St. Anne's Blog on the Hill

Ohio History

2012-01-22T00:52:00.000-05:00

A new tax check-off for the Ohio Historical Society has been added to our Ohio 1040 and 1040EZ tax forms. This year you can dedicate part or all of your state income tax refund to history-related projects in communities across Ohio. The society will use revenues to create a grants program to support history related projects statewide.

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Census Data

2012-01-01T17:00:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year! The results of the 2010 Census are rolling in! Although the "big picture" numbers were released last year, the detailed local numbers are still coming out. The St. Anne's Hill Historic District is almost entirely represented by one Census Tract Block Group - Dayton Tract 19, Block Group 2.

Unfortunately, the east side of McClure Street is left out and a few homes from the Huffman Historic District on Terry Street are included instead. However, some people have suggested that the southern block of Terry Street should've been part of St. Anne's Hill anyway, so maybe it all balances out in the end.

So the numbers are not a completely accurate representation of our neighborhood, but it is pretty close. Here's what we found so far....

Population

Residents: 632

Males: 335 (53%)

Females: 297 (47%)
Children (both male and female): 121 (19%)

Age
Median age: 36
Median male age: 37

Median female age: 35

Race
White/Caucasian: 547 (87%)
Black/African-American: 40 (6%)
Mixed race: 24 (4%)
Other (such as Hispanic or Pacific Islander): 16  (3%)
Asian: 4 (1%)
Native American: 1 (>1%)

Occupancy
Households: 293
Family households: 134 (46%)
Non-family households: 159 (54%)
Average family household size: 3
Average non-family household size: 2
Owner-occupied units: 161 (55%)
Rental units: 132 (45%)

* Note: Family is defined by the Census Bureau as two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption - but does not include same-sex couples.

The numbers for things like employment, education, and income have not been released yet.   We will try to post those numbers when they are available, but it should go without saying that St. Anne's Hill continues to be an attractive, diverse, and inclusive community.    We welcome everyone to our neighborhood!

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1913 Flood

2011-12-28T01:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks to the Dayton Metro Library, we have access to this incredible collection of photographs from the Great Dayton Flood of 1913, which is estimated to have caused billions of dollars in damages in today's dollar.

On our holiday home tours, we often note that Daytonians found refuge in St. Anne's Hill, due to its advantageous location overlooking Downtown, which was underwater at that time. Here now are some amazing images of the St. Anne's Hill neighborhood during that fateful time....

Photo 1 - Fifth Street near Bomberger Park and Stivers High School

Photo 2 - Dutoit Street near Third Street

Note the Dayton Paper Novelty Company building, which relocated to this facility on 1220 E. Third Street in 1908. Although this may seem like an ill-fated move, they probably would've been even worse off if they had stayed in their original location on First Street...

Photo 3 - militiamen on Fifth Street near Wayne Avenue

Photo 4 - View of the Flood from St. Anne's Hill

Photo 5 - Bomberger Park after the Flood

Photo 6 - Stivers High School after the Flood

PS. Thanks to association member Denny G. for finding these photographs online!

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-12T16:41:00.001-05:00

Thanks to everyone who helped to make our biennial Holiday Home Tour a success!    We had about 900 visitors on our tour this year - possibly an all-time record.    It took many volunteers and gracious homeowners to help achieve our goals this year, but most of all we are thankful for the guests and sponsors who helped to keep historic preservation alive and well in Dayton!

Please enjoy these photos of the tour by clicking here and here!   The tour was featured in the Dayton Daily News, too.

Happy Holidays from your friends in St. Anne's Hill historic district!

Photo by Karla H.

Photo by Nicole K.

Christmas Tour

2011-10-20T01:22:00.000-04:00

Dickens of A Christmas in St. Anne's Hill

Click here for details!

Please join us for the biennial holiday walking tour of the St. Anne's Hill Historic District. The guided tours will begin at the High Street Gallery located at 48 High Street in Dayton, Ohio.

The tour will include 8 unique homes along our charming neighborhood streets. The tour will conclude in the landmark Bossler Mansion with a special holiday dessert and a visit to Victoria's Parlour Gift Shoppe. Each tour will last approximately 2 and 1/2 hours. Ample parking is available at Bomberger Park.

The St. Anne's Hill holiday home tour is the longest continuously operating home tour in the Dayton region. All proceeds from this event go towards preserving the character and integrity of our neighborhood.

Bike Ride

2011-10-06T21:07:00.002-04:00

Check it out! Coming October 15, 2011....

The Girlfriend Ride Dayton, a bicycle tour just for ladies! Get your best girlfriends and join us for a day of pampering and fun while seeing some of the coolest sights Dayton has to offer...

Ride through several historic districts (Dayton has more than any other US city) like McPherson Town, Grafton Hill, the Oregon District and St. Anne’s Hill.

Liederkranz News

2011-09-21T00:53:00.000-04:00

Here are some upcoming events at the Dayton Liederkranz on High Street:

24 September—Genealogy Meeting
8 October—Oktoberfest & German-American Day w/ Gebhard Erler
24 October—Fall Concert
5 November—Schlachtfest Dinner
3-4 December—Christkindlmarkt
10 December—Christmas Concert
18 December—Family Christmas Party

Several of our neighbors are members of Dayton's oldest German club, and we are proud to partner with them on events like our upcoming "Dickens of a Christmas" Holiday Home Tour (December 9-11, 2011) which coincides with their annual Christmas Concert!

See you soon in St. Anne's Hill!

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Work in Progress

2011-08-05T02:15:00.008-04:00

Join us September 10 and 11, 2011 for the first ever "Work in Progress" Restoration Tour in St. Anne's Hill Historic District in Dayton! This self-guided tour, open from noon to 4 pm, will feature ten properties that have been recently restored or are a true work in progress.

[Updated] Start your tour at the former American Saloon at 1600 E. Fifth Street, and pick up your map there. Tickets are only available at the door. There are no advanced ticket sales for this event.

Come see what historic preservation is really like, and hear what the property owners have to say about it. Visitors can also check out our neighborhood art galleries and enjoy a meal at the New York Pizzeria.

All proceeds will be dedicated to the Fifth Street improvement project. Donations are welcome. For more information, check back here soon or join our Facebook page.

More details will be added as we get closer to the event. Please help spread the word!

Cost:
$6 adults (16 & up)
$5 seniors
$5 military w/ ID
$5 children 5-15
Under 5 - free

[Update] Every ticket purchase comes with a coupon for a free treat from Boulevard Haus restaurant in the historic Oregon District while supplies last - so your ticket nearly pays for itself! Experience history right here in Dayton, Ohio.

For more information on this project, please contact us at news[at]stanneshill.org.

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Muth Brothers

2011-08-01T01:54:00.000-04:00

Many visitors to our biennial "Dickens of a Christmas" Tour have heard mention of the Muth Brothers, who lived at 101 La Belle Street in St. Anne's Hill.   But what do we really know about them?   Well, a few things...

The Muth Brothers built the home in the Queen Anne style of architecture around 1905, according to Preservation Dayton. This Wikipedia entry describes the American Queen Anne style as "picturesque buildings with "free Renaissance" (non-Gothic Revival) details... of the period 1880 to 1910."   The porch, gables, and wrought-iron fence are typical of this period - and the homes in St. Anne's Hill.

We also know that they owned a rigging company, as seen in this advertisement from an old Dayton City Directory, which was like the yellow pages of their day, and can be found at the Dayton Metro Library.

Of course, it was never quite clear exactly where they conducted their business, because the house is actually one of three homes built side-by-side with no real yard space between them.    For the lucky homeowners who enjoy beautiful Victorian details but would prefer to avoid yard work, this is an ideal situation.    However, that does not answer our question - where did they do business?

Well, if we look at the historic Sanborn Insurance Map from 1918, which is also available from the Library, we can see that there was actually a warehouse on La Belle Street at one time - just a few doors down from their home.    In fact, this was probably typical of the era. Many businesses were operated from people's homes or in their own neighborhood.    Before cars, interstates, and suburban sprawl became the norm it made perfect sense to live and work in the same community. (click on the picture to expand the image)

In writing this story, we discovered one more bit of information that was lost in history until recently. Our friends at DaytonHistoryBooks.com uncovered this gem of a story, which is edited for brevity here....

     The sudden attack upon Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941, found not only our government unprepared for war, but also found the manufacturers of public warning apparatus unprepared for the unprecedented demand for their products.

     Sirens, air driven and electrically operated, have long been used by small communities as fire alarms. These communities generally cover a small area and an adequate coverage was obtained by use of these sirens. The densely populated cities, however, were unable economically to provide a sufficient number of them to get adequate coverage in their unheard of use as air raid warnings....

     This City, classified as a highly strategic one, set to the task of installing warning signals immediately following the Pearl Harbor attack by installing six five-horse-power, four two-horse-power, and fourteen one-half horse power sirens. The latter were placed at selected points in the noisy sections in the downtown business area. [Editor's note: Dayton at that time was already an important military asset because of the airplane industry built by the Wright Brothers, and what is now known as Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.}

     Eventually all sirens were ready for operation and a test was planned. This plan consisted of the placement of 502 civilian defense lieutenants at their posts throughout the City. Each was to turn in a report as to the dependable audibility of the signal at this particular post. The results of the tests were very disappointing since less than forty per cent of the reports indicated that the signal was satisfactory.

     We were rewarded for our patient waiting by a demonstration of this new equipment, called the “Victory Siren,” in September, 1942. This siren was a mobile one and was spotted at Deeds Park in order that the truck upon which it was mounted might be turned in a 360 degree movement, thus giving coverage in a complete circle.

     It was not until early in the spring of 1943 that we were able to see our way clear for purchase of four of this type siren which were then ordered from the Chrysler Motor Corporation of Detroit, Michigan.

     The actual mounting of the heavy sirens was performed by Muth Brothers, riggers, who cooperated with the Council for Defense in this work.

     The task of erecting the towers and mounting the sirens was not a small one. Our efforts, however, were rewarded by the satisfactory tests that were made for overall coverage. We feel that if the need ever came for their use in an actual air raid that the Council for Defense and its volunteer workers will be adequately alarmed

So it turns out that St. Anne's Hill played a small part in our national defense because of a little company that started on La Belle Street. Come learn more about Dayton's History at our next Holiday Tour!

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Sunny Day

2011-07-10T01:22:00.001-04:00

It was a sunny day for an alley sweep! We had about 30 neighborhood volunteers and a crew of City trash collectors working together Saturday in St. Anne's Hill to clean up our alleys and clear out unwanted junk from our basements.

Afterwards, about a dozen people retreated to the New York Pizzeria on Fifth Street for pizza, salad, and a little rest. Way to go, neighbors!

Photos by Abby K.

For more photos, click here! To find out how you can get involved, visit our website.

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Vinegar Hill

2011-07-06T18:46:00.000-04:00

The Dayton Daily News wrote a nice article about our latest public art project, now known as the Vinegar Hill Sculpture. We wrote about it in a previous post on this blog. Here's a bit from the DDN story....

The orchards that were part of the Fifth Street landscape in 1834 were covered with green trees dotted with red apples.

There used to be a very strong vinegar odor from those orchards just east of Keowee Street. The new “Vinegar Hill” sculpture, about 160 pounds of steel, serves to remind visitors to the St. Anne’s Historic District of that fact.

Nationally known sculptor Hamilton Dixon created the eye-catching marker with the help of 19-year-old Bakumba “BK” Elias and K12 Gallery for Young People students Tom Brotherton, Edward Finnicum and Cleveland Sumerlin.

The article also mentioned "The 1600 Group" project at the former American Saloon....

“We bought the building at the end of October last year and hired a painting crew. We are looking for more investors to finish the inside,” said 1600 Group member Joe Dierkers, who is restoring an 1853 house the next street over. “We’re hoping someone will start a restaurant or a tavern for a neighborhood gathering place.”

... and there's a photo of the artists along with a great bunch of neighbors who came out to celebrate the new sculpture!

Public Art

2011-06-26T02:09:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, neighbors and friends gathered on Fifth Street to dedicate a new work of public art. The sculpture was created by Hamilton "Ham" Dixon in partnership with teens from the K12 Gallery For Young People. The new artwork will help enhance Fifth Street, and also draw attention to the renovations at the former American Saloon. For more photos of the event, just click here!

New sculpture on Fifth Street

Teen artists, Jerri from K12 Gallery, and steel artist "Ham" Dixon

Neighbors discussing the new artwork on Fifth Street

Checking out the renovation work at the old Saloon.

Fun Run

2011-06-14T17:02:00.005-04:00

Join the Ohio River Road Runners Club for their annual Track Run taking place at Stivers on Wednesday, June 15, 2011.

A fun little track meet to test your foot speed at the start of the summer. Participants can run the 1-mile (1600 meter) individual race , the 2-mile (3200 meter) individual race, and/or the 4-person team relay race (4x800 meter). Relay teams are selected at random, so there is no need to form a team before the race. You may end up on a team with the 3 fastest runners...or the 3 slowest....its the luck of the draw, and that's what makes it so much fun!
WHEN: Wednesday, June 15. The race starts at 7:00pm.
PARKING: Stivers School for the Arts High School, 1313 East 5th Street, Dayton, OH 45402-2222
REGISTRATION: Race Day Registration Only. We recommend you arrive at least one hour before the race to park, register and warm-up prior to the race start.
FEES:
Adults $3 for ORRRC Members
$9 for non-ORRRC Members
Seniors (60 & over) $2 for ORRRC Members
$5 for non-ORRRC Members
Youth $2 for Youth (15-19)
Youth 14 and under are free

AWARDS:
Top 5 Male and Female in the 1600M and 3200M events. Top 5 Co-Ed teams in the 4x800M Relay. All finishers in the 400M and 800M kids events (non-competitive, all finishers are winners).
VOLUNTEERS:
Meet some new friends and have a great time while making a valuable contribution to the local running community by volunteering at this event.

Come have some fun and join the run!

Treasured Photos

2011-06-14T01:40:00.000-04:00

Please enjoy these amazing photos of the annual Trash N' Treasure neighborhood yard sale, taken by our resident photographer, Nicole. Here are just a few of them.... see you next year!

Strictly Strings

2011-06-12T14:30:00.002-04:00

St. Anne's Hill's own Gerald Strickland will be featured in this year's CityFolk festival in Downtown Dayton on July 1-3. 2011. The annual festival is one of the region's most popular events. According to CityFolk's website:

In April 2009, Strickland moved to Dayton and opened his own shop on East Fifth Street. Skilled at building, repairing and restoring all types of fretted instruments, he specializes in repairing broken head stocks, neck resets, bridge re-glues, cosmetic repairs and full restorations and has an outstanding national reputation for the quality of his repair work.

Strickland has been designated a Fender “Gold Level” repair technician for both acoustic and electric guitars and is certified by several other major guitar manufacturers to do warranty work on their instruments.

Gerald is a great guy and a great example of the craftsman that have always found their way to St. Anne's Hill. He follows the tradition of the early German settlers who built the neighborhood, and found a new home for his musical craftsmanship in our little corner of Dayton.

Please make sure you stop by CityFolk and say hello to Gerald. Tell them St. Anne's Hill sent you!

PS. The former director of CityFolk happened to live in St. Anne's Hill until moving to Kentucky for another position. St. Anne's Hill is the arts community of choice in Dayton!

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Buried Treasures

2011-06-09T00:28:00.000-04:00

Join us for the annual "Trash N' Treasure" neighborhood yard sale in St. Anne's Hill this Saturday! Just click here to get the official map of all the great sales and entertainment for the day.

While you're here, stop by some of our great local businesses like the New York Pizzeria and the Missing Peace Art Gallery. There are homes for sale or rent as well.

We are expecting literally hundreds of visitors, so "TNT" is always a great day to visit St. Anne's!

Robert's Rules

2011-06-01T23:58:00.002-04:00

At our monthly meetings in St. Anne's Hill, we try to follow a loose version of Robert's Rules. These rules help groups to stay on track and discuss issues in a reasonable way. Here's a little background on Mr. Robert....

Henry Martyn Robert was an engineering officer in the regular Army. Without warning he was asked to preside over a public meeting being held in a church in his community and realized that he did not know how. He tried anyway and his embarrassment was supreme. To bring order out of chaos he decided to write Robert's Rules of Order as it came to be called.

He believed these basic rules, which still hold true today....

Abide by the will of the majority
Listen to the minority.
Consider one thing at a time.
Give everyone a chance to talk.

However, most people don't realize there is a Dayton connection to Mr. Roberts...

Born in Robertville, S.C., Henry M. Robert and James Robert were sons of the Rev. Joseph T. Robert, a Baptist minister. Mr. Robert did not approve of slavery and before the Civil War became inevitable he had moved his family to Dayton where he accepted a college teaching post.

James Robert followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a tutor at the elegant girls’ school, Vassar. Henry M. Robert entered West Point at the age of 16, destined to become a general in the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers.

James Robert returned to Dayton at the request of local educators and wealthy parents, to head the Cooper Female Seminary, which was located on W. First St., on the present site of Westminster Presbyterian Church and the Board of Education building.

A plan by E. R. Stillwell to broaden the levee from Monument Ave. to First St. interested him, but he believed that more valuable real estate would be created by dredging the river basin and filling the land to the pasture that then served as a gypsy camp ground. The plan for his development had the plat extending from First St. to Fourth St. and from the Third St. bridge to the Dayton View bridge.

Robert sought technical advice from his brother, Henry, then a colonel in the engineers, who agreed to help. The two brothers became so taken with the project that Henry was to make frequent trips to Dayton as the various phases were completed.

On one such trip, he met the accomplished Helen Thresher, daughter of early settler Ebenezer Thresher, owner of the Thresher Paint Co. The young couple’s romance culminated in a Christmas Eve wedding in 1860. Thus, Henry M. Robert married into a Dayton family and Dayton history.

Thanks to DaytonHistoryBooks.com, we now know that it is quite possible the famous Mr. Roberts spent some time here in St. Anne's Hill. Please join us for our next monthly meeting on Tuesday, June 7, 2011 at 7 pm in the Liederkranz building, and see his rules in action.

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Over the Rainbow

2011-05-24T00:46:00.001-04:00

Even the rainbows are beautiful in St. Anne's Hill....

McClure Street Bridge
Photo by Heather K.

The sunsets are pretty nice, too....

Stivers School for the Performing Arts
Photo by Alex P.

Got great photos of the neighborhood?

Send them and we'll post them here!

Brunch Photos

2011-05-23T00:50:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone who attended the St. Anne's Hill 2011 Spring Brunch! Special thanks to the Social Committee for organizing the event and to Karla for these photos....

Everyone was in a hurry to arrive...

The gang's all here!

Enjoying the shade...

Check out these wheels!

Please join us next time for one of the many great social events in our community!

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Life on Dutoit

2011-05-19T17:53:00.003-04:00

Here's an amazing historic photo of Dutoit Street!

Notes from John....

Attached is a picture Jennifer Mueller Garwood shared with me of her cottage on Dutoit St. Note the lovely porch...the house to the left of it that has recently been redone...and the house to the right of it with one shutter closed. Note also the brick street and cool lamp post on the road (why did we ever let those go?!). The child in the picture is Mr. Herman who lived in the house his whole life as some of you may know.

Some things never change... see for yourself in St. Anne's Hill.

Spring Social

2011-05-18T01:53:00.000-04:00

It's time for the annual Spring Brunch in St. Anne's! From the social committee...

The brunch is scheduled for Sunday, May 22. It will be held on Fourth St. ( corner of Fourth and Henry). Mimosas will be served at 10:30 and brunch will begin at 11:00. There is no cost for this social, just bring a dish to share with your neighbors. This is a great opportunity to catch up with your neighbors and see whats been going on in the hill.

Flyers will be delivered this week. I hope to see everyone there.

New neighbors and prospective homebuyers are welcome to join us and learn more about our community.

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Fashion sense

2011-05-07T17:08:00.003-04:00

Here's a fun little article from the DDN about how people dressed in victorian times. An excerpt....

Victorian nightgowns were traditionally long and floating with lots of fabric and lace or ruffles. Up until the Victorian era, there had been no concept of clothes meant only for bedtime. Both men and women slept in the shifts or shirts they wore as underwear during the day. The wealthy might change them more frequently, but they were still dual-purpose garments. In the 19th century, increased prosperity and a new interest in hygiene combined to make nightclothes a necessity for those who could afford it.

We experience a slice of the victorian age every day, right here in St. Anne's Hill historic district!

First Friday

2011-05-06T17:05:00.002-04:00

A message from the Missing Peace Art Space....

You are cordially invited to the opening reception for our exhibition Social Engagement Exile, Poster Art by Marlena Buczek Smith and Dialogue with Cuba: photographs by Ernesto Pichardo, capturing the essence of society and the beauty surrounding us.

When: May 6th (First Friday)
Where: 234 S. Dutoit St Dayton OH 45402
Time: 5 to 9 PM

Blog update

2011-04-21T20:13:00.002-04:00

Check out our new blog design. What do you think?

If you have ideas, stories, or suggestions to share please contact us at:
news[at]stanneshill[dot]org

We'd love to hear from you!

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Wright-Patt AFB

2011-04-20T17:48:00.001-04:00

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) is an important part of the Dayton region. Here in St. Anne's Hill historic district, we have several members of our community who work on or near the Base. That's why we were excited to learn that WPAFB won an award for their efforts in historic preservation.

Check out this excerpt from the Dayton Business Journal....

The environmental branch of the 88th Air Base Wing Civil Engineering Directorate at the base was one of nine winners of the 2011 Secretary of Defense Environmental Awards. The branch won the award — announced Tuesday — for cultural resources management across an installation.

Among its recent accomplishments, the branch:

• Worked with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the National Park Service to find a creative way to offset adverse effects of an essential Explosive Ordnance Disposal Proficiency Training Range, which is next to the Huffman Prairie Flying Field National Historic Landmark;

• Surveyed more than 8,000 acres at the base for archaeological resources, identifying three additional significant archaeological sites;

• Worked to preserve a 120 foot historic wind tunnel; and

• Collaborated with a private historical architect to produced a historic preservation guide book for civil engineers. The guide book thoroughly defines the features so that base architects and design engineers can maintain the cultural heritage of Wright-Patt.

Of course, we all know that Wright-Patt is named for the Wright Brothers, who invented flight right here in Dayton, Ohio. So you have to think that they probably spent some time in St. Anne's Hill, too!

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Tech-Arts

2011-04-20T00:52:00.000-04:00

St. Anne's Hill is a historic neighborhood, but that doesn't mean we're old fashioned! Check out this excerpt of an article from the Dayton Business Journal about our own Peter B. and the Tech-Arts project....

Earlier this year, eight local artists bonded with a group of scientists and researchers from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The unlikely pairing was brought about to better understand each other’s world and methodologies.

The meeting, which may be a catalyst for future breakthroughs in military technology, was part of a new initiative known as Tech-Arts.

The initiative is the brainchild of Joe Sciabica, executive director of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patt, and Peter Benkendorf, founder of Involvement Advocacy. It came out of talks the two had while serving on an innovation council for the Dayton Development Coalition.

Photo by Joe Cogliano, DBJ

The past meets the future every day in St. Anne's Hill. So what are you waiting for?

Fifth Street Clean-Up

2011-04-18T18:00:00.002-04:00

A message from our Fifth Street committee....

Saturday was a huge success. We cleaned up 3240 pounds of debris or 1.62 tons, according to the scale at the incinerator. Please drive by and look. Everyone who showed up worked in the rain solidly for three hours, and without even a murmur of complaint.

Thanks to all who helped!
- Ruth

This is an example of how we get things done in St. Anne's Hill....Great job!

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Dance Matinee

2011-03-25T18:00:00.000-04:00

Check it out! More arts on the Hill...

DCDC Community Matinee

In the spirit of a festival, the Community Matinee is a special concert featuring DCDC's world- Renowned dancers in a perfomance that is ideal for the entire family, from toddlers to seniors. Tickets are subsidized through the community sponsors, making them up to 50% cheaper than tickets to other DCDC concerts.

The Community Matinee has pre- concert games and other fun activities for the youth who attend. This unique performance is more than just a come-and-see event. At one point during the concert audiance members are invited to come onstage and dance with the dancers!

Saturday, March 26, 2011 at 1:00 PM

Stivers School for the Arts
1313 East 5th Street
Dayton, Ohio 45402

Phone: (937) 228-3232
Website: www.dcdc.org
E-Mail: qmcclellan@dcdc.org

Tickets
Adult $8.00
Senior $6.00
Student $6.00

Mr. McClure

2011-03-25T00:28:00.000-04:00

In honor of our 200th post on this blog, here is a little slice of local history!

McClure Street is an important part of the fabric of St. Anne's Hill. The McClure Street bridge, on the south end of the neighborhood represents one of the major gateways into the community, leading to the Twin Towers area and Ruskin Elementary School. There are many interesting homes along McClure, which leads north to the Fifth Street corridor.

But where does the name come from? Who was McClure in Dayton's history? Luckily, there are some great sources of information that help us answer that question. This is from http://www.daytonhistorybooks.com/page/page/3423054.htm ....

In 1806 D. C. Cooper built a brick store room on the northeast corner of Main and First streets, and entering into partnership with John Compton, opened a stock of goods there. The same year James Steele, who since November 12, 1805, had been in partnership in Dayton with William McClure, built a brick store of two stories on the southeast corner of Main and First streets. November 30, 1807, McClure and Steele dissolved partnership.

In 1807 the Dayton Academy was incorporated by the legislature. The corporators were James Welsh, Daniel C. Cooper, William McClure, George F. Tennery, John Folkerth, and James Hamer. William M. Smith was the first teacher. In 1808 a brick school house was built by subscription on the west side of St. Clair, near Third Street. During the winter of 1807 and 1808 a debating club was formed. Its meetings and also spelling matches, which were very popular entertainments, were held in the school house for several winters.

For more about Cooper and Dayton's earliest days, check out the City's website, which has some interesting information.

According to the Dayton Daily News, William McClure was also President of the Dayton City Council from 1807-1807. The City Council was the predecessor to the Dayton City Commission, later established in 1829. McClure took the reins from his colleague, Mr. Cooper.

And there's more.... he was also a publisher:

WILLIAM M'CLURE and George Smith printed the first issue" of The Dayton Repertory on September 23, 1808, to judge from the date of Vol. 1, No.2, which appeared on Friday, September 30. The office address was given as "Main Street".

The Dayton Repertory was a small four-page sheet, 70 by 120 inches in size, with two columns to the page. From a publication statement on the last page of the second issue, we learn that it "Is printed weekly, at two dollars, paid in advance, or two dollars and fifty cents, paid at the end of the year.

As to news, the greater part of the issue was devoted to reprinted dispatches from Spain, England, and France. Almost no local news, which would be of the greatest interest to us, was published. The pioneer editor evidently assumed that the residents knew what was going on locally.

In the fifth issue, which was dated October 21, 1808, the printers made the following announcement: ''The office of the Repertory is removed to the south side of second street, between Main & Jefferson streets - in consequence of which the publication of the paper will be suspended for a few weeks."

During the suspension, Smith sold his interest in the enterprise to Henry Disbrow. The newspaper reappeared on February I, 1809, the definite article being dropped from the title which now read. Dayton Repertory and was embellished by flourishes. This was Vol. I, No. 6. The publication had been materially enlarged to a four-column, four-page paper, measuring 83/4 by I8 1/4 inches in page size.

In the issue of April 12, 1809, was announced the death of William M'Clure, sen., of Montgomery County, apparently the father of one of the co-publishers of the Repertory. In the issue of June 7 of the same year, we learn that William M'Clure, the printer, was a trustee of Miami University.

The issue of December, 1809, is the last known copy of The Dayton Repertory.

So, thanks to his work we now enjoy the street that bears his name. This is just one small part of the fascinating history of Dayton and St. Anne's Hill.

Do you have any questions, or an idea for a blog topic? Let us know, and help keep this blog going for another 200 posts! Write to us at news[at]stanneshill.org today.

High Street Gallery

2011-03-09T18:00:00.005-05:00

From the Dayton Daily News ....

DAYTON — The Dayton Society of Painters and Sculptors is showing off its new members. Twenty-one of them are presenting their works at the High Street Gallery. There are 44 works total, divided between the rooms on the first floor.... New members also showing photographs in the show are: Amanda Baker, Frances Schanberger and Sally Struthers....

“The wide variety of expression speaks to the healthy art community in the Dayton region, and to the expansive talents of the new membership of the Dayton Society of Painters and Sculptors,” [Bridgette] Bogle said.

Where: The High Street Gallery, 48 High St.
When: Continues through March 27
Hours: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Fridays, 2 to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays

We could not have said it any better ourselves!
Come check out the arts scene in St. Anne's Hill.

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PRESERVATION magazine

2011-03-02T18:00:00.013-05:00

Here is a Press Release from the St. Anne's Hill Historic Society... more great news!

Photo by Nicole Klein

NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT FEATURED IN NATIONAL PUBLICATION

DAYTON - For one group of dedicated neighbors, an exciting project has led to national recognition. PRESERVATION magazine has featured the former JoJo's Cafe in their March 2011 issue, highlighting an effort that has been two years in the making. The property is located at 1600 E. Fifth Street in Dayton's St. Anne's Hill Historic District.

PRESERVATION is the award-winning magazine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the organization that works to revitalize communities and save historic places. The magazine offers lively writing by the nation's best journalists on controversies, trends, accomplishments, and events of importance to cities, towns, suburbs, and rural communities.

The building at 1600 E. Fifth Street was constructed around 1860 by James Sinkey, who operated a grocery store on the 1st floor and lived with his wife Mary in the two rooms on the 2nd floor. It housed a variety of retail uses until the 1930s when it became JoJo’s Café. The Cafe was well-known in Dayton for decades because of its pulled pork sandwiches. After JoJo's closed, the business changed names in the mid 1990s and continued as a neighborhood bar known as the American Saloon until closing in 2008.

This project came about because 29 concerned neighbors came together to purchase and renovate the vacant property. The process started in 2008 with an idea hatched by Brian Young, a resident of St. Anne’s Hill for several years. He thought that this property could be transformed into a neighborhood gathering spot. He called on Joe Dierkers, a long time Dayton commercial Real Estate Broker who had recently purchased a home in the area, to help with the acquisition process. They developed a plan, and with the support of their neighbors, formed a company called The 1600 Group, LLC.

Legal problems, title problems and on-again off-again negotiations caused many delays. Finally, the purchase was completed on October 22, 2010. The exterior work (with a few minor exceptions) was completed on December 7th, only 46 days later. The interior restoration is currently underway.

The 1600 Group is now seeking a business or investor to help bring the property back to a productive use for the benefit of the community. They want to ensure that the business that will be a positive force in the community. and help continue the revitalization
of the historic Fifth Street corridor. The St. Anne's Hill Historic Society is supporting the plan.

Dayton-based photographer Nicole Klein provided the photographs to the magazine.

The neighborhood of St. Anne's Hill is a historic community located one mile east of downtown Dayton, just beyond the historic Oregon Arts District. The area was part of the original out-lots of the city of Dayton, which were plotted in 1815 by Daniel C. Cooper, an early settler of the city. By the 1830's, the first documented use of the name "St. Anne's Hill" appeared in newspaper advertisements promoting the sale of nursery stock from a local greenhouse.

For more information, visit:

http://www.stanneshill.org
http://stanneshill.blogspot.com

Check out the previous posts on this topic - part 1, part 2, and part 3.

Art on Fifth

2011-03-01T17:27:00.000-05:00

Here are two new art shows on Fifth Street in St. Anne's Hill... check it out!

Dear Friends,

Please join us this Friday, March 4th, from 5-9pm for the opening of two very unique, exciting peace art exhibitions at the Missing Peace Art Space. Refreshments and snacks will be served. Global Art Project for Peace Founder/Director Katherine Josten will be at the Missing Peace Art Space. Artwork for our "Strokes of Hope" exhibition will be shown at the Missing Peace Art Space and at our space at the Cannery Art and Design Center, 434 East 3rd Street. The Cannery will be open until 10pm for First Friday.

Peace & Best Wishes,
Gabriela Pickett
Curator
Missing Peace Art Space
www.MissingPeaceArt.org

And over at Stivers School for the Arts....
Falling Up: Behind the Scenes Fifth Street Gallery
Stivers School for the Arts
The installation is a closer look at the behind the scenes aspects of Djuna Wahlrab’s animated short Falling Up ......a short, animated film about the rituals of childhood. In the Fifth Street Gallery, people will have the opportunity to get an upclose look at the sets, building facades, and concept art; as well as some of the props that were used in the film. Price: Free (Note: Runs until March 25, 2011)
http://www.activedayton.com/

Just another example of the great things happening in our community. To learn more, just visit us at http://www.stanneshill.org/ or stop by our monthly meeting tonight! We meet the first Tuesday of every month in the Liederkranz building at Fifth and High Streets.

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LOST

2011-02-04T18:00:00.023-05:00

We had some terrible news this week, in the midst of the worst ice storm to hit Ohio in years. The former Pauley estate at the corner of Henry and Josie Streets in the St. Anne's Hill Historic District caught fire and burned beyond repair. Dayton Fire crews worked late into the night, only to find the fire re-kindled early the next morning. The following photographs pay tribute to the loss of this historic home.

Photo courtesy of St. Anne's Hill Historic Society

Photo by Chris Stewart, Dayton Daily News.

Photo by Nicole K.

Fortunately, no one was injured in the blaze. The home had been vacant and tax delinquent for some time. The current owner has refused to sell, despite receiving several offers from concerned neighbors over the last few years.

[Update: The fire-damaged building was demolished by the City on Feb.21, 2011]

This is an example of what can happen when historic homes are not properly maintained. Too many homes have been lost due to careless or negligent property owners. Please help us preserve these homes by joining the St. Anne's Hill Historic Society. Our 2011 membership drive is going on now. Donations to our 501(c)3 organization are always welcome, and very much appreciated.

We sincerely thank the Dayton Fire Department and Dayton Power & Light for their ongoing service to the community during this difficult time. For more photos of the fire, visit the Dayton Daily News website.

Gemini

2011-01-29T16:58:00.000-05:00

Another neighbor was featured in the Dayton Daily News, in an article about horoscope signs and the supposed controversy about the addition of another sign to the zodiac. Check it out!

Alan Leonard, a hair stylist at Square One Salon and Spa in downtown Dayton, believes he still is a true-blue Gemini. He sports the sign of Gemini, known as the sign of the twins, just above his wrist. He got the tattoo about five years ago and has no intention of removing it.

“I’m OK with it,” he said. “I still feel like a Gemini. I don’t think people can just randomly change the zodiac signs. I’m not paying any attention to it.”

Just another example of the great neighbors we have in St. Anne's Hill!

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Bloggers

2011-01-28T18:00:00.004-05:00

Here are a couple blogs we found that feature our neighborhood....

Rabbit Run Cottage - Blog post about our last Christmas Tour

Custom Glass Mosaic - Blog post about the new murals on Fifth Street.

Please let us know if you blog or write about anything in St. Anne's Hill.

Thanks for your support!

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Busy Bees

2011-01-26T18:00:00.000-05:00

From the Dayton Daily News....

Dayton spelling bee tonight at Stivers
By Margo Rutledge Kissell
Wednesday, January 26, 2011, 10:35 AM

The 61st annual Dayton Public Schools Districtwide Spelling Bee will begin at 6 p.m. tonight at Stivers School for the Arts, 1313 E. Fifth St.

Students in grades 2 through 8 are eligible to participate in the event, which will feature spelling bee winners from within the district as well as local charter, private and parochial schools, said Melissa Fowler, a spokeswoman for Dayton Public Schools.

Participants will be striving to win a chance to move on to the regional spelling bee at Sinclair Community College on Feb. 26. Good luck to all.

Stivers is located on East Fifth Street in St. Anne's Hill - just one of the many great assets in our community!

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K12 News

2011-01-24T18:05:00.003-05:00

There's more great news reported by the DDN about the K12 Gallery For Young People, located in Downtown Dayton:

For more than 17 years, the K12 Gallery for Young People has helped kids grow from creating stick figures, to still lifes, to designing large-scale murals. Now the gallery itself is growing. The current 3,000-square-foot gallery on Third Street is expanding; knocking down an 18-inch brick wall has added 2,500 square feet.

The gallery is managed by one of the many artists who live in St. Anne's Hill....

We needed $20,000,” said K12 founder and executive director Jerri Stanard.

“I helped Jerri type up the original grant request for K12. She is a great friend, and has managed K12 so well,” Janet Shuff said.

“The gallery has grown from an idea to this big business that serves the community in a unique way.”

As the major contributors, the Shuffs received naming rights for the new space. Thus, TEJAS (Teen Educational and Joint Adult Studio) was born.

“What Jerri’s doing at K12 is a wonderful thing. She manages the artistic and business end of it beautifully,” Shuff said. “She has such a heart for kids.”

Just another reason to join our community in St. Anne's Hill!
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Saloon, Part 3

2011-01-24T02:01:00.004-05:00

This weekend brought more excitement to Fifth Street as the interior renovations got underway in the former Amercian Saloon. The group spent Saturday morning removing the old damaged plaster with sledgehammers and crowbars. Afterwards, there was pizza and beer for everyone. It was a lot of fun!

Photo by Maureen

For more on this story, catch up with Part 1 and Part 2 on our blog! Stay tuned for more good news!

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Reborn

2011-01-07T00:45:00.002-05:00

If you saw my last post, you know that the old American Saloon (a.k.a. Jo Jo's) has been undergoing a real transformation over the last few months. The project is now basically complete, just in time for winter. New roof, new paint, new windows, and other repairs have made this old building look new again. Take a look and check back later for more exciting news!

Photo by Nicole K.

Happy new year!

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American Saloon

2010-11-13T17:30:00.003-05:00

There is exciting work in progress at the former American Saloon at 1600 E. Fifth Street! The property was recently purchased by "The 1600 Group, LLC" - a group of concerned neighbors that got together to save the building.

Here's some history from one of the managing partners, Joe:

James Sinkey bought the lot on land contract from the lawyer that platted the area, Thomas Smith, in the late 1840’s. He paid off the land contract in the late 1850’s. The building was built in 1860 as a residence and grocery store. He sold it to Mary Gerber in 1870. She leased it to John Rock in 1891 still as a grocery store and residence for $18 per month. My mother (age 91) tells me that she remembers it as JoJo’s Café when she was growing up. JoJo’s was well known for their hot pork sandwiches. It was still JoJo’s when the [prior] owner purchased it in 1997 for $91,400.

Sometime after 1997, the building was re-named the American Saloon and survived as a ramshackle blue-collar bar until it closed in 2008. It was tied up in legal disputes between the building owner and the bar business for nearly two years. It is now being restored to help attract a new business to the neighborhood.

The building is an outstanding example of vernacular storefront architecture in St. Anne's Hill. Check back here for more information on this exciting project!

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Bierfest

2010-11-12T17:30:00.006-05:00

News from the Liederkranz in St. Anne's Hill:

Dayton Liederkranz-Turner 1400 East Fifth Street
Dayton, Ohio 45402
BIERFEST!
A Celebration of Winter Style Craft Beers
Friday, November 19th, 2010
6:00 p.m.

Come enjoy the next edition of the Liederkranz’s highly successful beer tasting parties. Sample some 10 different Winter Style Craft Beers in our Authentic Rathskeller. Our Sampling Tour will begin at 7:00 p.m. led by Liederkranz member, Mike Schwartz, beer aficionado, home brewer, and owner of Belmont Party Supply, Dayton’s leading purveyor of fine beers and brewing supplies.

The Bierfest will include free snacks and door prizes. Food, including the famous Liederkranz brats, a variety of beers, and other drinks will be available for purchase.

Preregister for a Discount

$13 Members • $15 Guests
contact John Koerner to preregister at 937.429.9251
jabkoerner[at]aol.com

Price at the door $18
Admission for Designated Driver is FREE!
http://www.daytongermanclub.org/

New Exhibit

2010-11-11T17:30:00.005-05:00

Here's the lastest from the Missing Peace Gallery in St. Anne's Hill:

Please join us this Friday, Nov. 12th 5-8pm, for the opening reception of Graphic Guts.

Missing Peace Art Space is pleased to announce "Graphic Guts", an exhibition of internationally renowned artist and designer Luba Lukova. The exhibition will present a comprehensive collection of Lukova's political posters, including an installation with her critically acclaimed Social Justice series, as well as unpublished drawings and sketches. Luba will be here this Friday for the opening of this great exhibition. The 2010 War Resistors League Calendar was edited by Luba and contained several of her posters.

More about the exhibition at our website, http://www.missingpeaceart.org/

Peace & Best Wishes,
Stephen Fryburg
Director

Missing Peace Art Space is a non-profit art gallery providing an artistic forum for exploring issues of peace and conflict in a tolerant, non-commercial environment. A program of the Unitarian Fellowship of World Peace, a 501c3 nonprofit organization.

234 S. Dutoit St
Dayton OH 45402-2215
1(937) 241-4353

Member of the International Network of Museums for Peace

Halloween

2010-10-28T01:13:00.000-04:00

There's plenty to do for Halloween this year! News from City Hall...

Beggar’s Night Scheduled for Saturday, October 30
Release Date: Friday, October 1, 2010

The City of Dayton will observe the annual tradition of Beggar’s Night on Saturday, October 30 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Parents are encouraged to dress children in brightly-colored and reflective clothing. Also, as always, motorists are encouraged to use caution when traveling during that time.

Also....

Fall Harvest (children's festival)
October 30, 6-8 pm
RTA Cultural Center
40 S. Edwin C. Moses Blvd. (corner of W. Third Street)
http://www.cityofdayton.org/Documents/FallHarvest2010.pdf

... and from our Social Committee!

Hello neighbors,
Exciting news!! The October social is back on!! Our neighbor Terri Burton on 4th St. has invited the neighborhood to a Halloween costume party!! The party will be held Saturday October 30th at 7pm. Hope everyone can attend!!
Mary Jo

For more information about our monthly social events, please write to news[at]stanneshill.org any time!

Viva Stivers

2010-10-22T01:23:00.000-04:00

Thru Oct. 29 • Siempre Viva: Three Points of View
Stivers Schoool for the Arts,
1313 E. Fifth St.; Monday - Friday
8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Fifth Street Gallery at Stivers School for the Arts announces Siempre Viva: Three Points of View, an exhibition of paintings and other work by three artists; Dayton area painters Lizabeth Whipps and Julie Anderson and Chilean artist Ana Videla. This exhibition focuses on Chilean views of life, death and memorial as expressed in cemeteries, animitas and popular culture. All gallery events are free and open to the public. For more information call 542-7448.

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High Street Gallery

2010-10-07T00:51:00.001-04:00

Here are some upcoming events at the High Street Gallery... be sure to check out their new website!

Oct 3-17

Annual Juried DSPS Members Fall Show- coordinated by DSPS board members Joy Oxley and Elizabeth Martin

Oct 12

DSPS Member Meeting (2nd Tues) - 7 pm at 48 High Street Gallery in St. Anne's Hill. Regular members' meeting with presentation by Joanne Von Sossan.

Nov 7 -14

Tri-Art group Fall Show - contact person is DSPS member Phyllis Yarema.

Membership is available for only $40 a year. Please feel free to stop by and support our thriving arts community in St. Anne's Hill.

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Oktoberfest

2010-10-06T11:01:00.000-04:00

Dayton Liederkranz Presents:
OKTOBERFEST!

When: Saturday, October 9th
Time: 5:00pm to 11:00 pm
Admission: $3 per person, Free to college students with ID and active Military with ID
Open to the Public!!

Live Music by Gebhard Erler!

Several Oktoberfest Beers on Tap!

Oktoberfest Menu:
Bratwurst, Mettwurst, Hot Dogs, Schnitzel, Pig Wings,
Cabbage Rolls, Potato Salad, Sauerkraut,
Pretzels, and Desserts available for purchase.

--
Dayton Liederkranz-Turner
1400 E Fifth St, Dayton OH 45402
www.daytongermanclub.org

Pretzel time!

2010-09-26T22:54:00.000-04:00

In celebration of Oktoberfest the and German heritage in our community, here is a great story from the DDN about a small business just around the corner from St. Anne's Hill. An excerpt...

DAYTON — As businesses struggle in a rough economy, the century-old Smales Pretzel Bakery thrives inside a refitted house on an alley, its fourth generation still twisting pretzels by hand.

The bakery began with German-born Rudie Schaaf opening Gem City Pretzel on Warren Street in 1906, not long after he arrived in Dayton as a boy in 1895. The shop’s current location at 210 Xenia Ave. dates to 1926 when his daughter, Emma, moved it there and renamed it.

Smale’s history twists into the city’s at every turn. A stand operated in the old downtown Arcade for years. Armloads of pretzels were ferried to neighborhood groceries and found their way into the hands of generations of school kids. Larry Smales, Schaaf’s great-grandson, recalls that as a boy he sold pretzels to legions of NCR employees on their lunch breaks.

Another great reason to live on the Hill!

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Mural Dedication

2010-09-19T22:00:00.004-04:00

Fifth Street Community

Mosaic Mural Celebration

1400 E. 5^th Street

Please join us in celebrating the creation of

the first only mosaic mural in Dayton

Wednesday Sept. 22

6-9PM

Music by the Liederkrantz –Turner Chorus 6-6:30

Recognition of 100 artists, volunteers, and sponsors promptly at 6:40

Day of Peace

2010-09-18T23:00:00.006-04:00

More great news from the Missing Peace Art Space here in St. Anne's Hill!

Dayton’s celebration of the U.N. sponsored International Day of Peace will be held at the Missing Peace Art Space on Tuesday, September 21, 2010, from 5:00 to 8:30 p.m. City dignitaries will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Grand Opening of the Urban Youth Peace Academy, which will be headquartered at the gallery.

In 1981, the United Nations designated September 21 as International Day of Peace and the day has since been celebrated worldwide. “Dayton: Peace in Perspective” is this year’s local International Day of Peace theme in recognition that most of us are fortunate enough to have a high degree of peace in our lives.

The Urban Youth Peace Academy is a grassroots student organization that grew out of streetpeace, a peace and social justice education program at Ruskin School and East End Community Services. As students completed their 8thgrade year at Ruskin, they wanted to continue their peace studies, sustain the community of learners they had formed, and invite new students from the various high schools they would be attending, into the peace process. In response to this dream, they came together as a core group of student leaders to form the Urban Youth Peace Academy, with a membership representing schools throughout the Dayton Public School district.

Students in the Urban Youth Peace Academy will participate in a full curriculum on Tuesday evenings, including the study of such books as A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah; Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl; and Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozal. They will participate in discussion circles around such movies as Blood Diamond; Life is Beautiful; Schindler’s List; Gran Torino; and The Chamber. Students will have opportunities for instruction and practice in non-violent responses to real life conflict.

Archway Dedication

2010-09-14T22:00:00.021-04:00

Here's the latest news from the social committee!

The September social will be the annual Chili Cook-off, held on Saturday, September 18th. Steve and Heather at 155 McClure will be our hosts.
We will also be celebrating the installation of our new archways at the McClure Street bridge and at the end of McLain Street near Bomberger Park. Several city officials have been invited to attend and we would like as many neighbors as possible to come out and show their support for the neighborhood.
The social will start at 6:30 pm and we would like to take a group photo before the cook-off begins. Remember, this is a chili cook-off so we will need plenty of chili for the competition!! If you decide not to make chili please bring a salad or dessert to share. We hope everyone can attend. As always, family and friends are welcome. Looking forward to a great social!!!

The archway is the result of a grant from the City of Dayton, and some great work from our volunteer team leader, Jack. Thank you!

Return of St. Ann

2010-09-13T00:42:00.000-04:00

Here's an interesting story from the DDN that's not exactly about the neighborhood, but provides a different perspective to our blog post about the old St. Ann's maternity ward here in Dayton. An excerpt...

“In July of 1930, during the Great Depression, my mother had a bouncing baby girl at St. Elizabeth Hospital. It was me. I have always been told that my mother was hoping for a son, and was ready with some possible boy names for the new baby. She was apparently surprised when I turned out to be a girl. She always told the family she didn’t know what name to pick for me, and that someone suggested that she name me after the hospital where I was born, so my mom named me Elizabeth Ann.”

St. Elizabeth Hospital and St. Ann’s Maternity Hospital were adjacent to each other along the southwest side of the Great Miami River not far from downtown Dayton.

Interestingly, our blog stats indicate that the post about the maternity hospital is among the most popular on this site! I still can't help wondering if there is some connection lost in history...

Your Downtown

2010-09-07T00:42:00.003-04:00

Check out the latest newsletter from the Downtown Dayton Partnership - they mentioned St. Anne's Hill on page 3! Here's their list of upcoming events:

Dayton Greek Festival
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church
Sept. 10-12

Hispanic Heritage Festival
RiverScape MetroPark
Sept. 11

Taste of the Miami Valley
RiverScape MetroPark
Sept. 17 & 18

LGBT Film Festival
The Neon Movies
Sept. 24-26

Oktoberfest
Dayton Art Institute
Sept. 25 & 26

Blue Man Group
Schuster Performing Arts Center
Sept. 28-Oct. 3

First Friday
Downtown
Oct. 1 & Nov. 5

The Sugar Witch
Dayton Theatre Guild
Oct. 22-Nov. 7

Hauntfest on Fifth
Oregon Arts District
Oct. 30

For a complete list of events happening in Downtown Dayton, visit
www.downtowndayton.org

Socials

2010-09-01T01:09:00.002-04:00

Here is a message from the Social committee...

Hey St. Anne's!!

Thanks for the great turn out for the August PPD!! Over 50 people showed up and a great time was had by all!! Just a reminder, the next social will be held Saturday, September 18th. Steve and Heather will be hosting the annual Chili Cook-off. Be sure to mark your calendars and watch for your official flyer. Hope to see you all there!!

Mary Jo
Social Committee

Special thanks to the Missing Peace Gallery and the other neighbors for hosting the event last weekend!

Ruskin Update

2010-08-25T00:03:00.000-04:00

FYI.... check out the new website for the school, too!

Do you have at least 1 hour a week?
The kids are back in school and volunteers are needed!

Volunteers are needed at Ruskin School for one on one tutoring (K-8^th), grounds crew (pulling weeds, trimming bushes), and more! If you are interested contact David Lobo at 259-1898 or email him at dlobo@east-end.org. Each volunteer will need to complete an application, background check and brief orientation.

Amanda Arrington
Community Organizer
East End Community Services
624 Xenia Avenue
Dayton, OH 45410
937.259.1898 ext 21

German Club

2010-08-23T01:24:00.001-04:00

Some upcoming events from our neighbors at the Liederkranz-Turner German Club!

U P C O M I N G E V E N T S
28 August—Genealogy Group Meeting,1:30 p.m.
12 September—Dancers’ Picnic
15 September—GermanFest Picnic Wrap-Up Meeting, 7 p.m.
25 September—Genealogy Group Meeting
September—Tailgate Party, TBD
9 October—Oktoberfest
23 October—Genealogy Group Meeting
23 October—Fall Concert
6 November—Schlachtfest Dinner
20 November—Genealogy Group Meeting

Festival

2010-08-21T00:21:00.000-04:00

FYI.... announcement from the City:

City of Dayton Recreation and YOUth Services
Summer's End Teen Festival
August 21, 2010
4 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Bomberger Park
East Fifth & Keowee
Ages 13-17

In the News

2010-08-12T01:29:00.000-04:00

Check out the Dayton Daily News for a story about Anticoli's restaurant closing that references the original location in St. Anne's Hill.

Also, this week's Dayton City Paper has a nice article about the Front Street artists building just north of the neighborhood, including a reference to the correct French pronunciation of our own Dutoit Street! (dew-twa)

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German Fest

2010-08-10T00:38:00.000-04:00

The St. Anne's Hill Historic Society is proud to partner with our neighbors at the Liederkranz-Turner for the annual German Picnic! This year's festival will be held at Carillon Park in Dayton. We will be providing a team of volunteers for the Wine Booth on Saturday.

Additional volunteers are still needed, and here is the information from our friends at the Liederkranz....

Volunteers Needed!
The GermanFest Picnic is on the horizon and volunteers are needed! If you can spare an hour or two please see the loading, set-up and tear down schedule below. The more help the better!

Thursday, Aug 12th, 7pm
Meet at the Liederkranz to load trucks

Friday, Aug 13th, 9am
Meet at Carrillon Park for set up

Sunday, Aug 15th, 6pm
Clean up at Carrillon begins after event closure

The Food Tent is also looking for volunteers on Saturday. Please call Eben Bonear at 937.438.8552 if [you] are available.

Dankeschoen!!

--
Dayton Liederkranz-Turner
1400 E Fifth St, Dayton OH 45402
www.daytongermanclub.org

Please join us for a fun summer event in Dayton, and help support our community!

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Blue Sky

2010-07-19T12:52:00.002-04:00

From the Blue Sky Project and our own Peter B.

"Of a River"

Live Performance Installation

Shaw Pong Liu & Rodney Veal
Thursday July 22, 2010

7 PM & 9 PM
WinterGarden @
The Benjamin & Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center
free to the public

http://www.blueskydayton.org/

http://www.victoriatheatre.com/

Check it out!
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Free Office Desks (2)

2010-07-16T07:39:00.002-04:00

I have 2 nice office desks, contemporary, that were left in our rental in Butler Township,

free to anyone that can come and pick them up.

Pew for You

2010-07-15T17:34:00.000-04:00

Looking for something unique for your home? Maybe you would like to buy a church pew! Here's a note from one of our members who is renovating a former church and making it their home:

We are finally beginning the renovation of the former sanctuary. Part of our plan is to remove most of the original pews. The original size was 20’ but we can reduce them to any size like 4,5,6 feet. Price is $250.00.

We can take mastercard/visa and hold for a few days. You pick up. Call Harry at 344-8501. We will place them on Craigslist next week, so let us know asap.

Ruth

For more information, you can also contact the Historic Society at news@stanneshill.org or stop by our next meeting on Tuesday, August 3 at the Liederkranz building on High Street in Dayton to learn more.

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Odd Fellows, Part 2

2010-07-12T01:17:00.001-04:00

So,we learned last time that the stately building at the corner of Fifth and La Belle Streets belonged to the International Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) until 1982. Today, we will learn about the building itself, and its history since the Odd Fellows sold the property.

The Montgomery County tax records indicate the building consists of 16,235 square feet of space that sits on 0.1235 acres of land. According to the Sanborn Insurance maps, available online from the Dayton Metro Library, here's what that southeast corner at Fifth and La Belle Streets looked like in 1918:

Now we'll see what the property looks like today. In the following map, note that the surrounding properties have changed, except for the corner property, which today is the St. Anne's Hill Violin Shop. Here is an overhead map, courtesy of Google:

Tax records indicate that the building has changed hands a number of times in the 28 years since then. Several of the owners appear to have been faith-based organizations. The sales were as follows:

21-APR-84      unknown       individual
02-APR-85      $21,000        individual
09-NOV-90    $35,000         individual
05-NOV-93    $100,000       ISLAMIC EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC.
10-OCT-03     $175,000      HORIZON HOPE MINISTRY
05-JAN-05      unknown        JESUS COMBINE NETWORK INC
11-DEC-07     $0 (gift)        WHITE DOVE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Recently, things have not gone well for the turn-of-the-century building.   The current owner appears to have done little to maintain or renovate the building.   As of this writing, there are over $43,000 in delinquent property taxes dating back to 1997.   Somehow, this property has transferred 3 times without anyone paying their taxes!

It is interesting to note that the last two owners shared the same mailing address on Indianola Avenue.   The property located there is today owned by "Family Home Church, Inc." which itself owes over $55,000 in delinquent property taxes on that property as well.   Although the Oddfellows Hall may seem abandoned, rumor has it that several people have talked to the owners over the last few years, so someone is watching.

Unfortunately, it appears that the only way to save this building is for an investor to apply for the City of Dayton "Lot Links" program, formerly known as the "Reap" program.    This program allows an individual or company to force a tax foreclosure in order to remove the taxes and ultimately purchase a property through the Sheriff's auction process.

If you or someone you know might be interested in taking on this challenge, please contact the City of Dayton Planning Department at (937) 333-3670 or contact us with the St. Anne's Hill Historic Society at news@stanneshill.org today.

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Odd Fellows, Part I

2010-07-08T01:11:00.003-04:00

There is an especially odd building in St. Anne's Hill. It has tall arched windows and strong brick foundations. It has a curious history and a prime location overlooking downtown Dayton. Many people have noticed its stately shape; its looming presence casting long shadows across the street.

It is known as the Oddfellows Hall.

It may surprise you to learn there are still Oddfellows in Ohio. First let's explore some history, from the Independent Order of Odd Fellows website:

In 17th century England, it was odd to find people organized for the purpose of giving aid to those in need and of pursuing projects for the benefit of all mankind. Those who belonged to such an organization were called "Odd Fellows"...

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was founded on the North American Continent in Baltimore, Maryland, on April 26, 1819 when Thomas Wildey and four members of the Order from England instituted Washington Lodge No. 1.

By 1861, there were over 200,000 Oddfellows across 42 states, according to Wildey's biography.   So that leads us to wonder when they came to the Dayton area. The "Special Collections" archives at Wright State University Library has extensive files documenting Dayton's history, including our own St. Anne's Hill Historic Society archives.

The Oddfellows Archive at WSU establishes their presence in the Dayton area, saying "The first Independent Order of Odd Fellows in Dayton, Montgomery Lodge #5, was instituted under a charter dated April 19, 1833. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Dayton Lodge # 273, was instituted April 20, 1855, and later became the I.O.O.F. Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen."

Side Note: According to Daytonhistorybooks.com, the "Dayton Encampment" of Oddfellows wrote their Constitution in 1838, which provides some insight into their organizational structure.

Eventually, the local Oddfellows found their home in St. Anne's Hill.   Montgomery County Deed records indicate that the Oddfellows Hall in St. Anne's Hill was owned by Dayton Lodge #273 until the building was sold in 1982 - representing over 127 years of Dayton history. Additional deed records reveal that several local lodges consolidated in 1983.

Stay tuned for Part II: The Oddfellows Hall.

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World Cup

2010-07-07T00:24:00.001-04:00

Message from the Liederkranz German Club...

I'm sure that Germany will be in the final. Even if they are not, we will be watching the World Cup Final at the club on Sunday, 11 July 2010. The doors and bar will open at 2:30 pm. Please bring a dish to share with all the other soccer fans. It should be a good time. Bring the kids. Let's cheer Germany all the way to the world cup!!!!! Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooal!

Don't miss the semi-final match against Spain, Wednesday at 1:30pm on ESPN! Go Germany!!

See you at the club.

Lori

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/matches/index.html

--
Dayton Liederkranz-Turner
1400 E Fifth St, Dayton OH 45402
www.daytongermanclub.org

Thank You!

2010-06-27T19:11:00.008-04:00

Just a quick word of thanks to over 300 people who visited our Garden Tour yesterday! The weather was warm and the event was a great success. Many of our neighbors turned out to volunteer and, of course, enjoy our after-party social event.

Visit our website to see some pictures of the Tour!

Special thanks also to the High Street Gallery and the Missing Peace Gallery for being a part of the affair. The next tour will be the 2011 Christmas Tour followed by another Garden Tour in 2012.

For more information or just to meet a friendly bunch of people, stop by our next meeting at 7 pm on the First Tuesday of every month in the Liederkranz building on High Street.
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Garden Tour

2010-06-22T01:31:00.005-04:00

We are only days away from the 2010 Garden & Art Tour in St. Anne's Hill! The flowers are blooming, the grass is neatly trimmed, and everyone will be wearing their Sunday best.

Please join us this Saturday, June 26 as we celebrate Dayton's history with this unique event. It's so special, it won't happen again until 2012, so don't miss out!

Tickets are available online at stanneshill.org now.
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Hill Treasures

2010-06-09T00:45:00.002-04:00

St. Anne’s Hill Historic District 
"Trash ‘n Treasure" 
Annual Neighborhood Yard Sale Day
Saturday, June 19, 2010 from 8 a.m. until we run out of treasures! 
 
The neighborhood is located near Fifth and Keowee Streets.
Over 50 homes participating this year!

Sale map online by June 18th at www.stanneshill.org 
 
You’re sure to find some kind of treasure! 
Questions? Email trashntreasure@stanneshill.org 

Reminder - St. Anne's Hill Garden & Art Tour will take place on Saturday, June 26!

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Wander

2010-06-08T00:38:00.006-04:00

This just in...

The Ohio Wander Freunde Volksmarch Group will be putting on a Downtown Dayton Gardens Walk on Saturday, June 12, 8:30-3:00.

Since St. Anne's Hill has some lovely gardens, the first 5K (3.2 miles) of this walk will be going from the Second Street Market, through St. Anne's Hill and returning to the market.

Volksmarches are noncompetitive;,you walk at your own pace and the trail is clearly marked. Depending on the weather, they expect 100-150 people.

For more information, contact Mikki at mikkiw17[at]sbcglobal.net or 937-890-0416.
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Tour Tickets

2010-05-23T16:45:00.004-04:00

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St. Anne's Hill Garden & Art Tour
Saturday, June 26, 2010
10 am - 5 pm

Presented by St. Anne's Hill Historic Society

Tickets online at www.stanneshill.org or
http://stanneshill-2010.eventbrite.com/

The St. Anne’s Hill Garden & Art Tour will make its biennial return Saturday, June 26, 2010, offering self-guided tours of some of Dayton’s most beautiful historic gardens and a unique selection of regional art, including the neighborhood’s two fine art galleries.

The self-guided tours will begin at the High Street Gallery located at 48 High Street in Dayton, Ohio. The tour will include a variety of unique gardens, galleries, local art vendors, and parks along our charming neighborhood streets. Visitors will pick up a program and then stroll through the gardens and galleries at their leisure. Enjoy the fresh air while perusing local art!

For a true old-fashioned treat, visit our Victorian Tea Garden for refreshments and enjoy a relaxing moment on the front lawn of the landmark Bossler Mansion overlooking downtown Dayton. This magnificent home is a landmark structure built in 1869, and it is considered Dayton’s best example of Second Empire architecture.

Tickets this year are $10 each for the tour alone, or $15 for the tour and a visit to the Victorian Tea Garden. Tickets may be ordered online at www.stanneshill.org. Ample parking is available at the Bomberger Center and Stivers School for the Arts.

Proceeds from the tour will benefit the St. Anne’s Hill Neighborhood Association, and are used to maintain the neighborhood’s historic character. Since it became a registered historic district in 1974, the St. Anne's Hill Historic District neighborhood has relied on the efforts of the volunteers in St. Anne's Hill Historic Society to insure its continued success and growth.

Spread the word!

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Alley, Swept

2010-05-17T01:28:00.010-04:00

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An "alley sweep" sounds like something you'd see watching "COPS" on television, but it's actually an amazing example of how neighbors can come together to improve their community.

During the annual alley sweep in St. Anne's Hill Historic District, the City sends two garbage trucks and we provide a small army of volunteers who (sometimes literally) sweep through the alleys on a saturday afternoon. The mission is to clean them up and also give everyone a chance to get rid of their junk in a rite of spring cleaning.

We had another successful Alley Sweep this year, and a delicious pasta bake lunch provided by the Wheellers afterwards.

Here are a few pictures submitted by Jim and Pat on Henry Street! Hint: Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Clearing out debris from a renovation on Henry Street

Jim working hard on the rake.

Heather appears to be dancing, while yours truly looks on.

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Annual Brunch

2010-05-12T01:19:00.002-04:00

From the social committee....

ST ANNE’S HILL ANNUAL NEIGHBORHOOD BRUNCH

COME ONE; COME ALL TO ONE OF THE GREATEST EVENTS ON THE HILL!! SIT DOWN WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS AND ENJOY A SUMPTUOUS MEAL AND LIVELY CONVERSATION. THE SOCIAL COMMITTEE WILL PROVIDE COFFEE, TEA, JUICE AND MILK BUT THIS IS A POTLUCK, SO NEIGHBORS BREAK OUT YOUR MOST DELICIOUS BRUNCH RECIPES AND PLEASE MAKE ENOUGH TO SHARE WITH THE “HOOD”!!

HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE THERE!! REMEMBER EVERYONE IS WELCOME, SO IF YOU HAVE FAMILY OR FRIENDS YOU WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TO THE NEIHBORHOOD WE WOULD LOVE TO MEET THEM!!

WHEN: SUNDAY MAY 16TH from 10 AM – 1PM

WHERE: FOURTH STREET (BETWEEN HENRY AND DUTOIT)

BRING: A YUMMY DISH (OR PERHAPS SOMETHING THAT FITS BEST IN A GLASS WITH A CELERY STALK, WHICHEVER)

** THERE IS NO COST FOR THIS SOCIAL**

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Gates Foundation

2010-04-22T01:05:00.005-04:00

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More news from Stivers! This is an excerpt from the Dayton Daily News...

4 Dayton students names Gates scholars
By Dave Larsen, Staff Writer
DAYTON — Four Dayton Public Schools students will receive full tuition to the college of their choice, extending to graduate and doctoral work, through a scholarship program funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Stivers School for the Arts seniors Sheldon Brown, Megan Edmonds and Victoria Whorton, and Dayton Early College Academy senior Jordan Davis were announced Tuesday, April 20, as 2010 Gates Millennium Scholars...
Nominees are assessed in academic achievement, community service and leadership potential, according to the Gates Foundation. Eligible students must attain a cumulative grade point average of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale...

Congrats to Stivers and the students on their success. Our neighborhood is proud to have such a great school in our community!
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Stivers Events

2010-04-21T18:11:00.003-04:00

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I thought naming this post "Desire" might lead the wrong people to this site, but check out these upcoming events at Stivers!

Stivers School for the Arts Presents:
A Streetcar Named Desire

Set in the French Quarter of New Orleans during the restless years following World War Two, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE is the story of Blanche DuBois, a fragile and neurotic woman on a desperate prowl for someplace in the world to call her own.

April 23-24, 2010
Starts at 08:00 PM
Cost:$6 students, $8 adults

... and mark your calendars for this one, too:

Stivers 9th Annual Photography Fundraiser
May 4-7, 2010
Fifth Street Gallery
1313 E. Fifth Street

Bowling Night

2010-04-21T18:04:00.002-04:00

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From the social committee...

St. Anne's Hill April Social !!!

When: This Saturday April 24th at 6:30pm

Where: Capri Lanes at 2727 S. Dixie Hwy (close to Golden Nugget Pancake House and Walmart)

Just $9.50 covers two games and your shoes!! Just identify yourself as a St. Anne's resident

Bring your family and friends and have a great time with your neighbors!!

Hope to see you all there!!
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BierFest

2010-04-19T12:28:00.004-04:00

FYI...

BIERFEST! A Celebration of Microbrews
Friday, April 23rd, 2010 6:00 p.m.Pre register for a Discount. $13 Members, $15 Guests. Contact John Koerner to pre register at 937.429.9251 jabkoerner@aol.com

Price at the door $18, Admission for Designated Driver is FREE!

Come enjoy the next edition of the Liederkranz’s highly successful beer tasting parties. Sample some 10 different Craft & Special Style Beers in our Authentic Rathskeller.

Our Sampling Tour will begin at 7:00 p.m. led by Liederkranz member, Mike Schwartz, beer aficionado, home brewer, and owner of Belmont Party Supply, Dayton’s leading purveyor of fine beers and brewing supplies.
The Bierfest will include free snacks and door prizes. Food, including the famous Liederkranz brats, a variety of beers, and other drinks will be available for purchase.
http://www.daytongermanclub.org/

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Ribbon Cutting

2010-04-02T02:14:00.006-04:00

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Here's some news from our neighbors to the south... this is a follow up to this post from January about the new homes under construction just down the street from St. Anne's Hill.

Twin Towers Crossing
Ribbon Cutting and Open House
Wednesday, April 14th

1 pm Ribbon Cutting
1-6 pm Open House
241 Allen Street

For more information, contact East End Community Services.

New Exhibit

2010-03-30T00:21:00.002-04:00

This Friday, April 2nd, 5pm to 9pm please join us for a timely and powerful art of peace exhibition.

The Missing Peace Art Space is proud to announce that it will be hosting Canadian Artist Helen Broadfoot’s “A Show of Respect”, a tragically beautiful exhibition of ten large oil paintings dealing with the effects of violence on children in the world as related to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The exhibition opening reception with the artist is April 2^nd, 5pm to 9pm, and will run through May 9^th.

For more information:

http://www.missingpeaceart.org/missing_peace_art_space_upcoming.htm

http://www.oilpaintingforpeace.com/wc.html

Peace & Best Wishes,

Gabriela Pickett
Curator

Missing Peace Art Space

a non-profit art gallery providing an artistic forum for exploring issues of peace and violence in a tolerant, non-commercial environment.

234 S. Dutoit St
Dayton OH 45402-2215
1(937) 241-4353

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Spring Art Show

2010-03-29T01:06:00.002-04:00

Dayton Society of Painters and Sculptors

Contact: Walt Murch

254-4311

wmurch@sbcglobal.net

HIGH STREET GALLERY

Spring Art Show

The Annual Juried Spring Art show will be at the 48 High Street Gallery April 11-25, 2010. Gallery Hours limited to Saturdays and Sundays 1-5 pm for this show. On view will be art work selected by art judge Julia May, Assistant Professor of Art and Curator of Earlham College Art Collection at Richmand, Indiana, from works entered by artist form the entire Dayton region. All St. Anne's Hills neighbors are invited to view the free exhibition and to the Opening Reception on April 11 from 1 to 5pm.

Open House

2010-03-20T01:27:00.005-04:00

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The St. Anne’s Hill Historic Society will be hosting a special Showcase event to highlight some unique homes for sale in the St. Anne’s Hill historic district. At least ~~Six~~ Seven homes will be on display for a traditional “Open House” showing by local real estate agents.

When: Sunday, March 28th from 2 - 4 pm

Where:
18 Potomac Street
1443 E Fourth Street
148 LaBelle Street
241 Henry Street
143 Henry Street
1623 E Fifth Street
124 McClure Street (Just added! 3/22/10)

The homes range from beautifully restored residences to charming rehab projects ready for the right family to make into their mark in a uniquely friendly neighborhood. Potential buyers and other visitors are invited to see the homes and consider the opportunity to own a piece of history. Buyers may be eligible for the first-time homebuyer tax credit and the Community Reinvestment Area property tax abatement.

Participating Agents:
Molly Petkus, Real Living Petkus 241-6080
Kamela Kordik, Kamela & Co 299-0888
David E Roth Keller Williams Advantage 903-0576
Bonnie J Lewber, Prudential 299-8457

LINK TO HOME LISTINGS

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DCP Article

2010-02-19T01:16:00.001-05:00

More great publicity for the neighborhood! A big thanks to Katie at the Dayton City Paper for writing this article about St. Anne's Hill.

The best part is the growing recognition of our community as an arts district for downtown and the Dayton region, anchored by Stivers School for the Arts.

Thanks to Missing Peace Art Gallery, the High Street Gallery, St. Anne's Hill Violins, and Gerald S. for talking about their respective crafts.... and the New York Pizzeria for their great food!

Download the PDF file here to read the article.

Got news? Let us know! Contact news@stanneshill.org

CRA News

2010-02-18T23:59:00.000-05:00

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FYI, Part 3.

I've blogged about this before, but most people still don't know about the CRA program that provides property tax abatements in most of Dayton's historic districts, including St. Anne's Hill. Recently, a new Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) was created for our neighbors in the Twin Towers neighborhood.

Here are some excerpts from the article about it in the Dayton Daily News...

The designation means that property owners who spend at least $5,000 on their single-family home or two-unit apartment could be eligible for a 100 percent property tax exemption for 10-years on the increased value resulting from the improvements....
The push for the designation comes from East End Community Services Corporation, the Oberer Development Company and St. Mary’s Development Corp., partners in Twin Towers Crossing, a 40-unit housing development....
About 25 of the homes valued at $200,000 are under roof with drywall going up.

Anyone making substantial renovations (improvements) to a property in St. Anne's Hill can also qualify for the tax abatement. For more information, contact the City of Dayton Department of Planning & Community Development at 333-3670.

Mural Update

2010-02-18T19:25:00.000-05:00

FYI, part 2

Feb. 20 • Mosaic Mural Volunteer Opportunity
K12 Gallery for Young People,
510 E. Third St.; 8-10 a.m.
This inspiring gallery is in the final stage of finishing 450 square feet of glass mosaic mural panels that will be installed in March. Everyone is invited to participate, no matter your age! Call to let the gallery know you are coming. 461-5149.

Save the Date

2010-02-18T19:20:00.002-05:00

FYI...

Snowed in?? Now is the perfect time to start thinking about what you'd like to sell this summer in your Trash 'n Treasure sale!

And while you're at it, save the date: Saturday, June 19.

Details forthcoming via email, flyer and at http://www.stanneshill.org/

Maureen
Trash 'n Treasure Chair

Savor this!

2010-02-12T17:53:00.002-05:00

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Feb. 14 • Savor Your Sundays

Coco's Bistro, 515 Wayne Ave.;
10:30 a.m. & noon seatings.

Every Sunday in February, hear live music from the talented students at Stivers School for the Arts while enjoying delicious brunch selections. February 14th features Stivers' String Ensemble. Proceeds will benefit Stivers School for the Arts.

Make reservations today, seating is limited.
$30/person. 228-2626.

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Snow Day!

2010-02-10T00:54:00.004-05:00

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Lots going on these days, despite the heavy blanket of snow covering the city. Here's a quick rundown of a few things in the neighborhood....

SNOW DELAY -- OPENING NEXT FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

The launch of the regional-based International Cities of Peace initiative, which is networking and seeding Cities of Peace around the world, will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, February 12 at the Missing Peace Art Space, 234 Dutoit (near Stivers H.S.). A six panel color exhibit will focus on why Cities of Peace are important, as well as the Dayton Region's development as an international hub of peace-related events and organizations. The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

And....

Dayton Liederkranz Presents:

Fasching Masquerade Ball
Saturday, February 13, 2010 from 7:30 - 11:30 pm
"A Little Bit Country A little Bit Rock & Roll!"

Fasching Admission is $8 per person ($1 off with costume!)
Listen to Live Music by Alte Kamaraden
Public Welcome! Free Parking!

And...

DSPS invites all St. Anne residents, friends and family to the free Gold Palette Art Show at 48 High Street Gallery open from March 7-March 21; gallery hours limited to Saturday and Sunday 1-5 PM for this free exhibition. Opening reception to be held on Sunday, March 7 from 1-5 PM.

Come enjoy everything going on in our community!

Stay warm!

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New Art

2010-01-27T22:17:00.002-05:00

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This just in from our newest art gallery in St. Anne's Hill...

An opening for an exhibit on the International Cities of Peace initiative, headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, will be held in the Missing Peace Art Space at the First Friday in Dayton celebration, February 5th from 5:00 to 11:00 p.m.

Also the Mary Perry Stone exhibition "Art Makes Us Human" see link below for details

http://www.womenarts.org/events/network/eventhome.php?action=searchevent&subaction=list&eventid=218

Fun for Kids

2010-01-27T01:36:00.005-05:00

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The City is putting on some fun events for teens at the Bomberger Center in St. Anne's Hill....

Teen Open Mic Jam - Feb. 12 & 26, March 12 & 26
Video Game Playoff - Feb. 5 & 19, March 5 & 19
Jr. Chess Club, Wednesdays beginning Feb. 3
Comic Art & Animation, Thursdays, beginning Feb. 4

Got kids? Check it out and let us know what you think!

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Mural Update

2010-01-25T01:18:00.003-05:00

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The Fifth Street Mural project was featured in a Dayton Daily News article this weekend.

Lead artist Jessica McMillan is a recent graduate from The Arts Institute of Pittsburgh and has been working with K12 program director Kelly Sexton and their Artist in Training students since September. Other involved include St. Anne’s Hill neighbors, volunteers, and Franklin High School art teacher Margaret Hostetter and 11 of her students. The mural should be installed in March.
“The images on the mosaic will represent the different cultures and the diversity of the St. Anne’s Hill community,” Sexton said.

For more information, visit our Fifth Street Project webpage!

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East End

2010-01-20T00:52:00.005-05:00

Check out the new house going up on McClure Street! Okay, technically it is not in St. Anne's Hill but just across the bridge, near Ruskin School and St. Mary's Church. Still, this is good news for the community.

The house is part of the Twin Towers Crossing project, that will build almost 40 new lease-to-own homes in east Dayton. The project is driven by East End Community Services with financial support from the City of Dayton and State of Ohio.

They are are also running the new (and very popular) De-Construction program. That program hires unemployed workers to dismantle nuisance structures by hand, and then sell the materials. Not only does it create jobs, but it reduces the waste stream going to landfills.

Just another example of the great things happening in Dayton!

Mystery Solved?

2010-01-17T03:02:00.008-05:00

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I had always heard that nobody knew exactly where the name "St Anne's Hill" had come from. The story goes that it appeared in local advertisements for a greenhouse nursery in the area, sometime around the turn of the century. The name stuck, and our neighborhood has been known at St. Anne's Hill ever since. So that was always the story. That is, until now...

During the "Dickens of a Christmas" home tour, I heard a different story. According to our neighbor (and friend) Fred, there was another rumor for the origins of the name. He had heard there was a maternity ward for unwed mothers at the old St. Elizabeth Hospital. It is established fact that the hospital existed for many decades until it closed a few years ago. Today, it is a thriving multi-tenant medical center.

Anyway, during the Great Dayton Flood of 1913 much of downtown Dayton was underwater. Back then, much like today, the area was a bustling mix of homes and small businesses, including a little company now known as NCR. As floodwaters rose, many residents of Dayton fled to higher ground for refuge. For some, that refuge was found in a neighborhood on a hill, just to the east of the center city.

So what then, of the hospital and the maternity ward? Well, it was located at the river's edge to the west of downtown. Fred went on to say that the young orphans and unwed mothers were supposedly carried up the hill in east Dayton to escape the flood.

The name of that maternity ward? Yup, it was "St. Ann's" and now, for the first time, here is the proof:

This is from the 1919 Sanborn Insurance Maps of Dayton, available from DaytonMetroLibrary.org and considered one of the best sources for historical data.

So could it be that our neighborhood was named for the fortunate orphans and mothers of St. Ann's maternity ward who were rescued from the flood? Were there generous neighbors who took the children into their homes? Perhaps the greenhouse took it's name from this tale of heroism?

~~Does this solve the mystery? I guess we'll never know for sure.~~

UPDATE: I guess I was wrong about that theory! An alert reader sent me an email saying:

There is a reference to "St. Anne's Hill" in The History of Montgomery County Ohio, published by W.H. Beers & Co. in 1882. Under a heading called "Village Plats and Other Localities," on page 595, this book says:

"Saint Anne’s Hill was the high ground from the corner of McLean and Eagle streets north to Third street." (Knowing what I do, I believe it was not necessary to indicate the eastern border of St. Anne's Hill, as it then went to the city limits.)

The word "was" implies to me that by 1882 "St. Anne's Hill" was a name that had been used in the past and had dropped out of common usage. This would also mean by the time of the 1913 Dayton Flood, the name "St. Anne's Hill" had once been used and was long forgotten.

Do you have any old stories about the neighborhood? Let us know!

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Grants

2010-01-15T01:13:00.004-05:00

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Two big grant announcements this week that will definitely have a positive impact on our community! Both were reported in the Dayton Daily News.

First, an expansion of the popular "De-Construction" program that saves historic building materials and sells them for re-use...

DAYTON — The Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission said it will administer a $1.5 million federal economic stimulus job-training grant that will pay for work by various organizations to dismantle old, vacant houses.

East End Community Services, PowerNet, Architectural Reclamation Co., St. Vincent de Paul and Dayton Works Plus LLC are involved in a partnership effort to dismantle the vacant homes.

They will be displaying materials at this weekend's Home Show at Hara Arena.

Even bigger news, the City of Dayton and a coalition of regional partners won a huge $29 million stimulus grant!

The cities of Dayton, Kettering and Fairborn along with Montgomery County and the Dayton Metropolitan Housing Authority jointly applied for the Neighborhood Stabilization II funds to finance purchase of foreclosed homes for either demolition or rehab.

The goal is getting properties back on the housing market, Sorrell said. The award will address approximately 1,000 structures with work expected to get underway by late February.
Dayton neighborhoods likely impacted by the grant are Santa Clara; a swath of houses west of Main Street in the 45406 ZIP code; the Greater Inner West area, Westwood, Twin Towers, Walnut Hills, Linden Heights and Inner East.

Congrats to the community leaders who make these projects happen. More good news is on the way!

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Gray's Days

2010-01-05T00:25:00.005-05:00

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The Dayton Daily News featured another one of our neighbors this week, and some great historic photos as well...

Photographers may recognize Dennis Gray’s family name from its connection to GraLab darkroom timers. Dennis Gray’s grandfather founded the company, DimcoGray, that still manufactures the devices in Centerville. DimcoGray, then located in the Oregon District, was passed down to John Daniel Gray, who was president until the 1980s, when he sold the firm to his employees.
Gray’s father died two years ago, and his collection nearly disappeared with him. Gray said his father didn’t recognize the value of the shots and wanted to throw them away.
When the photos passed from father to son, Dennis Gray knew where to turn for help. He was familiar with the Wright State archive from his volunteer work with the St. Anne Hill Historic District and First Lutheran Church.
His father’s collection “was a treasure waiting to be unlocked, but the technology wasn’t there until just a few years ago,” he said.

He's just one of the many "Dayton Originals" in St. Anne's Hill!
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Bomberger

2010-01-03T02:18:00.006-05:00

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Let's start the new year with a look back. Most residents of St. Anne's Hill travel past Bomberger Park every day, but how many know it's history?

First, who was this Bomberger? According to DaytonHistoryBooks.com, there were at least two notable Bombergers...

William Bomberger was born in Philadelphia, April 7, 1779. His parents were Quakers, and in that faith he was reared and lived until his death. When eighteen years of age he was shot by the accidental discharge of his gun while hunting, and from the effects of the wound was always a delicate man, although he lived to be seventy-seven years of age.

He came to Dayton about 1806 or 1807. He was a quiet, peaceable citizen, upright, honest, and conscientious in all things. He held the office of treasurer of Montgomery County for fourteen years. He brought some means with him and bought a good deal of property in the eastern and southeastern part of Dayton, to which he retired in 1842 and spent the remainder of his life, which ended December 19,1855.

In 1810 he married Sarah George, daughter of William George, and had three children: [one of whom was] George Wilson [Bomberger], who died, while Mayor of Dayton, June 6, 1848, in the thirty-sixth year of his age;

Today's Dayton Daily News offered a profile of our new Mayor (who will take office on Monday), and a look back at our past Mayors over the years, including Mayor Bomberger.

Now, let's see how the park has evolved over the years. Here's a Sanborn Insurance Company map from 1913, which is a great resource available from DaytonMetroLibrary.org:

It may have looked something like this:

Here is what the park looks like today, thanks to Google Maps...

... or as seen during one of our many tours!

Eagle Street and some of the surrounding homes were lost to urban renewal, but the result was a larger, more accessible park just seconds away from Route 35. So it is easy to see how times have changed and the park has grown over the years.

For more information about our community, stop by our meeting this Tuesday at 7 pm in the Liederkranz building on High Street. Happy New Year!

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Donate Now!

2009-12-30T01:33:00.003-05:00

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New! Just in time for that December 31 tax deadline... you can now donate to the St. Anne's Hill Historic Society online! We are a 501(c)3 organization. Just click here:

The feature can also be found on our website. The folks at JustGive.org have helped generate millions of dollars for non-profit organizations all over the country. Check it out!

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An Old Map

2009-12-28T00:37:00.010-05:00

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Just for fun, here is an interesting old map of the St. Anne's Hill neighborhood prior to the construction of Ohio Route 35 through the city. Today, the highway runs along what was then called Richard Street.

Highlights include Stivers High School, Ruskin Elementary School, and Bomberger Park - all of which are still important community assets. Sharp-eyed readers will also notice some of the surrounding streets were taken for urban renewal areas as well.

Thanks to Gordon for providing the photo!

To see more photos and maps, try clicking here to see some of our older blog topics, or click this link to our website.

Do you have old maps and photos to share? Let us know!

PS. Don't forget - our next monthly meeting is Tuesday, January 5th at 7 pm!
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Thanks and Congrats

2009-12-23T00:57:00.006-05:00

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Big thanks to all who supported our holiday home tour! We sold well over 700 tickets for the 3-day event. There were dozens of volunteers and several generous sponsors who help make it all happen. Our neighbors at the Liederkrantz and the High Street Gallery were also key community partners. The tour is our biggest fundraiser for our 2-year budget cycle, so everyone seemed happy that it all came together again for another great tour.

This is a bit late, but I also wanted to recognize Stivers School for the Arts for once again being recognized in U.S. News & World Report as one of the nation's top high schools. Due to a data glitch, they were the only school from the Dayton region that made the list. Here is the press release from Dayton Public Schools:

December 10, 2009
Contact: Jill Moberley, Public Information Officer
For Immediate Release

Stivers honored by U.S. News & World Report for second year Dayton high school for the arts among best in America for 2010

Stivers School for the Arts ranks among America’s best public high schools for the second year in a row and has moved up from bronze to silver, according to U.S. News & World Report in a study released Dec. 9.

“It’s wonderful news,” Dayton Public Schools Superintendent Kurt Stanic said. “Principal Erin Dooley, her staff, students, parents and the seedling Foundation are to be commended for their work.” Dooley, who heard the news from a parent as the school day began, was taken by surprise, but cited arts integration as one of the many factors she believes contributes to effective teaching and learning at Stivers.

“Our arts program provides opportunities for students to be creative, to be expressive, to pursue their passion, and to develop the whole person. That has a major impact on learning,” Dooley said.

The Dayton high school, located at 1313 E. Fifth St., is the only school in Montgomery County to receive the national honor this year and is one of only six schools in Ohio to be named a 2010 Silver Medal School. Nationally, Silver Medal Schools comprise 2.5 percent of the 18,743 schools analyzed in the study.

Criteria used to judge schools include the degree to which they serve all students across different ability levels, academic performance as measured by state achievement tests, and the degree to which students are prepared for college as measured through Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses.

We're number One! Go Stivers!

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In the news

2009-12-06T14:09:00.003-05:00

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The St. Anne's Hill "Dickens of a Christmas" holiday home tour is only a week away! We've sold hundreds of tickets, but still have more available. Please help us spread the word.

The tour has already been featured in the Oakwood Register and the Dayton Daily News. Look for another article next weekend as well!

For more information, visit our website or read the other blog entries about the tour, below.

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Billboard

2009-12-02T01:08:00.006-05:00

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Have you seen this? Tell us what you think!

Our "Dickens of A Christmas" Tour is now being advertised on the new electronic billboard along Route 35, just east of downtown. Thanks to our new tour sponsor, Key-Ads!

Note: We actually blogged about the new billboard back in January.
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Christkindlmarkt

2009-11-30T00:58:00.001-05:00

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Here's another great holiday activity to enjoy in our neighborhood!

Dayton Liederkranz Turner presents:

Christkindlmarkt 2009
Dec 5th - 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Dec 6th - 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Here’s a great opportunity for you to start the Christmas season with a wonderful event to help with your Christmas gift giving needs. We invite you to experience the centuries old German Christmas Market here in Dayton!

Quality vendors will offer hand carved European style Santas and cookie molds, handmade bath soaps and accessories, hand crafted ornaments, German collectible items, antiques, children’s books in German and English, embroidered items, jewelry, gifts, raffle items and more.

The kitchen will be open with homemade Goulash soup, bratwurst and more. We will have European pastries, desserts, homemade German cookies, specialty Kaffee, and Glühwein. Don't miss the woodcarving demonstrations by David Bignell.

The public is invited and admission and parking are free.

Dayton Liederkranz-Turner

1400 E Fifth St, Dayton OH 45402

www.daytongermanclub.org

Tour Video!

2009-11-23T01:38:00.004-05:00

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The St. Anne's Hill "Dickens of a Christmas" Tour is rapidly approaching! Check out this great new promotional video produced by our friends at DATV in Dayton.

Please visit our website at www.stanneshill.org for tickets or information!
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Adults	$3 for ORRRC Members $9 for non-ORRRC Members
Seniors (60 & over)	$2 for ORRRC Members $5 for non-ORRRC Members
Youth	$2 for Youth (15-19) Youth 14 and under are free