Posted May 13, 200718 yr Exploring some of the country villages of western Montgomery County. Again, one of the best things about Southwest Ohio is the somewhat high density (or so it seems) of rural villages and hamlets, which give this area a particularly quaint character. The first two, New Lebanon and Johnsville, grew up as turnpike towns, but also became early “suburbs” via the interurban, which lasted fairly late, into the mid 1930s. There is a funny tale about the interurban bypass of New Lebanon. Also, New Lebanon has also seen some modern subdivision activity on the outskirts. New Lebanon and Johnsville also have grown together somewhat, to wfere Johnsville has lost its identity to some degree “This is a town of about 200 inhabitants, lying on the southern line of the township, along the Dayton and Eaton Pike. It was platted June 3, 1843, by Jacob Grice, and an addition in Jackson Township the same day by John Brouse. An addition was also made by John Weaver in 1854.” “In the days of stage coaches, this pike was one of the great thoroughfares of the country, and New Lebanon, being a station on it. was a place of no little importance. Here the horses were changed, while the driver from his high seat looked patronizingly down on the bystanders and loungers, who looked up to him as a man of more than usual importance. as he saw all the outside world of which they knew nothing, only as he condescended to tell them. He was the " lion " of the day: nothing was too much trouble when he wanted it done. There were also relays of horses kept here, which were used in what was called " the express," a line of messengers on horses, kept going at a breakneck rate of speed all day and all night. These messengers carried important mail matter and small packages that were of importance.” “That was in the days of no railroads. Things are changed now; the stage coach no longer comes lumbering up to the New Lebanon House, but in its stead, a wagon is run daily from Dayton to Eaton, not deigning to stop at this quiet wayside town, unless there is a passenger to get off. The first house built here was by Samuel Ludy, in 1838. It was a log house, in which he kept a store. The logs were hewed and work done by Aaron and Jacob Diehl. The post office was established in 1842. Lorenzo Vence was the first black-smith. He came in 1844.” “The town was incorporated in 1878, and N. S. Price was elected Mayor. The present incumbent of the Mayoralty, and the only other than Price, is O. F. Edwards. There has been a hotel here since 1810, when there were but two or three houses here. The first landlord was a man named Goode. John Andrew Gebhart is the present proprietor. He is a man whose name should appear in the history of the township, as he is assuredly one of its characters. He is a relic of coaching days, having been for a long time a driver of one of those lumbering " land ships," and is in all a singular character. With this town we close the history of a township now peopled by an industrious and intelligent class of people, who owe all that they have to the energy and enterprise of those who first started the wedge of civilization in the Western country.” The town has a nice collection of bungalows Including this giant one, detailed in the exotic spirit of the early California bungalows… Looking west out of town Back into town, in the vicinity of the original plat Backstreets…. Traction Street, reminder of the interurban coming through town along this route. The Tale of Valley Bluff When Dayton banker and real-estate speculator Valentine Winters was building the Dayton & Western interurban line he had to negotiate right-of-way and franchises to permit street running through the various towns on the route. The New Lebanese apparently wouldn’t negotiate, or come to terms suitable to Winters. He thought they where bluffing to so as to get greater concessions from the company (or they thought he was, when he threatened to bypass the town). Which is what Winters did,, acquiring right of way just north of the village. Winters named the station Valley Bluff, in honor of the bluffing around the franchise and right of way. As long as he controlled the line, New Lebanon never appeared on the schedules. The right-of-way today, noticeable in one case by the exceptionally large front yards. More backstreet shots. Guessing by the house styles this area had quite a bit of development after the interurban came through, as well as maybe “Model T Suburbia” once the turnpike was paved and people could commute into Dayton. Bungalows on US 35 Brethren Church Driving west into Johnsville “:This is a small town not incorporated and lies in the north part of the township on the Eaton road. Though as many houses are on the north side of the road as on the south, the south side is the only part that is lawfully entitled to the name, as it is the only part platted. It was platted in 1850 by John W. Becker.” “There has been a tavern here for over fifty-five years. When the stages ran through this place. it was a station of some importance, but is now only a small wayside town. It has three stores, a hotel, a saloon, blacksmith-shop. a shoeshop, etc. In the neighborhood are two tile factories, which were started a short time ago and are now doing a good business. There are also some churches, which will be duly noticed in the history of the churches of the township” House on the “unplatted” north side I wonder if this was an old coaching inn? Another great bungalow Country village sidewalks Id bet this was one of the original Johnsville houses, in the platted area south of the turnpike “This is a town of about 300 in habitants, and is located in Sections 7 and 8, in the northwest corner of the township. It was laid out by Daniel Mundhenk May 25, 1835. and named in honor of his native village in Germany. “ “The first house was erected by Christopher Syler, a blacksmith, who had a shop where Henry Taylor's residence now stands, and his house directly across the street from it. The first death in town was Job Hamilton, who was severely injured while shoeing a horse, and died from the effects. The first store opened was in 1835, by Joseph Mixwell. The post office was established about 1840, Jesse Harper, or Joshua Rankin, being first Postmaster. “ The crossroads heart of town Pyrmont backstreets Pyrmont sidewalks… Road out of town “The first religious sect organized in the town was a society of Methodists, numbering thirteen members, who formed themselves into a congregation, and in 1836 built themselves a church, which was rebuilt during the year 1872. The congregation once was large and prosperous, and did a good work. The next, and only other society in the town, was the United Brethren. In 1847, they, twelve in number, formed themselves into a church society, and, two years meetings until 1866, when the old church was razed. and a larger and more commodious building erected, in which the people of this denomination now worship. They hold their meetings regularly, and continue to increase in numbers steadily. Many of the members of both of these churches are from among the farmers of the surrounding country. and from them they derive a large part of their support.” Some bonus shots from the Pyrmont cemetery…a Civil War casualty, dead of his wounds at the Battle of Nashville… …and a gravestone from 1848 (compare the severe and minimal style with the more decorative Civil War era gravestone) And, a link to the German Pyrmont, no longer a village it is now a health resort. Bad Pyrmont
August 31, 200717 yr Those were some fantastic pictures. I left New Lebanon over 20 years ago and it looks exactly the same now as it did then. Thanks for the memories!
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