Heritage News : Preservation Archive : 2007 : January

May-June-July 2006

Proposed Library Addition Raises Concerns The planned addition to Chillicothe's public library has been unveiled to mixed reviews.

Repairs Continue on Canal Warehouse Work continues on the whipping boy for the 'demolitionists' - the 1850s-1860s Emmett Canal Warehouse, at 107-109 East Main Street.

Piketon Atomic Plant Confronted About Archaeological Preservation There happen to be several sites in and near the plant, but there appears to be no action to record or protect them.

Camp Sherman Tree Going, Going... Two of the few remaining Camp Sherman memorial trees stand near the intersection of Pleasant Valley Road and State Route 104...well, one and a half.

Paint Color Corrected on Paint Street My bad advice has been covered up at 62-64 North Paint Street, where in November I advised owner Joe Molnar to paint the building a shade of reddish-orange that was a little too bright.

Downes House Demolished The First Baptist Church finally started demolition of the Zimaroy Downs House at 53 West Fourth Street.

February-March-April 2006

Harley's House Progress We've saved "Harley's House," but now the hard work is underway - renovation and restoration.

Goodwill Warehouse Fire Also a Loss to History The huge fire that wiped out the stockpiles of Goodwill Industries also destroyed a part of Chillicothe's heritage.

Unkept Carlisle/Howson Building Damages Car On March 14th, a brick fell off the Carlisle Building or adjacent Howson Building and damaged a parked car.

Bits of Zimaroy Downs House Being Saved Parts of the Zimaroy Downs House at 53 West 5th Street are being saved before its demolition this spring.

Ross County Courthouse Exterior to be Renovated Contractors looked over the outside of the Ross County Courthouse March 14th.

Design Review Board Refreshed for 2006 With the new year has come new members with new ideas for Chillicothe's Design Review Board.

A Tour of Chillicothe's Old Armory Although it may not have been open to all the public, many of us joined an open house tour of the old Chillicothe Armory in Yoctangee Park February 7th.

December 2005

More WWI Memorial Trees Lost A group that was both the healthiest and the best looking along Pleasant Valley Road is now completely gone.

Bourneville Home Renovation Showcased The Taylor-McCrackin house, on the north side of US 50 at the west end of Bourneville, has been brought back to life.

Harley's House Progresses Preservation of "Harley's House" is progressing - including adjusting the name from the "Harley House" to "Harley's House".

Controversial Demolition Site Finally Landscaped The site of the Greek Revival styled Land Offices at 64 and 68 West Second Street has finally been landscaped, a year and a half after the buildings were demolished.

November 2005

Library's Demolition of Central Elementary's Gym Questioned The Design Review Board was concerned about the demolition of the gymnasium-cum-cafeteria part of the former Central Elementary.

Speed Limit on Street Where Needed I like the apparent response to speeders on the north part of Church Street in Chillicothe.

South Bridge Street Question Brought Out Tough Crowd The issue of whether the city of Chillicothe should have responsibility of maintaining - or changing - the limited access status of South Bridge Street was the topic of sometimes heated discussions.

New Industrial Building Going Up on SR 104 A new factory is springing up in the "Gateway Industrial Park" in the north edge of Chillicothe on State Route 104.

Hopeful Thinking for Overhead Wiring A "Blast From the Past" I found in an old issue of American Forests chimed in with what I wrote last month about contrails and overhead wires.

September-October 2005

What's New With the "Harley House"? It's been a while since I penned my first article on the "Harley House." What's happened since then? new 10/17/05

But first, read History & Architecture of the "Harley House" to learn more about the building. new 10/17/05

Carlisle Building Gripes Yet again the Carlisle building is in the news - or rather, on the opinion page. Oh, come on, Chillicothe. We didn't make it to 200 by being short-sighted, wasteful, and ignorant. new 10/17/05

City Schools' Canal Warehouse to be Auctioned 29 October It's official. The "Chillicothe City Schools Maintenance Warehouse," better described as the last canal warehouse at the corner of Water and Walnut, will go to the auction block. new 10/13/05

Giant Signs Mar Local Landscape those obnoxious billboards are slowly increasing in population, especially where I travel on the north and west side of town. DRAFT new 10/20/05

Preservation Briefs - September-October 2005

Another 'Demolition by Church'? The house at 226 East Second Street is missing a few doors and windows. I wondering if it indicates a step towards demolition, the fate of many houses in that area. new 9/4/05

Cashing in on - and Enhancing - Local Heritage Here's an Associated Press story about an Ohio county that has recognized a historical asset, and a town that is working to accent it to bolster its economy. new 10/11/05

Geography of Nowhere Encroaching on Farmhouse Thirty years ago - or even 15 - who would have expected commercial Bridge Street to be gnawing at the land this historical farmhouse stands on just south of Hopetown? new 10/11/05

Lines, Lines, Everywhere a Line When I try to enjoy the sky, the thing that aggravates me the most - second only to tangles of utility lines - are contrails. Ugly! new 10/11/05

August 2005

Newly Repaired and Renovated Downtown Building Hit Again by a Car After being hit on the rear corner in April, another car ends up in its front door - see the Gazette article. I have written on the previous brick repair and storefront renovations. 9/4/05

Rally to Save Pike County Jail Preservationists in Waverly demonstrate in front of building - see the Gazette article - and in a related Gazette article, the Ohio Historic Preservation Office speak on the old jail 9/4/05

Buzzard's Roost Treasures Back in 1995 - before Buzzard's Roost became a public preserve - I found a book in a rural Virginia bookstore that reminded me of my old stomping ground near the Roost. new 8/24/05

Flashback: German Village Society Advises Chillicothe's Design Review Board Several members of the Chillicothe Design Review Board met with Darrin Wasniewski of the German Village Society the evening of 10 February 2004 and chatted. revived 7/25/05, new 2/04

CHS TV Billboard on Neighboring Building Disappears...then Reappears The de-facto billboard for CHS TV that appeared last summer withour DRB review disappeared sometime in April. No, never mind...It's back with a veangence by July. new 7/22/05

Preservation Briefs - August 2005 new 8/11/05

Plan or Perish DRAFT new 8/2/05 Such is the issue concerning residents of Concord Township and Roxabel with the proposed racetrack move, and several letters-to-the-editor and articles in the news media have aired the controversy.
At the Fair DRAFT new 8/11/05 I finally made it out to the Ross County Fair, which is right at my doorstep. A few things caught my eye.

989 Western Avenue

Walgreens or Greenspace? The Debate over Rezoning 989 Western Avenue, the L.T. Franklin House An introduction to the issue and briefs on the stories listed below updated 9/9/04, 8/26/04, linked 8/18/04, revised 7/26/04 from May and June

A visual suggestion of what might happen with this property if the development happens new 8/18/04
A Timeline for the L.T. Franklin / Henry Barlow Property new 2/04/05

The September 20th City Council Review Session where council reviewed information about the issue new 9/21/04
The October 11th City Council Legislative Session where council was open to public participation about the issue - which was to be voted on, but was postponed new 10/15/04
The October 13th City Council Legislative Special Session where council finally voted on the issue new 10/15/04
Most of the text of the "Sound Planning and the Enforcement of the Chillicothe Zoning Code" presentation in a sidebar article, courtesy of the Chillicothe Conservancy new 10/15/04
Barlow Sues City Over the Rezoning Denial new 2/04/05

June 2005

Zimeroy Downs House Endangered This high-style architect-designed house built in the mid-1890s is one of Chillicothe's landmark houses - and its owner is seeking permission for demolition June 16th. DRAFT new 6/14/05

West Fourth Street Neighborhood Slowly Being Eroded It's hard to believe this is in historic Chillicothe, one block from Main Street and one block from Paint Street, half a block from the historical society, right on the southwest corner of the downtown... DRAFT new 6/14/05

Buzzard Roost's "Harley House" Endangered A characterful, memorable part of Ross County's Buzzards' Roost Nature Preserve needs volunteers and help now. DRAFT new 6/3/05

Waverly's Doomed Stiffler Building Waverly will now see a large gap knocked into its downtown streetscape with the destruction of the Stiffler Building new 6/7/05

SR 104 Cottage Destroyed The Ross County Water Company wiped out a small historical brick cottage on State Route 104 north of Chillicothe, just south of Fairgrounds Road new 6/3/05

City Schools' Canal Warehouse The Chillicothe City School District owns the last canal warehouse at West Water Street and North Walnut Street, and it may be endangered. new 6/2/05

"The Apathetic Foxes" A parable to keep in mind, here in the "Ancient Metropolis," in the recurring struggle for cultural conservation new 6/1/05

Preservation Briefs - June 2005 updated 6/11/05

Alum Cliffs Gorge Log House Burned at Buzzards Roost Vandals burned the historic log house that dated to possibly 1820 and had suffered severe damage from the Christmas ice storm new 6/7/05
Parks Master Plan & Armory The official word: "Pursue the use of the armory in Yoctangee Park as a community building." Will they listen? new 6/7/05
A New Buzz Word for Landscape Uglification new 6/2/05
Curbside Urban Uglification new 6/2/05
Western Avenue Delp House Fire new 6/9/05
Modern Eyesore new 6/9/05
Don't "Top" Trees! new 6/7/05

February 2005

Watchdogging of City Commissions new 2/17/05

The Chillicothe Design Review Board, which oversees exterior changes to buildings and properties in the Preservation District of Chillicothe updated 2/25/05, new 2/18/05

The 'new spirit of cooperation' continued for the second meeting in a row on February 17th, where a minor demolition was approved, a sign was not voted on, and officers were re-elected.

Application from Ed Kunzelman for demolition of small rear additions at 95-99 North Paint Street
Application from AMA Sign Company (for "Bag-A-Bones" shop) for a new sign at 72 West Water Street
Update from Bill Squibb for the Walnut Street United Methodist Church regarding the demolition and plans for South Walnut Street
Election of Officers

The Chillicothe Planning Commission, which oversees changes to the area zoning in Chillicothe new 2/17/05
The Chillicothe Board of Zoning Appeals, which oversees site-specific exceptions to current zoning regulations in Chillicothe new 2/17/05