of Chillicothe, Ross County & South-Central Ohio
of Chillicothe, Ross County & South-Central Ohio December 2006
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These two wood frame cottages - and their surrounding trees - will be replaced with a gas station/mini-mart. |
The two cottages and their two neighbors, and even the greenspace behind them, have an intertwined history, as told to me by Joe and Lou Betsch.
In the row on High Street between Buckeye and Orange streets are four houses. The southernmost, the two story brick house painted yellow and with two front doors, is the David Kern House. It was built probably in the 1830s-1850s and served as a tavern on the Ohio & Erie Canal, which ran over where Camp Sherman Road (the extension of Yoctangee Parkway) is now. There were two daughters in one generation that will feature in the history below.
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The northwest entry of Chillicothe will change soon... |
John Jacob also raised apples to make cider vinegar. The apples were mashed in the old cider mill owned by David Kern that was demolished for the drive-through carry-out across the street from the Kern House.
John Jacob had two sons, Charles Federick and George Jacob, for whom he built houses. Those are the endangered white wood frame cottages next to his brick house. These two Betsch sons married two Kern daughters, respectively, Elizabeth Magadalena in 1900, and Mary Catherine in 1898.
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The cottages have some Victorian ornament in the gables... |
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...and Victorian ornament on the porches. |
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A sign of the times. |
These four houses form a little cohesive grouping that, with the two houses across the street, forms the entryway to the historical neighborhood of north North High Street, which is known as Goosetown. This area of smaller houses and historically a German population runs down to about Allen Avenue. It got its name from the large fowl the residents sometimes kept.
Previously, the B&O Railroad underpass served as a great gateway, delineating town from country. With its loss, the North High street entrance devolved into a swath of pavement and a green gas station. Still, it was probably one of the better entryways into Chillicothe. The planned recreational trail bridge will help to re-establish the gateway effect - but a gateway to what?
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The northwest entry of Chillicothe, as it is now... |
The owner of the gas station also owns the BP gas station-cum-Dutchess shop-cum-Taco Bell in the commercial strip in southern Piketon, and it is presumed that the replacement on North High Street will resemble it in size. The plans to replace it have been in place since summer 2005, which I reported on then.
The Chillicothe Conservancy and Citizens for Planned Development had sent a letter to the owner offering planning assistance to reduce the impact of the new construction on the streetscape. Englefield Oil Company of Heath, Ohio (near Newark) owns the properties. The area is zoned C-4, permitting just about any kind of commercial development.
The March 21st letter stated that
While a certain amount of commercial activity has long been in place in this immediate area, it is also true that large residential neighborhoods begin here and that the intersection of North High Street with the City Parks Department walking trail constitutes an important "gateway" into our city. ... We think it is important that the fundamental character of a community is reflected at such gateway locations. This can be achieved by sensitive design that includes respect for historic buildings and homes as well as neighborhood considerations.
I believe no response was received.
So what might this entryway look like in the near future? Take this link to the dramatization and see...
