Legacy Version

611 Floral Avenue

Terrace Park, Ohio Building Survey

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No: 611  Street: Floral Name: 
Family: SOLD Owner Info: Y
Built: 1940 Sec: 23 Sub: C. R. Stuntz Lot: 41-42
Architect: Robert McGrew Critchell Cont/Build: 
#Owners: 4 Original Use: Residential Current Use: Residential
CHANGES As Built: N Add To: Y Sub From: N Replace: N
c1972 - Added dining room & closed breezeway.  1976 - Raised the roof to make a dormer in back and a 2nd floor bedroom, altered two bedrooms to make one.  1979 - built new garage & converted old one to family room..  1989 Expanded & remodeled kitchen.  (Additions from 1972-1989 all Chris & Linda Smith)  2006 Fahrnbach permit for alterations (self) - replace spiral staircase with traditional staircase to upper level.  New windows to include enlarged windows on  front elevation.   
Current Owner: Date Fr: 2016 Date To: 
Original Owner: Kenneth J. & Margaret "Peg" H.  Crawford  Date Fr: 1940 Date To: 1958
Owner 1: Joseph R. & Margaret J. Van Meter  Date Fr 1: 1958 Date To 1: 1968
Owner 2: Watson C. "Chris" & Linda K. Smith Date Fr 2: 1968 Date To 2: 2006
Owner 3: Steve & Sheila Fahrnbach Date Fr 3: 2006 Date To 3: 2016
Owner 4:  Date Fr 4:  Date To 4: 
Owner 5:  Date Fr 5:  Date To 5: 
Owner 6:  Date Fr 6:  Date To 6: 
Owner 7:  Date Fr 7:  Date To 7: 
Owner 8:  Date Fr 8:  Date To 8: 
Owner 9:  Date Fr 9:  Date To 9: 
Owner 10:  Date Fr 10:  Date To 10: 
1975 Owner:  Watson C. & Linda K. Smith
Description: 1 1/2 story Cape Cod, siding, gable roof.  .
Story 1: There has been some thought that perhaps Royal Berry Wills designed this house.  As originally built it certainly looked like some of his work.  At one time someone thought there was a house in Terrace Park designed by him and this one came closest.  Perhaps Robert McGrew Critchell was influenced by him.  If anyone has any information about this we'd be glad to have it.  
Story 2: The Crawfords had the house built and lived here only a short time.  It is my understanding that they sold the house after about 3 years when Mr. Crawford died and I understood quite suddenly or after a short illness.  The VanMeters indicated to us that they originally bought the house from Mrs. Crawford after her husband died and she had to sell the house.  If there was any rental it might have been only until the estate was settled.  The VanMeters raised 3 children in the house and sold several years after the children were long gone.  Mr. Van Meter ran the Van Meter Burial Vault Co. in Cincinnati.  We (Smiths) signed a deal to buy the house the day after it went on the market in 1968 and moved in February or March of 1968. Office in basement for real estate development. (Information from Chris Smith)
Story 3: Some of the information about the Crawfords and VanMeters is confusing.  If anyone can clarify what we've been told please do so.  We have been told the Van Meters lived in the house about 14 years.  Did they rent at first?
Story 4: Kenneth J. Crawford was born 7 September 1898 and died 9 March 1957, aged 58 years, buried in Section 14 of Greenlawn Cemetery, Milford OH, Craver Funeral Home. 
1942 Map: Kenneth Crawford (1943 Kenneth Crawford family moved to Milan, TN where he's a recreational director for P&G at their munitions plant there.  Did they move back later or did VanMeters rent?)
1951/3 Map: Kenneth Crawford
1959-66 Directories: Joseph & Margaret "Marge" VanMeter
1967-68 Directory:  
1969-2005 Directories: Chris & Linda Smith (moved from 804 Park)
2006-09 Directories: "        (moved to downtown Cincinnati and later to Michigan) (Sold 2006)
2011-12 Directories: Steve & Sheila Farnbach