Historic Huffman » General

We Must Be Home. I See Bricks.

Joel Michael — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 02:19:07 +0000

Vacations are great. Beyond the obvious benefits, returning from one gives us a chance to take a fresh look at the place we call home.

We were in Portland and Seattle last week and I noticed both of those cities lack brick Victorian residential architecture. Maybe we were in the wrong neighborhoods, but not only couldn’t I find a Victorian made of brick, it was rare to find a pre-1900 structure at all. Granted, westward expansion came later than settlement in the east and midwest, but the Industrial Revolution was in full swing by the time most cities in the pacific northwest were formed. So, where are their grand old mansions?

I’m guessing western cities just didn’t have the rapidly accumulating wealth during the same time period that cities like Dayton and Chicago were experiencing. That’s a bit of a shame for Portland and Seattle. Though, way to go, Dayton, for synching your greatest period of prosperity with the peak of architecture and construction. The expense of building with brick also doesn’t make much sense when you have more timber than you know what to do with. Maybe frequent earthquakes toppled the region’s 19th Century structures. Whatever the reason, streetscapes without at least a couple big brick houses make the place seem less permanent somehow.

So, it was nice to come home to a substantial house of baked clay and mortar. Simply pushing open the big oak door and landing a foot on a well-worn slab of limestone was a perfect welcome for weary travelers.

A DPS Testimonial

eyerisz — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 01:18:02 +0000

Since buying a beautiful American Foursquare seven years ago, I can honestly say I have not been disappointed. When I moved to the neighborhood my son Paris was three and I soon started worrying about schools. It turned out I really had nothing to be concerned about at all.

Paris started kindergarten at Franklin Montessori right down the street from the house. His wonderful teacher Mrs. Gomez was very patient and easy to work with, so we were overjoyed to find out that she would be Paris’ teacher for the next three years. In Montessori children stay in the same class for three years, because of this the students are actually given more flexibility to work at their own pace. Paris was able to work at a higher grade level in some subjects.
About a month into his 4th grade year Paris developed an allergy and needed to be moved to a newer building. We were in luck because another neighborhood school Ruskin was recently rebuilt and welcomed Paris with open arms. His teacher Jill Stayer has been wonderful encouraging Paris’ creativity and enthusiasm especially in science and spelling. At the end of the school year we received the awesome news that Ms. Stayer will have Paris in her class next year for 5th grade.

At the end of the school year found out about a wonderful program called Miracle Makers. It is an after school program and they also have a summer day camp for a month. We got Paris into the program this summer and Paris has had a blast! The program teaches the kids how to film a movie and allows them to explore the many creative steps it takes to do so. As an extra bonus they offered to teach the little stars a few songs by the Four Seasons and dances that they performed along with past and present Muse Machine students and others in their annual summer concert titled Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You.

No related posts.

The Waning Days of Summer

Danielle Dumont — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 23:13:20 +0000

My husband asked me to stick my hand in the wall. Not an outrageous request, considering we were working on an electrical project inside the house. We have been replacing old knob-and-tube wiring with new wiring, but we’ve only cut small holes in the plaster walls to minimize the dusty mess that the plaster creates. (No matter what we do, though, the hundred years of coal dust from inside the walls still pours out.) At one point during the project, we needed to fish a new cable from the basement to an outlet on the first floor, and only my skinny hand could reach inside the hole to grab it.

That’s some of the fun that I had this summer. In return for using my dextrous skills, my husband was elected by me to remove the shriveled bat that I discovered in the laundry basket this week. (Had one of my cats caught and killed it? Good job!)

Additionally, my summer hours have been filled with watering flowers, growing and eating garden fresh tomatoes and basil, and getting bitten by a thousand mosquitoes (why am I such a bug magnet?). I’ve had sweaty runs on the track at Stivers (slathered in sunscreen), biked downtown to the Cityfolk Festival and walked there for the United Irish of Dayton Celtic Festival (my two favorite events at Riverscape). I pulled weeds out between the bricks in the street and took a fiction writing class at UD for six weeks.

Not all of my summer was spent in Dayton, Ohio, though. I travelled to Cincinnati, coastal North Carolina, Portland, Ore. and Seattle. Almost all locations were as hot as Dayton, but not quite as muggy. Due to the temperature, I put off re-painting the side porch until the fall. It should cool down soon, and the large trees in our yard should provide the right amount of shade.

What about your summer vacation? Did it include fun, sun, and a caulk gun? I know one set of neighbors visited the Wright Brothers memorial at Kitty Hawk, a very nice tie-in to Dayton’s aviation history. What kept you busy and smiling?

Historic Huffman Merchants – Need Any Anvils?

Danielle Dumont — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 20:48:20 +0000

From the archives, I have included here a sampling of historic advertisements from businesses that were once located in the Huffman neighborhood (or very close by). I found these ads in a book (re)published in 1996 for Dayton’s bicentenntial; the book was originally published in 1880 and was titled “Reed’s Illustrated History of Montgomery County, from its earliest recollections to the present time.”

Merchants in the Huffman neighborhood, Dayton, OH 1880

Circa 1880 we find the grocery store of Dennis Ryan on the corner of Fifth and Huffman and the forge and anvil shop of Joseph Dyson on Huffman near the intersection of Linden.

Also, the contracting and carpentry business of Orion L. Bouck and Jacob J. Perrine. Bouck and Perrine were in business together from 1880-83; the business later dissolved and Bouck established another business on his own in 1884. Their building on the northwest corner of Fifth and June Streets is no longer there; a gas station is in its place.

The beautiful and sturdy limestone curbs that edge our neighborhood streets likely were supplied by the stoneyard on Huffman Avenue — managed by a Huffman himself. William Huffman, the son of William P. Huffman. Sadly, William preceded his notable father in death in 1888.

More great biographical records about Dayton businessmen can be found at Dayton History Books Online: http://www.daytonhistorybooks.com/page/page/1606352.htm
Read the Huffman entries on this page: http://www.daytonhistorybooks.com/page/page/1618860.htm
Read the Bouck entry: http://www.daytonhistorybooks.com/page/page/1693250.htm

Keepers of the Gate

Joel Michael — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 03:34:36 +0000

Last weekend’s lawn mowing ritual was interrupted when I noticed the plantings around the gate at the end of the street were quite overgrown. Cleaning up the gate isn’t really anyone’s responsibility. Ideally, the city’s street maintenance department would make sure that the weeds don’t overtake the end of our street. But, we’ve sort of commandeered the little bit of dirt around each of the brick gate posts for our own plants. Since we tend to our plants and their surroundings more frequently than the city needs to pay attention to the gate, I suppose that makes us the gatekeepers – so to speak.

It wasn’t just the planting beds that demanded attention. This summer’s hot, wet weather has the weeds growing in the joints between the bricks of the pavement. Since the gate almost completely limits car traffic, no tires, exhaust fumes or automotive fluids stunt their growth. To prevent the end of June Street from being completely reclaimed by nature, we broke out the shovels and brooms. A lightweight aluminum snow shovel slices the weeds off right at street level. The clipped weed piles were so numerous, we ended up filling both of our compost bins with street vegetation and dirt that had collected in the gutters.

So now it’s clean again. In fact, a little too clean. Its appearance is just sterile enough to remind me of an item that had been long forgotten on my to-do list – gate planter boxes! What’s one more project?

Ain’t Easy Being Green

Lessons from Jason

Erin 'n' Mark Caldwell — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 03:30:23 +0000

Our street is one of the busier streets for foot-traffic in the neighborhood–we have a bus stop at the corner, and Circle K and the Fifth Street deli just around the corner. Although I grew up with my Father greeting anyone and everyone who walked down the street (even while HE walked down the street), I do not possess the same friendly nature and most of the time I assume people would rather be left alone. The friendliness of my father resumed it’s genetic course in my son, however. We spend a lot of time in our back yard, and I’ve been trying to spend more time in the front yard as well. I’ll take some time to read the mail on the porch or weed the curb lane, and Jason will be always greeting those passersby who happen to be within earshot. Mind you, earshot means across the street or a block away, but his intentions are good. If one of the many pedestrians begins a conversation with him that goes beyond the cursory greeting, they always get an earful of Jason’s his latest trip to the zoo, what he had for lunch, or where his daddy is working today. He will not only relate the details of his own life, but will ask them about their own—where they’re going, if they like ice cream, etc.

I used to try to keep Jason’s conversations to a few words so as not to annoy those he was speaking with, but then I realized that most of the people he talks with are smiling as they walk away. Jason does what we all should do with those who we encounter throughout the day: he befriends them and engages them. Be it a familiar neighbor or just someone using our street as a thoroughfare to get to the Circle K, Jason sees everyone as a potential friend and reminds everyone of the basic need we have for companionship and conversation. In a world of isolation and suspicion, Jason is a good example of common courtesy and the way we should value all those walking by, not just those we know. So the next time you see someone walking by with a Polar Pop or just a three-year-old standing on a porch on Huffman, make sure to say hello.

First Soapbox Derby Raced down Dayton Hill

Danielle Dumont — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 02:51:11 +0000

If the thought of careening downhill at an increasing speed with just a few old slats of wood separating your face from the road surface is exhilarating, then keep reading this! If you’re like me and think that scenario sounds terrifying, then keep reading, too.

While the Huffman Historic area is well-known for its roots in the Huffman family of Huffy bicycle fame, there is another wheeled contraption that enjoyed some fame just a few blocks east of the neighborhood. The steep Burkhardt Avenue hill hosted the first official soapbox derby race in 1934. Children from across the U.S. came to Dayton to compete in the race with their hand-built carts made from orange crates, soap boxes, and other salvaged items.

I’ve driven down Burkhardt hill in my car, and gravity does all the work. You could really fly in a soapbox car. Actually, the wind whipping through my hair sounds like a pretty good way to beat the humidity this summer — but I’m not sure I’d trust the brakes on those soapbox cars.

Read more about the soapbox derby history at the Dayton Area Sports History web site.

Absentee voting in Dayton elections

Carnegie Library Built in Huffman in 1914

Danielle Dumont — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 00:10:21 +0000

A stately landmark sits amid tall trees along the south edge of the Huffman Historic Area. The brick Classical Revival building, with wide limestone steps and a tiled roof, was originally a Carnegie Library, endowed by the steel and railroad magnate Andrew Carnegie. In 1912, the city of Dayton received $65,000 to build two Carnegie Libraries, one on the east side of downtown and one on the west side, just over 1 mile away from the main library.

Prior to 1912, the acreage for the east library went through several changes. The land was originally owned by James and Jane Findley and used for farming; it was well outside the city limits then. In 1856 the Findley’s estate transferred the triangular wedge of property to the public for use as a market. In 1876, the enterprising William Huffman made an arrangement with the City of Dayton to use the land for his own business purposes in exchange for the city using some of his land north of the Great Miami River for its water works operation. In 1896 the agreement with Huffman expired and the land came back to the city.

Dayton began building the library in 1912, but the flood of 1913 delayed its completion. The library finally opened in 1914, after receiving additional money to restock books ruined by the flood waters.

Restored interior of Carnegie Library on E. Fifth St.

The building’s tall pocket doors, arched oak woodwork, brick fireplace, large sunlit windows, and airy ceilings are well preserved. It functioned as a library until the 1960s, when a new branch was built further east and the Carnegie building was converted to a community center. In its early years the library lent many books to adults and children as the neighborhoods on the east side grew. Many of the books were in the German language, reflecting one of the immigrant populations in this area. The library also hosted meetings of several clubs and organizations, such as the Boy Scouts and the Women’s Suffrage League, and held music concerts and entertainment in its auditorium and outside in the adjoining park.

Today the building is home to the Southeast Priority Board, an organization which fosters citizen participation in city government. It was dedicated as the Sims Center, for respected community organizer Charles Sims, in 1971. However, the name Carnegie remains carved in stone above the front entrance as a special reminder of his philanthropy and love for books. Carnegie had been a beneficiary of book lending from a private library while growing up poor in Pennsylvania. By the time he made his fortune, he believed that whatever riches you had should be shared with the community. Although the walls are no longer lined with bookshelves, our neighborhood’s Carnegie building fosters collaboration and learning today that lives up to its historic mission.

Cityfolk Festival

Joel Michael — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 01:34:16 +0000

It is Cityfolk Festival time once again. This downtown event presents top international acts on multiple stages at Riverscape Metropark. This year, the park has a large new semi-permanent tent-like structure to accommodate one of the stages. It was part of an addition which included a bicycle hub building which is designed to make commuting to the city easier by bike.

We rode our bikes to the festival. Though, the ride was far too short to have any need for the bike hub. Once there, we caught parts of two excellent musical acts and shared some falafel. Check out the pics and video.

As with any downtown event, the place was filled with energy. We’re hopeful this festival will continue for years to come. The Cityfolk organization is struggling to find sponsors now that some of our larger corporations have left town. This may be the last free Cityfolk festival for awhile. I don’t think I’m alone in thinking that an admission fee could be charged for such quality entertainment.

We’re keeping our fingers crossed for Cityfolk. Not only because it is a fantastic organization and knows how to put on a spectacular show, but because it’s commitment to downtown greatly benefits Huffman and all the other neighboring historic districts.

Haunted Huffman Children’s Festival

Geekin’ in the ‘Hood

Joel Michael — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 03:09:58 +0000

If you are afraid of a little geek talk, you may want to move on to one of the other fine posts on this blog. I’ve been trying really hard to not talk tech here, but I couldn’t resist any longer.

You see, I’m typing this post from my new phone. Since you’re still with me, I’ll assume you care enough to know that it is a new HTC Evo. It’s been fascinating to use this phone in the neighborhood. Apps are available that let me see recent home sale values and appraisals. Another lets me use the video camera on the phone to survey the landscape while directing me to local businesses. It won’t be long before you see some video shot from it, too.

I’m excited to think how we might use the device on vacation in Portland, Oregon this summer, too. Many of the apps appear to make finding your way in a foreign location much easier. I’m eager to watch Portland’s public transportation apps test the general utility of it. It makes me wonder what kind of apps Dayton, and specifically Huffman, could have.

Any ideas? I have a couple. How about an app that displays historical information about the nearest address? Or, maybe an app that sends trash day and street sweeping alerts?

Those are pretty lame. Help me out. What kinds of things would be handy to know as you stroll through Huffman? What can we do with time and location information that is unique to our neighborhood? I’m not saying I have the skill to build any of it, but isn’t this a great exercise for thinking about living in Huffman a little differently? I hope you can share my geeky excitement.

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