Grafton Hill in Dayton in Montgomery County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Kumler House
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 27, 2024
1. Kumler House Marker
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Architecture. A significant historical year for this entry is 1905.
Location. 39° 46.075′ N, 84° 12.473′ W. Marker is in Dayton, Ohio, in Montgomery County. It is in Grafton Hill. It is on Central Avenue north of Federal Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 316 Central Ave, Dayton OH 45406, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Miami Valley. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Winterlich House (a few steps from this marker); Deeds Barn (within shouting
this page online
Regarding Kumler House. Excerpts from the National Register nomination for the Central Avenue Historic District, which includes this property:
Kumler House (316 Central Avenue), c. 1905: Rectangular two and one-half story frame and clapboarded residence with formal, symmetrical plan and Georgian Revival styling .
The original or very early residents of the district included: Richard C. Kumler, Director, Rike-Kumler Co., Dry Goods.
Also see . . . Central Avenue Historic District (PDF). National Register nomination for the district, which was listed in 1982. (Prepared by Michael Thomas Pekarek, Ohio Historic Preservation Office; via National Archives) (Submitted on June 20, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Additional commentary.
1.
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 27, 2024
2. Kumler House Marker
The Rike-Kumler Co. was a Dayton-based department store chain that was established in 1853. The store was in business until 1959, when it became part of the Federated Department Stores conglomerate (parent of Macy's). Rike-Kumler's downtown Dayton store, which opened with much fanfare in 1912, was demolished in 1999 and is now the site of the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center.
— Submitted June 20, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Dry Goods Economist via Google Books (Public Domain), April 27, 1912
3. The Rike-Kumler Co.'s Downtown Dayton store
The 7-story store at Main and 2nd streets opened for business on March 19, 1912. It contained 235,000 square feet of floor space that featured amenities such as an auditorium, children's playground, a 250-seat full-service restaurant, a soda fountain, a lunch counter, a post office and cold fur storage. The building had its own well to supply water to fire hoses and a power plant in the basement to generate electricity in the building.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 20, 2024. It was originally submitted on June 20, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 237 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 20, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
