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...

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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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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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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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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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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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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Halloween

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!

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Your Downtown

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

Blue Sky

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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Wander

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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Stivers Events

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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

DCP Article

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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

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Savor this!

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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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Mystery Solved?

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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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Gray's Days

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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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Billboard

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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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Theater Guild

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St. Anne's Hill is an important part of the arts community in Dayton. The Dayton Theater Guild has relocated to a new location just a few blocks away from our neighborhood. Not only can we walk to art galleries and Stivers School for the Arts, but we will soon have great community theater as well.

Here's some background from the Dayton Business Journal:

The Theatre Guild is moving from its location on Salem Avenue into the former Dayton Gym Club at 430 Wayne Ave. — an increase of space from 2,700 square feet to 30,000 square feet.

The all-volunteer theatre guild has produced more than 400 plays with volunteer casts, crews and administration since 1945. The organization was located for more than 45 years on Salem Avenue.

So please consider supporting our local arts district and check out the Guild's opening act!

The guild’s first show of the season “Les Liaisons Dangereuses,” compared to the Real Housewives of Paris, France, will debut at 8 p.m. Friday. Tickets are $17 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for students.

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Give Peace a Chance!

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Friday's Dayton Daily News had another nice article that highlighted a new neighbor in St. Anne's Hill. Check it out!

The Missing Peace Art Space opens Sept. 4 at 234 S. Dutoit St. in a 1900 carriage-house building that stood vacant and trashed for years. Near Fifth Street and across from Stivers School for the Arts, the two-story structure has been beautifully renovated by Steve Fryburg and Gabriela Pickett and their friends.

Now here is the best part....

Next, there is the possibility of bringing a fresh new perspective to the St. Anne’s Hill district, with the addition of a new art gallery. With Stivers and the High Street gallery nearby, and the Front Street artists’ colony a stone’s throw away, it would be neat to see this neighborhood emerge as a livelier, busier Dayton art spot.

“St. Anne’s Hill wants to become more of a culturally active area with the arts,” Pickett said. “We think we’re part of that.”

Keep your eyes here for more great things happening on the Hill!
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