Upper Arlington briefly laid claim to one of the oldest stone houses in Franklin County.
Though the Upper Arlington Historical Society was unable to save the 192-year-old house from demolition, it was able to take extensive photos of the property at 5292 Riverside Dr., known as the Hutchinson House, before the building was razed in November.
“We found out Nov. 1 and it was scheduled to be torn down on Nov. 8,” says Kate Kallmes, executive director of the historical society.
Working with the developer, Preferred Living, LLC, and the city of Upper Arlington, the society was able to delay the demolition until Nov. 20 – long enough to document it in photos and arrange for some of the stone to be saved.
“We basically did everything we could, and a lot of people offered money (to help us move it), but we didn’t have time to collect enough. It would have taken quite a bit,” Kallmes says.
The home was built starting in 1821 by Amaziah Hutchinson, a Revolutionary War veteran who moved to central Ohio in 1813 with his family from Milton, N.Y. by way of Marietta, Ohio. They moved to Perry Township in 1815 and Hutchinson was elected Justice of the Peace that same year. The home remained in the family after his death in 1823 until 1886, when his daughter-in-law, Mary Ebey Hutchinson, died.
“In 1889, the property passed into the hands of Ele Woodbridge Tuller, a Dublin merchant and brother-in-law of James T. Miller, owner of the farm that was purchased by the Thompson brothers to build what later became the historic district of Upper Arlington,” according to information from the historical society.
The property didn’t become part of Upper Arlington until recently, when it was annexed into the city as part of the Preferred Living project, Kallmes says.
The city sent a truck to retrieve some of the stone after the house was demolished, and the historical society is working on a plan to use it in a local park.
“From a preservationist point of view, buildings aren’t made like that anymore – with foot-thick stone walls,” Kallmes says. “This was a gem. This was unusual.”
The society is starting an inventory of local historic structures and welcomes tips about historic homes in UA. Those who know of historic buildings are encouraged to contact the society at 614-470-2610 or info@uahistory.org.
Lisa Aurand is editor of Tri-Village Magazine. Feedback welcome at laurand@cityscenemediagroup.com.
Under the Big Top
Chamber’s Annual Celebration set for Feb. 28
Settle in and pass the popcorn and Cracker Jacks at the 2014 Upper Arlington Area Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Celebration, featuring the circus theme “Under the Big Top,” Feb. 28 at St. Agatha Church, 1860 Northam Rd.
The Business Showcase, highlighting premiere chamber members, is open to the public and runs from 5-7 p.m. Alongside the showcase is a silent auction and an art show featuring work from local public and private schools. Appetizers will be served and a cash bar will be open.
The showcase will be followed by the awards dinner from 7-9 p.m. Tickets for the dinner are $50 each or $375 for a table of eight. Audience members have a chance to win prizes by answering Jeopardy-style questions regarding the chamber including a daily double and a category specific to circus-related facts and historical information.
