Never have I claimed to be an expert in architecture, home renovation or even DIY projects, but as I now have this new beat, I have learned a couple things of interest, so I wanted to share my knowledge with everyone.
Old homes in Dayton were multipurpose
Many of the homes in Dayton were used for more than just living. Many were used for making a living. Many interviewees shared about their homes being a boarding house during war times. The homes were just so huge that it made sense to use the space to make a little money.
Shirley Watson’s home on Linden Avenue used to be a home/doctor’s office from around 1904 to 1973. Watson shared that many people would stop by during the historic home tours and talk about going to the doctor’s office, which she loved to hear.
The home on Jones Street, owned by Ellen and Ken Gould, used to be Independent Awning & Canvas Company. This was one of the first female-owned businesses in the city, started by Lydia Utzinger, the daughter of F.A. Requarth, who built the home in 1886. The business was open until about 10 years ago.
Home histories are fascinating
One thing I love about being a journalist is the research process. After getting reports on the homes from the county recorder, I would go to the Dayton Metro Library downtown and do research in the genealogy room. I would scour old books and newspapers to find interesting connections to the homes and the people who used to live there.
Many times the homeowners already know some of the interesting history. Kelley Peters on Linden Avenue told me about James H. Horne, who was a wealthy businessman in railcars in the early 1900s, but lost his money during the 1913 flood. He ended up shooting himself and his wife in 1922.
Credit: Chris West
Credit: Chris West
The Long-Romspert Homestead in Oakwood is now the home for the Oakwood Historical Society. The home was built in 1863 by Henry and Harriet Long. Laura Romspert, one of the daughters who was a widow, remained in the homestead with her two children after her parents died. Romspert was savvy in real estate and was close to being a millionaire before the Depression.
Eventually, her son Harry and his wife Ethel moved in. Ethel lived until 1985 dying at the age of 95. She deeded the home to the historical society before her death. The members of one family lived in the home for more than 120 years.
Ghosts might be real
The first home I wrote about was on Lexington Avenue and owned by Chad Wyckoff. Wyckoff detailed seeing a woman in the mirror in the foyer walking through the dining room and into the kitchen. After observing a swinging kitchen door, he ran into the kitchen to find nothing. He has also heard numerous knocks throughout the home. He even wrote a book called “Spectral Echoes: Ghostly Tales and Haunting Verses” that details some of the experiences.
Susan and Denny Gray would always smell cigar smoke as they were renovating their home on Fourth Street in St. Anne’s Hill. Records from the county recorder’s office show that a Frederick A. Hohmann lived in the home from 1909 to 1924. And according to U.S. Federal Census data, Hohmann’s occupation in 1900 and 1920 was cigarmaker. Susan said she sometimes still smells the cigar smoke, but thinks maybe Hohmann was just checking in with the home.
The tattoo shop/hair salon on North Dixie Drive where Chad Wells and Aarika Voegele work had many scary encounters. Things would fly off the walls and Voegele claimed to see a pair of ghost legs in the salon while a customer was there. Research showed that serial killer Oliver C. Haugh used to own a house on the land. A house that he burned down with his brother and parents inside after he chopped up their bodies.
The very last question I have on my standard list of questions for these Timeless Dayton stories, is “Is the house haunted?” I have always been a fan of anything paranormal. Whether your home is historic or not, I’d love to come to your haunted house and write about it.
Something always needs fixed
Many people described countless repairs and the fact that some house project was always in the works. Unfortunately, with old homes, something is always going to need fixed. Ongoing maintenance on these homes can also be time-consuming and costly, so anyone who takes on the task of owning a historical home better be prepared.
Reuse and recycle is a best practice
Jeff Wysong has been renovating homes in the area since 1981. Growing up on a farm and spending time with a neighbor who restored antiques gave him a love of history and recycling. Wysong’s specialty is salvaging as many parts of historical homes to be reused in other projects. He will save anything from hinges to woodwork to beams.
Wysong ran a company with his brother for a time and now operates Dayton Reclamation and Restoration. He is back to working by himself, with the help of a few close workers. He’s restored many items in historical homes around Dayton and worked on the infamous Dublin Pub church addition.
Sarah and Riley Dugan own a home on Hickory Street in South Park. Since the home lacked any original elements when they purchased it, the couple tried to reuse materials from other historic homes and buildings as much as possible. Conservation is always top of mind for the Dugans whose backyard features reused kitty litter boxes for planters all along the deck.
DIY is alive and well in Dayton
Evan Lavoie is the president of Preservation Dayton and lives in a home on Harvard Boulevard. Since moving in, Lavoie has done an abundance of renovations including, painting the interior and exterior, removing aluminum siding, converting a back porch into a laundry room, installing railings, fixing plaster, refinishing the kitchen and installing new electric. Lavoie has done most of these renovations on his own.
Lavoie also has refinished some of the old furniture himself with the help of YouTube. He is working on building a brick patio in his backyard, all by himself. He wants to eventually turn the attic into a living area, and any other restorations he might see fit. Lavoie said that he has difficulty when he doesn’t have something to do.
Sarena Kelley on Oakwood Avenue has been working on restoring her 6,675-square foot home and 1.313 acres of land on Oakwood Avenue for the past five years. She’s done a large part of the work herself including demolition, restoring bedrooms, bathrooms, and she rebuilt a retaining wall in the backyard on her own. While I was at her home, she showed me how one fixes 100-year-old windows.
Renovating homes can be addicting
Jana Fornario of Hess Street was on her fourth renovation of an Oregon District home when I interviewed her last year. Sarena Kelley was on her third home renovation. Evan Lavoie tries to save old homes all over the city through his work with Preservation Dayton. There’s something about historical homes that some people just can’t get enough of.
Social media can be helpful
Ryan Kline actually found his home on Cornell Drive on Cheap Old Homes on Instagram. Kline went to the home and knocked on the door. While there was already an offer made, it fell through, and Kline was able to purchase his dream home that he quickly began renovating.
When Brittany Hurst and her family moved into their home on Rubicon Road, she began documenting her DIY projects on her GemCityHome Instagram page. Especially fun was her documenting the discovery of the original blue geometric tile in the bathroom.
Hurst also found an old photo in the rafters of her garage while renovating. She posted the photo on her Instagram and her followers were able to help her figure out who the people were. Hurst said she was able to track down Mary Coughlin, whose family member was in the photo. Hurst looked her up and she still lived in Oakwood, so she reached out to her to return the photo to its rightful owner.
I hope to keep this series going for as long as possible. I also thought about expanding it to maybe include businesses as well. If you have a home you wanted featured or any other ideas for the Timeless Dayton series, please let me know at jessica.graue@coxinc.com.
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