“We had looked and looked, and then she sent me a link,” Queener said. “She said, ‘it just went for sale last night.’ I looked at it, and I Google Earth-ed it, and I’m like there’s a cornfield next door. Make an offer.”
The home has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. There’s a loft that doubles as another bedroom. Queener said she didn’t have a lot of renovations to do before moving in. The man who lived there before her had redone the floors, kitchen and bathrooms. Her changes were mainly aesthetic.
“It was painted like a really bright, hideous yellow in here [family room],” she said. “I had it painted before we moved in … I got this color. It’s called celery. It’s a real super pale green.”
The family room, or what Queener calls “The Great Hall,” has an original wood-burning fireplace. It’s decorated in a medieval style and walking around the home makes one think they are walking through a castle.
Her father did the beautiful woodwork throughout the home. Queener’s son helped create many of the pieces in the home including her large closet doors, the “Sword in the Stone” that sits in the front yard, and the “Throne of Rolls,” which sits on top of the toilet in one of the bathrooms. A suit of armour, who Queener refers to as “Edward the Black Prince,” greets anyone who comes through the front door.
Queener travels around the world collecting tea towels and bookmarks from various castles and cathedrals. She laminates the bookmarks and displays them around the home. Queener said she has a deep love of history and books.
Credit: Chris West
Credit: Chris West
“I think I was about 10, I discovered that Henry had six wives,” she said. “And that was it. I was off. The Tudors are not my favorite. It was the Plantagenets … As you can see this is my thing. I have over 3,000 books. It’s out of control.”
She has traveled to France and England. In France, she visited 11 cathedrals and nine castles. Her next travel adventure includes a trip to Italy to see the statue of David. Her family also shares in her love of medieval culture.
“I love castles and cathedrals,” she said. “We always dress up and go to the Renaissance Festival. We go down there with all those crazy people. You know, it’s a hoot. It’s a fun escape. I just love all this stuff.”
The original carriage house still sits out front. There is a spacious shop/garage and a back deck that is used for parties and gatherings. Queener enjoys having bonfires in the backyard. Her love of history also prompted her to research the home’s past. She found out it used to be an old schoolhouse.
The county recorder was unable to say when the house was built, but the auditor’s office had a build date of 1889. Since it was a school, there were no tax records. According to county records, the land was sold to the Board of the Education of Clay Township in 1855 and it was sold for the purposes of a schoolhouse.
In 1948, the home was passed to the Board of Education of Clay Twp. to the Board of Education of Verona. In 1951, the board decided to sell the building, but they could not find a buyer until 1957. From the records, it can be surmised that the home was used as a schoolhouse for almost 100 years. Queener even has a framed photo of students standing in front of the schoolhouse from 1909.
In the future, Queener would like to fix up the attic and the carriage house to possibly, turn it into a BnB. She might add a spiral staircase somewhere and add some weeping willows in the backyard. She will continue to collect and present all her medieval finds.
“This is my Christmas present to myself [referencing a helmet],” she said. “I just got it and it still has oil all over it. This is Richard’s helmet. Richard I, the Lionheart. Of course, I’ve been to his grave.”
TIMELESS DAYTON
“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