| Ohio (Warren County), Lebanon — 3-83 — Thomas Corwin — (1794 - 1865) |
| | One of the most effective political orators of his era, Tom Corwin (nicknamed "the Wagon Boy" for his War of 1812 service) resided here from 1839 until his death. A Whig stump speaker known for his wit and eloquence, he was elected governor of Ohio in 1840 and campaigned for William Henry Harrison in his presidential victory that year. Corwin served six terms in Congress and one in the Senate, where he spoke out against the Mexican War in 1847. He also served as secretary of the treasury in . . . — Map (db m24061) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Lebanon — 2-83 — Union Village — (1805 - 1912) |
| | Side A:
Union Village, the first and largest Shaker (United Society of Believers) community west of the Allegheny Mountains, was established in 1805. Nearly 4,000 Shakers lived in Union Village, the last living here until 1920. They owned 4,500 acres of land with more than 100 buildings. Union Village was parent to other communities in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Georgia. Shakers were among the most successful religious communal societies in the United States. Believe in equality of men and . . . — Map (db m24074) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Mason — 5-83 — Blaw-Knox Antenna |
| | In 1922, during the infancy of broadcast radio, the call letters WLW were assigned to the station begun by Cincinnatian Powell Crosley Jr. The station moved its transmitting operations to Mason in 1928, and by April 17, 1934, WLW had permission to operate experimentally at 500,000 watts. Becoming the first and only commercial radio station to broadcast at this "superpower," WLW was formally opened at 500,000 watts by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on May 2, 1934. Using its 831-foot Blaw-Knox . . . — Map (db m23996) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — "Squatter's House" — Circa 1810 |
| | This oldest building in the historic district was the home of Griffy Griffis five years before the village was founded by Jonathan Wright in 1815. Since Griffis had no legal right to the property, it became known as the “Squatter's House.” Wright used the structure to mark the location of Main Street for his plat of the new village he named “Springborough” in recognition of the many springs in the area. Griffis eventually bought the property in 1817 for $300. Since then . . . — Map (db m13711) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — Clark Williams House — Circa 1824 |
| | Built by Clark Williams, this early brick Federal style building was owned by the Dayton Leather & Collar Company in the late 1800s. In the early 1900s it was owned by Napoleon Johnson, a former slave who was freed in Virginia in 1847 when his master, James Epps, freed all forty of his slaves at once. Johnson settled in Springboro the following year. In 1849 he married Celia Anderson and they had three children. Only their daughter Maria survived childhood and lived in Springboro all her life. . . . — Map (db m13717) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — Edward Potts House / John Potts House — Circa 1831 / Circa 1832 |
| | The house on the right (45 South Main) appears to have been built circa 1832 by Joshua Trotter. In 1837, Trotter sold the house to John and Mary Potts, who were “conductors” on the Underground Railroad, persons who risked their lives and property to escort runaway slaves on their flight to freedom. The house on the left (55 South Main) was built circa 1831 by Job Burton. He sold the house to Edward Potts in 1836. Edward, like his brother John, was also a “conductor”. . . . — Map (db m13704) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — Harry Pence House — Circa 1894 |
| | Harry Pence grew up on a family farm nearby and later became a successful businessman who lived in Minneapolis. He had this Queen Anne style house built for his parents, Charles and Ruth Pence. Harry's brother Warren along with his wife Clara and daughter Ethel moved in with his parents to care for them. Warren Pence eventually became president of Springboro's first bank, Farmers Bank, located at 205 South Main. Warren's granddaughter and great-granddaughter, Lucy and Ruth Barnhart, also lived . . . — Map (db m13703) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — Jack Decker House — Circa 1830 |
| | This site was purchased by Josiah Townsend in 1827 for $50. In 1830, the property was sold for $1,500, suggesting that a house was built on the property sometime before 1830. Emmor Bailey, a member of the Society of Friends (Quakers), bought the house in 1831, and likely enlarged the structure in 1843. Jack Decker, whose wife Harriet bought the house in 1890, used the barn behind the house as a livery stable. His carriage service ran between Springboro and the train stations in the nearby towns . . . — Map (db m13694) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — Jeremiah Stansel House — Circa 1840 |
| | This house was built as the home of Jeremiah and Nancy (Gregg) Stansel. Jeremiah's father, Henry Stansel, was a friend of Daniel Boone. Although not a member of the Society of Friends (Quakers), Jeremiah is thought to have assisted runaway slaves, perhaps hiding them at this house. Jeremiah Stansel served Springboro as a justice of the peace and a postmaster. Jeremiah and his wife's brother, Samuel Gregg, were business partners who together operated a general store on a site adjacent to the . . . — Map (db m13712) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — John Bateman House Site — Bateman Tannery Site |
| | John Bateman was a local tanner who had his house, storehouse, and workshop on this site. The house now located at 440 South Main was built circa 1869 by Joseph Haines, a carpenter who built a number of Springboro homes in the mid and late 1800s. Bateman Tannery, which once stood at 450 South Main, was a “station” on the Underground Railroad, a place that offered assistance to runaway slaves during their flight to freedom. According to local history, the tannery was an excellent . . . — Map (db m13693) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — Jonah Thomas Shop — Circa 1835 |
| | Jonah Thomas bought this building in 1837 when he moved his home and harness shop from across the street at 200 South Main. As a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad, Thomas opened his home as a “station” on the Underground Railroad, a place that offered assistance to runaway slaves during their flight to freedom. The Thomas family also made room in their home for a 2,000 volume community library which was open to everyone in Springboro - one of the first circulating . . . — Map (db m13714) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — Joseph Stanton House — Circa 1833 |
| | This house was built by Joseph Stanton, son-in-law of local abolitionist James Stanton. Lydia Wood owned the house from 1875 until her death at age 86 in 1917. Lydia was the aunt of artist Grant Wood who pained the famous “American Gothic.” She raised Nathaniel Hunter, a black orphan who later became the private secretary to the well-known black educator Booker T. Washington. The small building next door (240 South Main) is the spring house (circa 1840). It was used to keep perishable food cool before the days of refrigeration. — Map (db m13713) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — Lynn O. Eaton Memorial Pin Oak |
| | This pin oak tree has been placed here in living memory of Lynn O. Eaton, a charter member of the Springboro Lions Club. Lion Eaton was ever ready to assist his fellow man in all and every manner needed. He served in many civic offices and was always fair and considerate in all his decisions and assist. May his mode of life ever be an example to all that follow in this great civilization. — Map (db m13698) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — M. & J. Wright General Merchandise — Circa 1854 |
| | This building was built as a general store for Mahlon and Josiah Wright, sons of the village founder, Jonathan Wright. The building originally had a shed roof extending out over the street to protect customers from the weather. A large stepping stone for use by customers as they stepped down from their horse-drawn buggies and wagons still remains near the street today. Members of the Wright family operated the general store until 1895. It was then sold to William Siegfried who continued to . . . — Map (db m13718) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — Mahlon Wright House Site - Circa 1818 — Ford Service Station - 1919 |
| | Built in 1919, this building was the first gasoline station in Springboro and served as the bus maintenance facility for Springboro Community City Schools from 1945 to 2001. This shop replaced the home of Mahlon Wright, a son of the village founder Jonathan Wright. Mahlon Wright served Springboro as a state legislator and a postmaster. He was a partner with his brother Josiah in a general store located at 245 South Main. His house was a “station” on the Underground Railroad, a place . . . — Map (db m13696) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — Odd Fellows Hall — Circa 1830 |
| | The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) began in England in the 1700s as an association of common laborers who met together for fellowship and mutual aid. This was so unusual at the time that members were called “Odd Fellows,” and the name stuck. The IOOF soon spread to America and is one of the oldest fraternal organizations in the United States. Relief Lodge No. 148 was organized in Springboro in 1850. Local IOOF trustees purchased this building in 1866 and enlarged it to its . . . — Map (db m13702) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — Springboro Area Underground Railroad — Historic Underground Railroad Site |
| | A predominantly Quaker community in its early days, Springboro served as a hospitable thoroughfare for many runaway slaves on their way north to freedom. Between 1815 and 1864, Springboro was host to numerous safe-houses and many agents and conductors operating within the village and the surrounding township. Two factors contributed to Springboro's role as a pathway to the Underground Railroad. One was the antislavery sympathies of its residents. Secondly, situated between the Great and Little . . . — Map (db m13716) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — The Lyceum — Circa 1898 |
| | The fraternal order of the Knights of Pythias was founded in Washington, D.C. in 1864 as an organization dedicated to healing the wounds and hatred of the Civil War. The members of the local Springboro Lodge No. 574 built this meeting hall with a large upstairs room which was used for plays, Lyceum courses, church services, and graduation ceremonies for over 90 years. The first movie in Springboro was shown here. The business rooms on the main floor housed a variety of commercial concerns . . . — Map (db m13697) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — Tommy Miller House — Circa 1901 |
| | Tommy Miller had this house built on the foundation of an earlier home that had served for a time as a parsonage for the Methodist church. Possible traces of an Underground Railroad hiding place from that earlier era are still evident in the basement. In a shed located across the street behind 510 South Main, Miller invented and was issued patents for an oilcan and a wagon jack for horse drawn wagons. He also designed the machinery to produce these items, which were manufactured in Springboro and sold through-out the midwestern United States. — Map (db m13701) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — Town Hall, Jail, and Fire Station — Circa 1922 |
| | Springboro's town hall and town jail occupied this site for nearly 100 years. This was also the site of the town's first fire station. According to local history, this building was built circa 1922 by volunteers with donated materials after an earlier, late-1800s town hall was destroyed by fire. A village council chamber was to the left, a Model T fire truck parked on the right side of the building, and two jail cells were located in the back. The site was originally occupied by Stephen . . . — Map (db m13715) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — United Brethern [sic] Church of Springboro — Circa 1874 |
| | The United Brethern [sic] Church building and bell tower were built in 1874. By 2004 the original wooden bell house had been modified to remove the gothic gables. In 2007, a [sic] appropriate, but not original gothic steeple was built on the original 1874 timbers and brick bell tower, to house a stealth communications antenna. This historic church now First United Methodist continues to be a vital link between historic Springboro, modern Springboro, the spirituality of the residents, and the Great State of Ohio. — Map (db m13700) |
| Ohio (Warren County), Springboro — Warner Bateman House — Circa 1858 |
| | Warner Bateman, nephew of the village founder Jonathan Wright, was an “agent” on the Underground Railroad. An “agent” was one who provided assistance to runaway slaves on their way to freedom. As an attorney, Bateman was in the difficult position of breaking laws he was sworn to uphold. Nevertheless, Bateman later became a prominent Cincinnati attorney and U.S. district judge. The house as it exists today was probably built around 1858, the year Warner Bateman took out a . . . — Map (db m13692) |
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