By 1812Blockhouse
On August 29, 1932, two houses standing on the west side of North Gamble Street in downtown Shelby had a date with a bulldozer.
It took only a few days for the two structures, one large Queen Anne residence and another older, small structure, to make way for an exciting new chapter in Shelby civic history.
Prior to this, the US Congress had set aside $105,000 for the purpose of buying and clearing land, erecting a new building to house the local post office and some additional federal offices, and to furnish the same. The monies had been championed by former US Congressman William M. Morgan. More…
Featured, Landmarks of Richland, Richland County History, Shelby History
By 1812Blockhouse
It is apparent that the architect of the Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Shelby took particular pride in this building.
After all, while the church was being built in the decade before the Great Depression, Toledo architect William R. Dowling actually moved his family to Shelby, living at 216 West Main Street for two to three years. More…
History & Tourism, Landmarks of Richland
By 1812Blockhouse
For over 120 years, the members of All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church in Bellville have provided a high degree of care for the building their foreparents built – literally.
The building on Church Street serves a congregation whose roots in southern Richland County date back almost 200 years – to 1822. Originally occupying another structure in the village, the present structure was constructed between 1894 and 1897. More…
History & Tourism, Landmarks of Richland
By 1812Blockhouse
The exuberant Queen Anne style house at 350 Park Avenue West in Mansfield holds a bit of a surprising anecdote. More about that and the end of this post.
It was built by Winfield S. Ward, a man who made a good living as a manufacturer of “elastic web,” that being the elastic material comprised of woven textile or rubber fibers and primarily used for garters and suspenders.
Winfield Ward was born in Pennsylvania, educated in Trenton, New Jersey, and came to Mansfield about 1889. At the time, he was a real estate agent, and the The Weekly News of April 28, 1892 profield him as one of “Mansfield’s wide aware real estate agents.” More…
History & Tourism, Landmarks of Richland
By 1812Blockhouse
The Colonial has graced the southeast corner of Park Avenue West and Benton Street since 1905 with its imposing three story front portico.
The building was erected by local businessman Edward William Dann. Dann, who lived from 1869 to 1950, was initially engaged in the fruit business, and moved to Mansfield from Columbus in the latter years of the nineteenth century. He would eventually become a board member and then president of the Richland Mutual Insurance Company. More…
A building with a rich past and an unknown future, the Mansfield Savings Bank Building sits majestically on the northwest corner of North Main and West Fourth Streets, anchoring the Carousel District and serving as a backdrop for civic festivals and events.
For those who visit, the inside of the building matches the extraordinary presence of the exterior. More…
Featured, Landmarks, Landmarks of Mansfield, Mansfield History
History & Tourism, Landmarks of Richland
Over the last year and a half, we have shared some stories about 34 historic buildings, monuments, and other community icons that grace the streets of Mansfield. Like you, we have learned a great deal not only about these landmarks and their builders, but also about the families that lived and worked in many of them.
We are continuing that series in the coming weeks and months, but we’re also expanding it a bit. Welcome to Landmarks of Richland. More…
