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. 

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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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.

Christmas Tour

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.

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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!

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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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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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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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!

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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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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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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Mural Dedication

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 

Sponsored by: 

Met Life Foundation, Dayton Rotary & 

St. Anne’s Hill Neighborhood Association, Ohio Arts Council

Archway Dedication

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!

Socials

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!