We recently caught up with HHNA President Michael Squire about what visitors can expect.
Q. What is the Spirit of Huffman Tour of Homes?
The Spirit of Huffman Tour of Homes is a guided walking tour of seven historic homes in the Historic Huffman Neighborhood, presented by the Historic Huffman Neighborhood Association. The tour is our bi-annual fundraising event, highlighting seven historic homes that contribute to our historic designation in the registry of historic places. This tour is unique in that it’s fall- and Halloween-themed, truly the most unique home tour in the Miami Valley. This tour is a look into a neighborhood that is historic, but also one of the most up-and-coming neighborhoods in the city of Dayton.
Q. The Huffman neighborhood dates back to the 1860s. What can you tell us about the prominent architecture of the time?
This year the tour includes Victorian Style homes on Linden Avenue, aka “Millionaire Row.” Styles represented in the neighborhood include High Victorian, Classic Queen Anne Style, Victorian Italiante and Vernacular Style. We have houses festooned with gargoyles, and in several spots you’ll still original hitching posts of stone in front or in back of the houses.
Q. Who were the most famous Daytonians who lived in the neighborhood in its early years?
William P. Huffman was the founder of the neighbor. William founded the Davis Sewing Machine Company, Huffy Bikes, and helped fund the Third Street rail line that the Wright Brothers used to ride from their home in Wright Dunbar out to Huffman Prairie (the prairie was owned by William’s son, Torrence). Various Dayton elite and businessmen lived in Huffman through the years. More recently, Congressman Mike Turner lived in Huffman and served as neighborhood president. Mayor Nan Whaley also lived for a time in Huffman.
Q. Are any of the houses purportedly haunted?
I have heard from more than one person that they believe their houses are haunted, but then, we all love a good ghost story, so who knows. I can tell you that we’ll be having some entertainment of a theatrical nature in the back yard of our last home on the tour. We will be presenting a trio of evil witches performing the famous scene from Macbeth “Double, Double toil and trouble. Fire burn and cauldron bubble.” But this scene will be with a twist, never before seen in any Shakespearean play and it will a spinoff of a local creepy story that has some pretty good traction in the annals of American UFO legends — or should we say “accounts.” We have live music planned for our final stop. We’ll listen to acoustic sounds of dulcimer and guitar.
Credit: Lisa Powell
Credit: Lisa Powell
Q. Can you tell us about some of the standouts to expect on the tour?
Dan Livesay’s home on Linden is always a standout on our tours. He is a master collector of all things Halloween and his is the only house on the tour this time that has been on the tour before. His home on Linden is a beautifully restored Queen Anne Style home built in 1886, and literally every room in the downstairs will be bursting with collectibles.
Unique on the tour this year is that one of the homes is on the market “for sale.” You can tour the house one day and buy it the next!
Other stand outs will be our first “Haunted House.” At our last location three girls from Stivers High School will be performing as mentioned above.
Q. How do people get to the neighborhood? Where should they park?
There will be on the street parking on Linden and other parking in the area of the start point. There will be some folks to assist in parking and locating parking if needed.
Q. For tickets and more information about the tour, where should people go?
Tickets are only available online at SpiritofHuffman.eventbright.com. Tickets for the guided two-hour tour today and Saturday are $18, and include refreshments and entertainment. Sign up for a tour slot — tours begin every 15 minutes, starting at 6:15 p.m., with the last tour beginning at 8:30 p.m. On Sunday, self-guided tours are available between 1 and 5:30 p.m. Tickets for the self-guided tour are $12. The tour isn’t recommended for children younger than 12.
Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before your tour starts. Wear comfortable walking shoes. A flashlight may come in handy for tours that begin later in the evening.
WHAT: The Spirit of Huffman Tour
WHERE: Huffman Historic District, about a mile east of downtown Dayton.
WHEN: Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14-15, two-hour tours depart every 15 minutes, with the first tour starting at 6:15 p.m. and the last tour starting at 8:30 p.m. Self-guided tours are available Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.
TICKETS AND INFO: Tickets are only available online at SpiritofHuffman.eventbright.com. For more information, call 937-453-1870. Tours are not recommended for children under the age of 12.
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