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616 Yale Avenue

PhotosLegacy Version

General Information

No:   616  
Street:    Yale   
House Name:   Critchell House  
Historic Plaque:     
Owner Info:   Y  
Built:    1928   
Sec:   23  
Subdivision:   Sibley's 3rd BL 15  
Lot:   17-22  
Architect:   Robert McGrew Critchell(brother of Ferd Sr.)  
Cont/build:     

Description:    2 story brick Colonial, gable roof: when built it had a living room, dining room, pantry, kitchen, 4 bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths,  porch, full basement, attic, fireplace, and 2 car garage.    
Original Use:   Residential  
Current Use:   Residential  

CHANGES:
As Built:   N  
Added To:   Y  
Subtracted From:   N  
Replaced:   N  

Description Of Changes:    1970 - Roger Mendenhall converted the garage to a family room. 1975 - Richard Mittendorf built a new garage. 1988, 1992 & 1994 - extensive remodeling for the Wachtermans (see story 3). 2004 permit for Bells to do interior remodeling and patio work. Stock Keffer, contractor. Architects Plus.  
Deeds
Shows earliest property ownership records

Stories:

Story 1: 1963 Scrapbook has exterior picture.
Story 2: Ferd Critchell Sr. who built the house purchased the Clermont Lumber Co.at 105 Water Street in Milford with E. B. Evans, Harry Kruse, Robert Hair and Elmer Fossett in 1939. At the time of building the house he worked for the Hyde Park Lumber Co. He was chairman of the board of both the lumber company and the Miami Brick and Supply Co, president of the Terrace Park Building and Loan, treasurer and director of the Security Savings and Loan, a member of the Milford Masonic Lodge, the Scottish Rite and the Shrine. He served 8 years on the Terrace Park Village Council. He also was a member of the Terrace Park Country Club when it was still in Terrace Park and was instrumental in finding land for it in Milford in 1931. Ferd Critchell Sr., died on the golf course at the Terrace Park Country Club on New Year's Eve, 1971.At the time he was living in the Milford Hills subdivision which he had earlier developed. Ferd Sr's son Ferd Jr. joined his father's lumber company in 1950 and became president in 1965 and chairman of the Board in 1991 when his son Brian became president (information from the Milford Historical Society's book).
Story 3: Ferd Critchell Sr. was married to Kathryn Sis Kruse and her father lived with them at 616 Yale for a time. Later he moved across the street to 611 Yale where lived his other daughter, Lorna Kruse Kahle. Her husband was a railroad man and had died before Mr. Kruse moved there. Ferd Critchell died 31 December 1971 in Milford (see above).
Story 4: Robert McGrew Critchell, Ferd Critchell Sr's brother, lived with his wife, Virginia, in Milford and Kettering OH (also at 609 Amherst). He was the architect for a great many houses in Terrace Park. He died in 1962. (See Virginia Critchell in TPHS Oral Histories)

Story 5: The Kennedy family moved here from 716 Lexington Avenue with Gwen, Pat and Paul.   Dan, Steve and Bobbie were born here.  Daniel E. Kennedy was born 24 April 1946 & died 19 August 2016.  He was 70 years old.  He had been living in Andereson township with his wife and children.  Steven William Kennedy died December 17, 2020.



Story 6: Information from Candy Wachterman. Brick Colonial: originally attached garage, porch located in front of garage facing out on Yale with entrance to living room. During the time period 1969-1976 the garage was converted to a family room. The porch was converted to be part of the totally redone family room probably in the 1980s. The new family room has a loft, and is wood paneled with a cherry stain. The original house had dark wood walls which remain as originally built. A free standing garage was built in the1980s at the same time as the remodeling of the family room. During the 1980s the bedroom formerly with a sink in it was remodeled; a 2nd bath on the 2nd floor was put in another small room area. The house originally had 5 small rooms on the 2nd floor (the 5th room may have been more of a storage area???). The area on the 3rd floor was used as a bedroom. When remodeled in 1992 many layers of wall paper were removed! The 1988 master bedroom in the front of the house was remodeled. It previously had 2 closets. One is now used as an entry. Part of the previous hallway accessed a bathroom which now is connected to the master bathroom. The previous entry to this bathroom was closed off at the hallway. The door between bedroom #2 and #3 was closed off and converted into a closet in bedroom #2. Remodeling of the hallway bath upstairs, bedroom #3 and 1st floor powder room were done in 1992. Remodeling and painting of the master bedroom, bedroom #2 and the master bath was done in 1994.