The couple knows a lot about Dayton history since they are living in the original F.A. Requarth home. Requarth was the founder of Requarth Lumber Company in Dayton, which is still in operation today. He opened the business in 1860 and was with the company until his death in 1910.
The home on Jones Street was built in 1886 and still has Requarth’s initials drawn into the cement on what used to the porch. The awning business was started in the basement of the home in 1915 by Lydia Utzinger, Requarth’s daughter. It was one of the first female-owned businesses in the city.
The home and business have been through many changes, including the addition of a second structure in the back of the house that became the awning business in 1925. The home stayed in the family until Shirley Utzinger sold the home to the Goulds after her husband died and the business shut down.
Her husband Fred was the great-great-grandson of Requarth.
When the Goulds met 16 years ago, Ellen Gould lived on Sixth Street. They were thinking about redoing parts of that home, but she started to look on Zillow and found that the Jones Street home was for sale.
“I saw that this property was for sale, and we came over and looked at it and knew it needed some work,” she said. “It was a really good price. It had such an interesting history, and we just felt compelled to make it our own.”
Since Ellen Gould worked from home, having the separate building in the back made perfect sense. She said it helped to separate her business life from her home life. Ken Gould uses the upstairs of the business as a music studio. There is also an awning that connects the two structures and provides a covered garage.
The couple has put a lot of work into the home over the last five years in both structures. Both have always had a love of historic homes and have lived in “fixer-uppers” all their lives.
“We just continued maintaining what’s here, not tearing it down, but to find what was there originally that was part of this neighborhood,” Ken Gould said.
Ken Gould said he loved discovering the original structure underneath. The home still has all its original woodwork, carved spiral staircase, pocket doors some with transoms, floors and mantles. The home also has 10-foot ceilings and doors. There are four bedrooms, four bathrooms and a three-room basement.
The couple pulled up the old carpet, remodeled the kitchen, painted everything, installed new plumbing, HVACs, gutters and downspouts. There is a patio with hot tub and an awning that leads to the second structure in the back.
The second structure has undergone many renovations, including the addition of bathrooms and guest bedrooms, new plumbing, sinks, furnace, tile floors and ductless HVAC. This second floor is the “party room” where the Goulds entertain, and Ken works on his music.
And like the rest of the home, the Goulds preserved parts from the old awning business, so they could pass along its history to others. The original hardwood worktable sits in the party room as well as old yard sticks and cabling used for measuring and cutting canvas.
“I just love the history of it, the connection to the Requarths, the connection to one of the first women-owned businesses,” Ellen Gould said. “I’ve just loved making it our own. He [Ken] does the heavy lifting, and I come in and put on the icing.”
Despite their love for the Requarth home and historic homes, the Goulds have put the home up for sale. Both are retired and looking to make things a little simpler in a new home in Kettering. Having 7,717 square feet to maintain requires a lot of work.
“Well, we’re older,” Ken Gould said. “This has been going on where … you continually work [on the house]. She [Ellen] would be in the office next door … and I’m over here working away doing things like peeling layers back, so when I’m done here and Ellen’s finished, my second shift would be doing stuff over there.”
The couple both have loved their time in the home and the Oregon District. However, they believe it is time for someone else to move in and continue to add to the long legacy of owners, possibly a new business owner.
“Now we’re selling this to kind of let the next younger generation come in,” Ellen Gould said. “We’re really hoping it’s someone who can leverage the commercial side of it as a business, who can have a short commute to work like I did.”
For more information on purchasing the home, call Michael Martin at 937-974-2494 or go online to zillow.com/homedetails/324-Jones-St-Dayton-OH-45410/2088162118_zpid.
“Timeless Dayton” takes a look at historical homes in the region. The Dayton Daily News wants to share stories of historic homes and the journeys of restoration. Reach out to Reporter Jessica Graue at jessica.graue@coxinc.com.
About the Author