Posted January 21, 200718 yr A closer look at East Fifth Street in St Anne’s Hill The stretch of Fifth I will investigating has Stivers High School and Bomberger Park as a gateway on the west, and the old Pennsylvania RR as a boundary on the east. The street was mostly platted in the 1840s through 1860s, but at different times and by different landholders, which accounts for the offset intersections; often streets do not meet. By 1869 the street was starting to be built upon, and some of these structures could be some of the earlier neighborhood commercial buildings in the street. I have no way of dating the properties on the street prior to the Sanborn sequences, which are themselves not complete. The earliest sequence for 5th starts in the late 1880s. Here is the sequence for the western part of the street, with storefronts denoted by the yellow squares. Properties that are built on in the 1868-69 map are outlined in red. Properties shown as built on in 1869 and as a shop could be some of the earlier storefronts, though this is not certain as buildings get torn down and replaced. Unfortunately the Sanborns don’t usually list an occupant, though a “druggist” is labeled for one property. Vernacular Architecture /Urban Morphology on 5th Taking a study block on Fifth that is complete (no demolitions), has the original lot lines, and has a variety of structures of varying ages to investigate the urban morphology and vernacular architecture on 5th. Blowing up the 1869 map one can somewhat discern the building outlines though image degradation is bad. Comparing this image with the 1887 Sanborn there appear to be correspondences between the shapes of some of the structures in the 1869 and 1887 maps Comparing the 1887 and 1918 /1950 Sanborns permits one to investigate various changes in the structures on the properties. Structures change in form via additions and in some cases there is building substitution occurring. A closer look at the individual structures: Commercial buildings that appear to date to 1869 and earlier borrow the form of the vernacular residential architecture common to Dayton of that time (in this case the gable-end to street version of the double), though there are later decorative treatments on the storefronts. These houses mostly retain their original form. The top house is an I house with the gable end perpendicular to the street, as found in rural settings. As this house “fits” on the lot, it probably was not a farmhouse (and is rather small for one, too). Perhaps this is one of the earlier houses on 5th. The second house has some modern modifications for the storefront and also exhibits the classic corner store move of putting the entry at the corner of the structure, around a column (though this house is not on a street corner). Note the 20th century (post WWII) modernization via decorative stone facing. In this case the urban I house is the base, but brought directly to the lot line to permit a storefront. The variations of houses brought to the side and others set slightly back within a small front yard give an interesting quality to this block. Based on the comparative maps this house appears to date to 1869 and received a substantial rear addition after 1887. Another urban I house that may date to 1869 or before. This house has received substantial additions since 1887; in this case the house is brick and the additions are of wood. Also note that the house is set back somewhat from the street. (this house is fun to look at, so another pix) Two examples of building substitution. A small double on the site in 1887 is replaced by a large late Victorian house, and a small two story house is replaced by a long ‘shotgun” version of a shop. This shop is vacant and will most likely be the first house on the block that will be demolished in the future. And finally, this corner commercial building was constructed between 1869 and 1887, and received a number of subsequent rear additions. An interesting question is if the one story rear piece shown on the 1887 Sanborn is itself an addition? Also note the change in building material. The earlier structures are brick, wile the later ones are in wood. 5th Street in the 20th Century. Unfortunately I do not have the time to really investigate the uses of these 19th century uses of commercial structures as it would be too time consuming for me to work with the city directories to get all the street addresses, as one would be working backward for business listings, from type of business However, for the 20th century, the criss-cross directory permits investigation by street address, starting in 1914. So I did a block by block analyses, gathering data staring in 1914 at 10-year snapshots, to see what businesses were in the neighborhood. This information was keyed into a database, and I then did some sorts or queries to ascertain business mix and count. As there was such a huge variety of businesses I had to do some groupings The logic I used was: 1. Neighborhood retail (cigar stores, dry goods, hardware, second hand, jewelers, furniture, variety stores, etc) 2. Food (grocery, butcher, baker, etc) 3. Eating, drinking, and things that may have drinking (Billiards, Saloons, Soda Shops, Taverns, liquor stores, Restaurants) 4. Barbers and Beauty Parlors 5. Tailors, Shoe Repairs, Seamstresses, “Clothing Restorers”, etc 6. Commercial or business oriented retail (contractors, business supply, specialized repairs) 7. Various other categories, where there was enough in one category to approach separately, like confectioners. There was a lot of confectioners (candy stores?) I also plotted this on a map, to investigate patterns in space as well as time. I also labeled some of the businesses to give a flavor or feel of the business environment on 5th at the various times, what it might have been like (try to visualize these various eras…the ragtime era of 1914, the roaring 20s, the Depression, WWII, etc…) The maps also show those little corner stores inside of St Anne’s Hill that you saw earlier, as part of the big retail picture for the neighborhood. Starting with 1914, one can see right away the clustering of business at either ends of 5th. There was ”downtown St. Anne’s Hill” near Stivers and Bomberger Park, and a business district over at the railroad. Keep in mind Stivers school and Bomberger Park where on this end, so one sees things like confectioners, and ice cream shop, bike repair, that might appeal to kids. The concentration at the railroad was more oriented toward “business services” through time. Mid 1920s. This was probably the high point for east 5th Street. Also note the appearance of chain groceries, like Kroger and A&P. Note the coal yard over by the railroad. This, according to the directory, was run by Virginia Coke and Coal, VICCO, Folks familiar with Eastern Kentucky will know Vicco was the company town of this firm, just south of Hazard in Perry County. Appalachian Kentucky would start exporting people as well as coal to Dayton in the 1930s and 40s. The Depression. This is when the “restaurants” really appear. One of these was Anticoli, which is still in business up on north Main street out towards Englewood, I think. In the 1930s is when we see the arrival of some early modern retail styles for autos, like the chain gas station (the Sinclair station in is porcelain enamel panels and still has its green and white color scheme, and that little tire and battery service place And a local supermarket comes in, replacing a bunch of little storefronts World War II era. The 1950s…the Liederkrantz/Turner merger and relocated up there in the late 40s, I think, as the original places where closer to Wayne. It looks like someone named a short order place for the somewhat new Bengals…the Bengal Lunch. The 1960s. The 1970s The 1980s Modern retail replacing the corner stores and old-time gas stations. The 1990s 2000’s…. Taking the above and abstracting it a bit, laying the locations side by side through the years as a sort of commercial DNA, looking at the changes through time, as the neighborhood thins out….the clusters on both ends of 5th are evident. It seems that 1950s/60s are key decades, and by the 1970s it was just mopping up the stragglers. ….and looking at the data in graphic form Commercial use and mix by number and % of type Adding some years as heading checks Sand Chart, One can see that spike in 1930s, as the “restaurants” come in and occupy storefronts (and convert some, too), combined with that drop during WWII, and finally a last bump during the start of postwar prosperity, closing with the long slide down… (you have to wonder if the city planners and decision makers saw this coming?) Where we are today And opening up two catch-all categories… Retail Structure Careers on East 5th Taking it block by block on East 5th, looking at the individual history of what’s left standing. Red Xs mark demolitions, red boxes around properties are the illustrations, for which I give a brief “commercial career” of the property…. @@@@@@@@@@@ Starting with “downtown Saint Anne’s Hill” on the west side of 5th….which included a brass foundry as well as stores. This was a streetcar junction as the 5th Street “Green Line” split here from the 5th main to go down LaBelle and then out Richard, to Newcom Plain (with interurban connections to Xenia via Xenia Rapid Transit). A collage of Sanborns to give you a feel of the richness of the urban fabric here…. A close up of the block between High and Dutoit/LaBelle, in 1918 and 1950. 1918 (note the little alley houses on “Phoenix Lane”, the alley between High & Dutoit) 1950 (note the used car lots eating away at the neighborhood) And the block just east of Dutoit, north side. The Liederkrantz/Turner is a local landmark, but I think the half-timbering is wrapping a 1920s-era commercial building. The brick gym part was probably first built by this club, in the 40s, but the club eventually taking over the building on 5th I put the business name down if I had it, so you can get a feel for what was here. The building where the costume shop and the one across the street are two of the older retail buildings on 5th. The block between Labelle and Henry. The interesting thing is the motor repair place has replaced most of this block with a big cinderblock building, but did the mural to pretty it up. Their original building (or its façade) still stands. Behind, on Labelle is the Odd Fellows Hall, not sure when that closed Henry to McClure. We have already looked at this block Across the street, north side, from Henry to Terry. There were a few doctors on this street…this one lasted to the 1960s, I think. I like the way there is that little doctors office tacked on the house.. We are starting to get into the urban prairie area, here done up as a park. Also note the little machine shop/tool and die shop in the rear. There where little alley houses and shops ever so often on 5th , too. South side of 5th, east of McClure. Nice job of clearances. Row of apartments on McClure, but behind them an urban prairie. This was another area that was used car lots, though they had pretty narrow lots, compared to ones nowadays. Continuing east on 5th. (the cigar maker listed for the structure below might have had a hand-rolling operation on the second floor as sort of a sweatshop. Cigar making in Dayton involved woman and child labor). The sign says Chili Bowl, but the directories don’t list this… North side of 5th between Terry and June. The Silver Slipper went by that in the 1950s already, I think… Starting to get into the former 5th & Railroad business district, which still has some business. This was the site of the construction supply operation and coal yards. One can see the railroad siding here to bring in supplies…and in the pix a big green storage building to the rear. The little building that has the little restaurant now was probably built in 1929 or 30. This block also has that old Sinclair station, which was then a cleaners, sat vacant , then became the auto glass place. Finally, the main part of that little business district. Samuel to McReynolds and a bit beyond. The supermarket of 1939 replaced about five storefronts, and the Big K six more. There was even a post office here at one time. 1918 1950 And that’s it from me for Saint Anne’s Hill and 5th Street…a lyric from an old song performed at the City Folk Ralph Stanley concert last night reminded me of this street bit when I heard it…
January 22, 200718 yr Excellent, as always! "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
January 22, 200718 yr I always liked that stretch of Fifth St. from your first photo...I once rode the old #2 trolley down it on my way to Sinclair(ahh...the salad days of yore!)
January 23, 200718 yr Great stuff! Do you have any idea what the Odd Fellows Hall is used for? If anyone would know this, I figure you might. I think I looked on the door once and it basically said keep out and no, the building is not for sale.....or something to that extent.
January 28, 201015 yr bump, since there seems to be some interest in my old Dayton posts. One of my favorites...
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