forever, and knew next to little about electricity. We truly did it just for ourselves, our family.”

Those first 100,000 lights might have been for their eyes only, though it didn’t take long for neighbors to flock past soon after. Fast-forward 31 years, and the Mill is co-owned by Mrs. S, Anthony and his son. General Manager Jessica Noes also plays a huge role at the Mill, starting out as a server for Clifton Mill 21 years ago.

Through sickness, obstacles, learning curves and even death, Anthony and his family have continued to grow the Legendary Lights of Clifton Mill.

The display is in the running for best Christmas lights in the country in the USA TODAY 10 BEST competition and on Dec. 3 Clifton Mill was featured on ABC TV’s “The Great Christmas Light Fight.”