New owners restore Tipp City business

The new owners of The Willow Tree at 1900 W. State Route 571 just west of Tipp City are restoring the property and will host weddings, banquets and other gatherings this summer and beyond.

Ben Bickert and his wife Erin have a sentimental attachment to The Willow Tree — they had their wedding reception there 12 years ago. Two months ago, the couple upgraded to a business attachment when they purchased the five-acre property.

The original section of the home on the property was built in 1830 as a manor house, and after an expansion and renovation in the 1850s, the home became a part of the Underground Railroad, Bickert said. More recently, the home was restored and transformed into a bed-and-breakfast, which closed about a year ago, Bickert said. He and his wife intend to use the homestead as their private residence.

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About the Author

Mark Fisher

Mark Fisher, a 1981 graduate of Ohio State University and a 1976 graduate of Beavercreek High School, is a third-generation Dayton-area resident who has worked for the Dayton Daily News since 1983. He covered higher education and K-12 education accountability issues for nearly 20 years before taking over the food and dining beat in 2006.