The End of the Hall

Editor's Note: We're returning to our blog so that we can share this story for the record. To learn more about the Oddfellows Hall, check out our previous stories on this topic here and here.   While we mourn the loss of such a historic treasure, it reminds us exactly why it is so important that we join together in preserving the structures that represent the rich architecture, culture, and history of our community.

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For Immediate Release
July 29, 2014

St. Anne's Hill Historic Society Marks Demolition of Historic Oddfellows Hall

Dayton, Ohio - The St. Anne's Hill Historic Society regretfully announces that the historic Oddfellows Hall, located at 6 La Belle Street, is being demolished.   The three-story building has contributed to the unique Victorian-era architecture of the St. Anne's Hill Historic District since the Hall was built in the late 1800's.

Although the building has been abandoned for nearly a decade, the fate of the structure was sealed when one of the main roof trusses collapsed and threatened the integrity and stability of the structure.  The local Landmarks Commission approved the demolition in 2012.  The City of Dayton hired a contractor to demolish the building as part of their Nuisance Abatement program, which is now underway.

The St. Anne's Hill Historic Society is extremely disappointed that the building could not be saved, despite the efforts of many people over the years, but nevertheless supports the City's effort to protect the health and safety of the community.  The adjacent property owners were facing considerable danger from falling bricks and portions of the roof, as well as an unknown quantity of asbestos.

Historically, the Oddfellows are groups dedicated to charity and volunteer work in their community, similar to Masons or Rotary Clubs.  They were first established in Victorian England, and later created their first American organization in 1819.  The first known Dayton lodge was created in 1833, and for a time they were a very successful organization.  By 1861, there were reportedly over 200,000 Oddfellows across the county.   They remain active around the world, including several surviving lodges in Ohio.

However in 1982, the remaining Dayton Oddfellows sold their historic LaBelle Street building.   Although it changed hands several times in the last thirty years, no one was able to restore the building to the grandeur it once knew.  Today, the property taxes stand over $65,000 in arrears.   After demolition, the land will mostly likely be foreclosed and sold to the highest bidder for a new development opportunity.

Meanwhile, the St. Anne's Hill community has recently seen a rebirth of new investment and growth.   The Fifth Street Brew Pub has been a major success, thanks to a dedicated group of neighborhood leaders.   The Turkish-American Cultural Center acquired the former Bomberger Teen Center, and several small businesses have moved in as well.  There is currently a new home under construction, which recreates the original structure that once stood there, and many more homes being renovated throughout the neighborhood.

The St. Anne's Hill Historic Society has also undertaken several projects over the years, including the revitalization of Terry Street Park, and decorative signage and artwork throughout the neighborhood.  Last year's "Dickens of a Christmas" holiday tour broke a new record, drawing over 1,000 visitors to downtown Dayton.  The Historic Society has offered programs and services to the neighborhood for nearly 40 years.

For more information about the community or development opportunities, please visit our website at www.stanneshill.org, visit our page on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StAnnesHill, or contact news(at)stanneshill.org.

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The following media reports were published as a result of our press release:
WDTN - "Odd" Piece of History Meets Common Fate
WHIO - Remembering Oddfellows Hall in Dayton

This photo was taken just days before the demolition began...


By the end of the week, this was all that was left standing...

More Construction!

In St. Anne's Hill, we tend to take a longer view of history than most folks.  Living in a 150-year old home will change your perspective a little bit.    So a recent blast from the past was all the more surprising when we realized it only went back a handful of years.

Back in 2009 we reported in another blog post that the owner of a vacant lot on High Street had plans to re-build his childhood home, which was lost to a fire in the 1970's.    He announced his intentions to the neighborhood after he was already working with the City of Dayton and an architect to design the structure and apply for building permits.

Then, nothing.   Nada.  Zip.   Maybe it was just a dream.   He seemed to have vanished, and we heard nothing more about it.   

Until now!

All of sudden, there was a big hole in the ground!   And bricks!   And mortar!   And men working!    Much to our surprise, the house is now under construction.    We verified that he finally pulled a building permit earlier this year and the house is literally rising up from the dirt, like a phoenix rising from the ashes.

This is the first new construction in St. Anne's Hill in many years, perhaps even since it became a registered historic district and "modern" architecture was essentially banned from the neighborhood.   Let me tell you, recreating a historic structure from scratch is probably the most difficult way someone could possibly choose to build a house - and it looks like he might just pull it off.

Stay tuned for more news as this project unfolds!    With the new Fifth Street Brewpub, and the Terry Street Park project both under construction, there is a lot of excitement in St. Anne's Hill again.    Come be a part of it!

Brewpub Update

Happy New Year!

There is so much excitement around Fifth Street!   The new Terry Street Park is looking good (with more to come) and now WYSO did a great story about  the Brewpub!   We hear it might go national.  

Check it out!

Streaming Radio Version

Video Version

Here's to more great news in St. Anne's Hill for 2013!




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Let's Build a Park

 Click here to donate today!

The Terry Street Park is a small property that was acquired by the St. Anne's Hill Historic Society nearly 20 years ago. Since then, it has been a left open as a public space, but it was never much to look at.

Thanks to a mini-grant from the City of Dayton, the neighborhood is now moving forward with a plan to revitalize this corner lot with a new ornamental iron gateway (similar to the photo below), a bocce ball court, and beautiful landscaping to create a peaceful spot for neighbors to spend the day!

Unfortunately, we do not have enough funding to complete everything in the plan. With your support, we can revitalize this property for the benefit of the east Dayton community including St. Anne's Hill, Huffman Historic District, and Newcom Plains - as well as the many residents traveling to and from Downtown or Stivers School for the Arts.

Please contribute $10, $25, or whatever you can offer today! If we meet our fundraising goal, we may be able to complete the project this year.

The St. Anne's Hill Historic Society is a 501(c)3 organization that represents the St. Anne's Hill Historic District neighborhood. Every donation is tax deductible.

 Photo by Nicole K.

New Mural

Check out the new mural in progress at the corner of Fifth and Dutoit!   Thanks to our neighbors Jack M. for the excellent artwork and Gerald S. for allowing the mural on the side of his shop.

Garden Tour

Please join us for the biennial Garden & Art Tour in the St. Anne's Hill Historic District.  The tour will include a variety of unique gardens, galleries, local art vendors, and parks along our charming neighborhood streets.
 

The self-guided tours will begin at the High Street Gallery located at 48 High Street in Dayton, Ohio.    Pick up your program and then stroll through the gardens at your leisure.   Enjoy the fresh air while perusing local art and garden offerings from regional vendors at the St. Anne's Hill Gift Shoppe. 

For a true old-fashioned treat, visit our Victorian Tea Garden for refreshments and enjoy a relaxing moment on High Street overlooking downtown Dayton.   Our servers will be specially trained to let you know about the remarkable history of St. Anne's Hill.  In order to ensure your seat in the Tea Garden, please select the ticket corresponding to the time you wish to visit. 

*NEW* "Toast the Tour" VIP Friday Night Preview:  For an elegant night out, join us for this special event!  First, you will visit three unique gardens that are ONLY available to Friday night visitors and then you can enjoy hor d'oeuvres and drinks under the stars.    The VIP ticket also includes your admission to the Garden Tour and Victorian Tea Garden on Saturday.   Enjoy two events for the price of one!  

 All proceeds go towards preserving the character and integrity of our neighborhood. 

New Life for Bomberger

News release from the City of Dayton....

"The City of Dayton has agreed to sell the Bomberger Center (1306 E. Fifth St.) to the Ahiska Turkish American Community Center of Dayton, following the signing of a purchase agreement on Wednesday, April 25.

The 22,276-sq.-ft. structure, constructed in 1956, will be used as a multi-purpose community center for education, recreation and community services for the Ahiska Turkish community and others. Some of the services to be offered will include English as Second Language (ESL) and citizenship classes.

 

The Ahiska Turkish American Community Center of Dayton is a non-profit organization serving Dayton’s Ahiska Turkish community, an immigrant community estimated to include 350 families. The community began settling in Dayton in 2005.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Ahiska Turkish American Community Center agrees to a purchase price of $831,000, an amount that will be forgiven over a 10-year period if the organization continues to operate and maintain the building as agreed. Under the agreement, the facility will remain as a community center.

The Ahiska Center, through the grants it received from the Turkish Government, is committing $45,000 to short-term repairs of the building’s entrance walkways and stairs, and will set aside an additional $50,000 for possible future major repairs. The Turkish Government has also expressed its continued commitment to the operation and upkeep of the Center. The group is expected to begin moving into the facility shortly."

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End of the Odd?

From the Dayton Daily News...

Two miles to the east is the former Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge at 8 La Belle St. in St. Anne’s Hill – a building that holds its own individual spot on the National Register.

The lodge, a 3½ story brick structure built in 1911, has also been declared a nuisance because of a damaged roof, unsound floors and stairs, and years of water damage, according to city of Dayton documents. The city’s Landmark Commission will discuss demolition plans at 4:30 p.m. Thursday [Feb 9, 2012].

The Odd Fellows Lodge, designed by former Dayton City Commissioner Luther Peters, has been “mostly vacant” for almost 30 years, according to city documents.

Please attend the meeting and let your voice be heard!

Photo by Nicole K.

Blog Log

Did you know we've been running this blog for over 5 years now? Check out some of our most popular posts!

New Billboard?

Jan 28, 2009

517 Pageviews

PRESERVATION magazine

Mar 2, 2011

244 Pageviews

Happy Holidays!

Dec 12, 2011

232 Pageviews

St. Anne

Sep 30, 2008

183 Pageviews

Bierfest

Nov 12, 2010

154 Pageviews

Census Data

Jan 1, 2012

144 Pageviews

Public Art

Jun 26, 2011

141 Pageviews

Brunch Photos

May 23, 2011

138 Pageviews

Mr. McClure

Mar 25, 2011

134 Pageviews

Sunny Day

Jul 10, 2011

126 Pageviews

What would you like to see us write about in 2012?      Please let us know!

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Ohio History

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

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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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.

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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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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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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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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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!



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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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!