According to the church senior minister, Pastor Roy Maxwell, the creation and replica of some of Miamisburg’s best known landmark buildings is the latest effort in reaching out to children.
“It is not only an impressive tool to teach children about our city’s history and heritage,” Maxwell said. “But it provides an interesting environment as they learn about the love of God.”
For the last year, church volunteers, under the leadership of Scott Toadvine, a church member and a fifth-grade teacher at Miamisburg’s Medlar View Elementary School, meticulously and patiently worked on the project.
Toadvine said they took the 3,000 square feet of space which includes about 14 separate classrooms and built faux fronts on each room.
“We also constructed a gazebo that resembles the one in Miamisburg’s Library Park, which can be used for story time, and a theater much like the Star City Theater that once stood on North Main Street downtown for plays and puppet shows,” Toadvine said. “The theater was designed and built by Darrel Linebaugh, a church member.”
The construction crew also created the front of a pharmacy, a service station, the Star City Water Works, a library, post office and the Star City police department.
Of course one of the features is a replica of Miamisburg’s famous Hamburger Wagon, a fixture in the city since 1913.
Toadvine also moved the shell of an old Volkswagon auto into the “Main Street” area of the little town that children can climb on.
There are references to a barber shop, a sawmill, a buggy factory, railroad tracks, the Baum Opera House and the town’s Market Square building.
According to Sue Wolff, one of the volunteers. all the talent and supplies were donated by church members. “When the big windstorm hit two years ago, many privacy fences and some barn siding was torn down,” Wolff said. “Workers, thinking ahead, saved some of that wood and it came in handy as the construction project proceeded.”
Pastor Maxwell said the church has a strong program for youth members, and has a gymnasium on the property. It also owns more than 16 acres across Heincke Road from the church where a basketball court, baseball diamond and a shelter house have been built.
A public open house of the new “Star City” will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27. The facility will officially open for church-goers on Sunday morning.
Dale Huffman wants your suggestions and story ideas. He’d like to share a story about you, your family, or a friend. This column is for you. Send e-mail to dhuffman@DaytonDailyNews.com or write to Dale at 1611 S. Main St. Dayton, OH 45409. Fax: (937) 225-2489. Phone: (937) 225-2272.
About the Author