Legacy Version

610 Wooster Pike

Terrace Park, Ohio Building Survey

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No: 610  Street: Wooster Name: Toll House (destroyed)
Family:  Owner Info: N
Built: 1869 pre Sec: 23 Sub: Camden City Lot: 32
Architect:  Cont/Build: 
#Owners:  Original Use: Toll House Current Use:  Razed 1989
CHANGES As Built: N Add To: Y Sub From: Y Replace: N
A low scale frame addition was made to the rear facade.
Current Owner: Diamond D. Investments Inc. Date Fr: 1998 Date To: 
Original Owner: (see deeds) (are early owners toll keepers?) Date Fr:  Date To: 
Owner: Robert G. & Sharon J. Dickman Date Fr: 1990 Date To: 1998
1975 Owner:  R. D. Hodory?
Description:      Frame vernacular building.  "Low scale vernacular building characterized by its simple fenestration.  Symmetrical three bay front elevation is extremely plain and is protected by an overhanging porch supported by modern metal posts.  Because the house was built onto the side of a hill its rear elevation is actually two stories high and exhibits a raised fieldstone foundation.  The bays on the side elevation are six-over-six while those on the front facade are replacement one-over-one.  The roof is pierced by a brick central chimney and an interior end chimney.  Part of the asbestos on the west elevation has been removed, showing the old clapboard siding and hewn beams.  #36.  A low scale frame addition is attached to the rear facade.  
     This may be among the oldest buildings in Terrace Park.  It is located on Lot #32 of the Camden City subdivision, which was platted in 1850 by William Winters.  In March 1851 Winters conveyed Lots 29 through 32 to Amos Hill for $68.75.  Hill, a resident of Clermont County, sold the parcels in 1856 to Frederick Mossman for $235.00.  In 1861 Christian Kaufmann acquired the parcels for $500.00.  It should be noted this building appears on the 1869 Titus map.  It is located on one of the region's oldest turnpikes, originally called the Milford Turnpike, which connected Cincinnati and Chillicothe."  (From the Ohio Historic Inventory 4/1980) 
     "The building actually sits below the road, indicating this building probably predates the existing roadbed. "
Story 1: In 1980 when the Ohio History Inventory was made this building was not on the National Register but it was eligible.
Story 2: In a Village Views article December 1985 concerning the shopping development at 614 Wooster, "With some questions remaining, the old toll house adjoining is likely to be razed."
Story 3:      Corporation Line Marker immediately west of 610 Wooster. "Reinforced concrete column that supports two rectangular metal signs.  Approximately 7 feet in height.  'Hamilton County' impressed into the concrete column, while 'Corp. Line Terrace Park' and 'Cincinnati-Chillicothe Road 1/2' painted onto the metal signs.
     An example of early twentieth century road signage that is rapidly disappearing from the American scene.  Route 50, also known as the George Washington Highway, is among the nation's most significant east-west transportation routes.
     Extremely busy highway that bisects this small residential community."  (Information from the Ohio Historic Inventor)
Story 4: 1825 for 80 years - 2 horse wagon paid 3 cents mile; horse & buggy paid 2 cents mile;  horse back paid 1 cent mile.
Story 5: Joseph and Lillian Noertker lived here in the 1920s.  
Story 6: Village Views April 1980.  "Terrace Park came through in its usual open handed fashion when fire damaged the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ben McIntosh at 610 Wooster Pike, one of the oldest buildings in the village.  Polly Bassett is handling the collection of clothing and furnishings needed by the family, which is now occupying a trailer in Camp Dennison but hoping to return to Terrace Park.  The fire May 25 caused damage which Fire Chief Pierce Matthews estimated at $10,000.  It was started by grease igniting in a pan on the kitchen stove, rapidly engulfed the kitchen and began breaking through to the attic.  There was smoke damage throughout the structure.  Patrolman Gerald Rowe reached the house first, got Mrs. McIntosh to safely, and then, realizing the danger and the Terrace Park fire department's short-handedness in daytime, immediately put in a call for the Milford Fire Department as well.  Had he not done so, said the Rev. George Hill, fire department lieutenant who was early on the scene, the building might have been destroyed.   The building was originally the toll house when Wooster Pike was a toll road to Milford in the mid 1800s.  Its basement rafters are logs squared off to take the flooring on top.  The incident provided another "first" for Terrace Park.  Although the village fire department was the first in the county to enroll women as firemen, Judy Schneider became the first woman to drive a truck to an actual fire and handle the pump an engineer."  
Story 7: In Village Views October 1989 - "Tollhouse Is Razed.  What tradition says was the tollhouse for an early highway through Terrace Park was torn down on September 26.  The small house below the level of today's Wooster Pike stood just east of the Terrace Park shopping center.  It was torn down by the shopping center owners in keeping with an agreement made with village council over a year ago.  A small metal sign still remains to identify Cincinnati-Chillicothe Road, established in 1828, in an era when Chillicothe was a major center, being the capital of the Northwest Territory in 1800 and twice the capital of Ohio, in 1803-10 and 1812-16.  There was little to tell of the building's age except the logs which, flattened on one side, formed the joints supporting the first floor."  
1939 Map: ----
1942 Map: MacFarland
1951/3 Map: Castello
1959 Directory: Dorothy J. Keuffer
1960 Directory:  
1962-63 Direct: Everett & Grace Shell
1963-64 Direct: ''
1965-66 Direct: Charles & Fan Stewart
1967-68 Direct: Mrs. Hazel Miller
1969-70 Direct: Everett & Grace Shell
1971-74 Directories: ''
1975-76 Direct: Joseph & Dorothee O'Reilly
1978 Directory:  
1980 Directory: Ben McIntosh
1982-86 Directories: "
1988 Directory: ---- (building torn down)