Col. Robert Higgins was a Revolutionary War officer who had received 1,000 acres (400 ha) of land in Brown County, Ohio for his service to his country.

He and his family first moved onto the land in 1799, building a small crude cabin near what is now Higginsport.

[5] On September 1, 1804, Higgins started surveying a new community named White Haven on his land, and that same month it was platted and recorded in Williamsburg.

[6] On February 28, 1816, Higgins again replatted the community, this time with 114 lots, and renamed it Higginsport.

In 1835, the first brick house was built in town, by Jesse Dugan, then owner of the store.

[6] White burley tobacco was first grown near Higginsport in 1864 from seed brought from Kentucky,[8] and by the 1880s, the local economy was largely based on it.

[6] Two centuries of fires and floods have taken their toll on the communities original homes and businesses along the river front.

[5] Higginsport is located in the southeastern part of Lewis Township near the mouth of White Oak Creek.

About 9.6% of families and 11.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.5% of those under the age of eighteen and 8.8% of those 65 or over.