McPherson Town (Dayton)

Posted February 18, 200916 yr

Located just across the Great Miami from downtown, McPherson Town is easily one of Dayton's best neighborhoods, as well as one of the smallest.

From preservationdayton.com:

McPherson Town Historic District

McPherson Town is a residential enclave of 95 buildings situated on the north bank of the Miami River. Sparsely developed in the mid-1800s, development increased in the latter half of the 19th century, creating solid streetscapes of Eastlake and Queen Anne style buildings. The district, which today provides an unusually well preserved neighborhood of styles from the last half of the 19th century, fills a significant place in the progression of Dayton’s architectural history. It is also the city’s only substantial collection of residential buildings which relate directly to the Miami River and the effects of the 1913 flood. In 1993, it was home to the nation's first Rehabarama.

McPherson Town’s size and location are its greatest advantage. With only five streets, travel is easy and relaxed. Everything downtown Dayton has to offer is only a short walk across the Main Street Bridge.

Hum....what's this?

Again, from preservationdayton.com:

El Morado Place, c1924, Spanish Eclectic

During the early 1900s new construction in McPherson Town consisted primarily of multiple family dwellings. Two prominent buildings constructed during this period were the Floral Terrace Apartments, 118-124 McPherson Street, constructed in 1912, and the El Morado Apartments.

The El Morado must have attracted a number of "sidewalk superintendents" during its construction. It was built in a style sometimes referred to as Spanish Eclectic or Mediterranean, a name popularly applied to styles originating in the southwestern European countries of Spain, Italy and France. The Mediterranean style was most common in the southwestern states where original Spanish Colonial construction had occurred, but relatively rare in northern cities and particularly in nineteenth century neighborhoods. First popularized by the Pan-American Exhibition in San Diego in 1915, the style should not be confused with the earlier Mission style, which was inspired by California's Hispanic heritage.

The El Morado features many of the characteristics typical of the Mediterranean style, including a landscaped entrance court, a loggia or arcade balcony, textured wall surfaces, decorative terra-cotta entablatures, casement windows, metal balconies and of course the red tile roof.

And again, from preservationdayton.com:

Miller-Leedom House, c1886, Eastlake

The Miller-Leedom House is Dayton's best example of theEastlakestyle of Queen Anne residential architecture. Known for its fanciful combinations of ornament and color, the Eastlake style is defined by its knobby, table leg-like porch posts; large, elaborate, wing-like brackets and a variety of exterior wall-surface treatments resulting from technological advances in woodworking machinery including scroll saws, chisels, power lathes and spindle-shapers.

It is not surprising that Eastlake ornament sometimes resembles furniture. The style is named for Charles Locke Eastlake, a British furniture designer whose book Hints on Household Taste strongly influenced American interior design. Eastlake, however, rejected the American interpretation of his art and architectural designs.

Prominently sited on a corner lot, the Miller-Leedom House features a striking two story central polygonal and box bay window separated by a checkerboard panel and topped with a three part round arch window, pierced sunburst brackets and a variety of wall surface treatments, including decorative wood shingles and horizontal and vertical siding. The ever-present table-leg posts support a porch roof sheltering the main entrance.