Wednesday, December 28, 2011

1913 Flood

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....


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...  





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


Monday, December 12, 2011

Happy Holidays!

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.




Thursday, October 20, 2011

Christmas Tour

Dickens of A Christmas in St. Anne's Hill 

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.


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Thursday, October 6, 2011

Bike Ride

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.


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Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Liederkranz News

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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Friday, August 5, 2011

Work in Progress

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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Monday, August 1, 2011

Muth Brothers

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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Sunday, July 10, 2011

Sunny Day

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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Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Vinegar Hill

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!



Sunday, June 26, 2011

Public Art

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.



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Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Fun Run

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!

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Treasured Photos

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!


Sunday, June 12, 2011

Strictly Strings

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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Thursday, June 9, 2011

Buried Treasures

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!


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Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Robert's Rules

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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Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Over the Rainbow

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!

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Monday, May 23, 2011

Brunch Photos

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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Thursday, May 19, 2011

Life on Dutoit

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.

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Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Spring Social

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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Saturday, May 7, 2011

Fashion sense

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!

Friday, May 6, 2011

First Friday

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


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Thursday, April 21, 2011

Blog update

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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Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Wright-Patt AFB

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

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?   

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Monday, April 18, 2011

Fifth Street Clean-Up

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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Friday, March 25, 2011

Dance Matinee

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

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Mr. McClure

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.


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Wednesday, March 9, 2011

High Street Gallery

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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Wednesday, March 2, 2011

PRESERVATION magazine

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
 
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Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Art on Fifth

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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Friday, February 4, 2011

LOST

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.


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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Gemini

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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Friday, January 28, 2011

Bloggers

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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Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Busy Bees

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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Monday, January 24, 2011

K12 News

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

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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Friday, January 7, 2011

Reborn

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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