Not sure if this is the right place to start this discussion, but what the hell.

 

Do you know your city's oldest structure?  Residential?  Commercial?  Post pictures and background here.  I'll start.

 

Middletown

 

Residential---214 Thorn Hill

Built in 1825.  Federal style.  Originally located on South Broad Street near VanDerveer, it was relocated to its present location in the 1950s.  My mom recalls the day they moved the house.  She road her bike to watch it.  The original owner sold the house to one of Middletown's first physicians--Dr. VanDerveer.  His son, Ferdinand, was a popular Captain in the Mexican War, served as a Colonel at Chickamauga during the Civil War and later became a General.  Legend has it that during the Mexican War a company bivouached near the house on their way south.  For a drill, they would march up the front steps, through the central hall and out the back.  Other owners included Dr. James Morton and his wife.  Barnitz and Gunckle families.  Dr. Morton was Pastor of the Presbyterian Church, operated a private school out of the home and wrote for the Emblem Newspaper.  Thorn Hill is located on the east side of Middletown off Rosedale.  It backs up to Wildwood Country Club.

 

 

Commercial---34 S. Main Street

Built in 1831 as a residence and coffee house.  Originally two stories high, the third story addition was made in 1852.  It's facade is High Victorian Italianate.  It began operating as the U.S. Hotel in 1845 and continued to operate as such through the 1970s.  It hosted famous people such as Will Rogers, Sophie Tucker, Eddie Cantor, Marie Dressler and Francis Bushman..all who had come to Middletown to perform at the Sorg Opera House.  Other guests were Ohio Governor James E. Cox and President William McKinley.

 

Paul J. Sorg pruchased the hotel where he met his wife and did extensive remodeling.  The 76-room structure was one of the finest in the state with its Hall of Mirrors ballroom.

 

Today, it is Hope House for the homeless.  Such as sad fate for such a one-time grand place.  Thank you Harry Finkleman.

 

 

 

    Built in 1804, the Betts House is the oldest residential structure in the downtown Cincinnati area. In its early years, the house was the hub of activity on a busy, 111 - acre working farm. Back then Central Avenue was a quiet lane leading into the Bett's peach orchard, and the western plain of the Cincinnati basin was a seemingly vast stretch of grassy undeveloped land which residents of the day called "Texas."

Cool OTRFAN. 

 

Does it seem out of place today in its location? 

there are late 19th century mansions all around it.  many are apartments I think.  I have been thru this house a couple of times.  It is very small of course and has several additions. It is maintained by some association, they take great care of it, have exhibitions there etc.  There was a time probably 30 years ago when the house itself was divided into several apartments, but it has been fully restored and with period furniture. 

 

You will notice in the pix that is it slightly out of alignment.  It was apparently situated on a true north/south east/west axis, but the later street and surrounding houses are off by a few degrees.  (I might have that backwards) but either way it is at a small angle to it's neighbors.

 

The building to the left in the picture is a former synagogue - now a residence.

 

http://www.bettshouse.org/History_of_Betts_House_Building.html

Good topic.  I'm not really sure for my particular home suburb Beavercreek, apart from some log cabin that I think is in a park.  There are a few old farm houses still around within Beavercreek.  One that I can think of off the top of my head is apparently from 1830, according to the tax records.  I'll have to try to find out what the oldest building is.

 

In Madison, Wisconsin, I could swear I read something saying what the oldest building is, but I can't remember.  The first thing ever to be built in Madison was in the 1830s, so I'm sure nearly every place in Ohio has got it beat.

For Zanesville..... The Dr. Increase Mathews House. Built in 1805. It is the oldest structure still standing. It is now home of the Pioneer and Historical Society of Muskingum County. It is located in the Putnam Historic District

The oldest building in Dayton not on its original site. Newcom Tavern, one of the first buildings in Dayton, relocated to Carillon Park. Originally at the corner of Main and Monument downtown

 

1796

 

 

The oldest house in the city limits on its original location...an old farmhouse from 1809 or so in Westwood...this could be the oldest brick building in Dayton, too...

 

Early 1800s

 

(there may be other early farmhouses within the city limits, but ' not aware of them...I have some guesses, though).

 

The oldest house in downtown Dayton, before the canal era. This is the oldest true 'city house' on its orginal location....

 

1827

 

 

(there is supposed to be an older one down the street, but I don't have a date, or a pix)

 

The second oldest house in downtown Dayton...and the earlierst extant 'double'...

 

1829

 

The oldest dated house from the Oregon

 

1840

 

 

I think there was an entire era of building that is mostly lost to us, the pre-canal (pre 1829) and early canal era..the 1830s and early 1840s.  Very little survives from before that era in the city.  Beginning with the 1840s more and more buildings survive into our era.

 

 

 

 

The oldest house in my community, Washington Township, is the Ewing House, later renamed Quaker Hill

 

1797

 

(the "Mount Vernon" style portico is a later addition, from the 1940s).

 

Though most of the very early houses in Dayton are gone, there are a few survivors of the early 19th century in Centerville and Bellbrook

 

Ashael Wright house..not sure if this is the oldest in Centerville proper, but it is represntative of the oldest houses at the "four corners"...

 

1817, 1830 addition

 

perhaps an inn or commercial building, in Bellbrook:

 

1820s

 

 

 

In Cuyahoga County, the oldest building still standing on its original site is the Dunham Tavern, 6709 Euclid Ave., Cleveland. It was built in 1824 as a stagecoach stop along the Buffalo-Cleveland-Detroit post road.

 

 

Here's a web link for the museum, which is open to the public.

 

http://www.dunhamtavern.org/

 

It has many mid-19th century artifacts on display and the barn is available for various organizational functions.

 

Hours: Wed & Sun 1-4 p.m.

Admission: adult - $2, child - $1

(216) 431-1060

 

A little history about the Dunham Tavern follows this graphic...

 

 

Rufus and Jane Pratt Dunham, a young couple from Mansfield, Massachusetts, came to the Western Reserve in 1819. They acquired 13-3/4 acres of land and began to farm. A log cabin served as their home while the north portion of the present structure was built in 1824. Later the main block of the house was added in front of this wing, and it is thought that the west wing was built in 1832.

 

Rufus Dunham became a tavernkeeper as well as a farmer, and his home served as a social and political center for the area. Contemporary newspaper articles mention turkey shoots and meetings of the Whig Party at the Dunham Tavern.

 

The Dunhams sold the Tavern in 1853, but it continued to serve the public until 1857. At that time a banker bought it for his home, and thereafter it served as a residence through the era of the rise and decline of the "Euclid Avenue Mansions" and the rapid growth of Cleveland.

 

In the 1930's the Tavern served as studio space for a group of WPA artists and print-makers. Mr. A. Donald Gray, a landscape architect who had his office in the Taproom, was instrumental in preserving the site. The Society of Collectors, organized in the early 1930's, became interested in the Tavern and eventually undertook to maintain and operate Dunham Tavern as a museum. They took over this responsibility in 1941 and once again the Tavern was open to the public, but now as a living museum.

Thanks for all the posts guys.  Great history and great looking stuff.  Let's hope these treasures remain for a very long time!

Recently discovered that there are "bird's-eye" images available for Delaware, so here is an aerial picture of what I've been told is the oldest building in Delaware, built in 1821.  (Obviously there have been additions.)  Link

 

This is, of course, the city of Delaware, Ohio that I'm talking about, not the state of Delaware, in case there's anyone out there who isn't aware of this town. :wink:

its been a while, but I thought it would be a worthy topic to post. 

My hometown, Tallmadge OH

 

A church still stands at the center of the town. Church member Lemuel Porter designed the church. Built between 1822 and 1825, the Tallmadge Church is virtually unchanged architecturally from when it was first built. The only addition to the church was a small room on the back of the church to house the pipes of the pipe organ. The original structure was forty feet wide and fifty-six feet long. The steeple is one hundred feet high, and a Greek Revival portico exists on the front of the church.

 

 

 

i found this one for bay village but i don't have a photo:

 

The Reuben Osborn house, the oldest frame dwelling between Cleveland and Lorain, dating to 1814, was slated for demolition in the early 1990s and was moved from its lakeside lot to a spot near the Cahoon family home in Cahoon Memorial Park.

 

 

I don't have a digital camera...YET...but does anyone know the age of the log cabin along the Cuyahoga River near the swing bridge in Cleveland?  If I recall correctly, I believe it was the original site of the first settlement in the city...

It's a replica cabin, as part of Settlers Landing park.

 

Great pic of the church in Tallmadge. When I went to school at Kent, I passed through Tallmadge many times but only vaguely recall the church. I had no idea it was that old, so I will pay more attention to it the next time I pass through.

As much as I love the modern day monster buildings, its buildings like this that give cities character. Love this thread and I hope people keep the images coming. Some great treasures are on this thread. It looks like I have some traveling to do.