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. Marker 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.
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 distance of this marker); 212 Central Avenue (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Dayton Masonic Temple (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Dayton Art Institute Centennial (approx. 0.4 miles away); Sarajevo Vijećnica (City Hall) (approx. 0.4 miles away); Novi Grad Historic City Hall (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Stari Most (Old Bridge) (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dayton.
Regarding Kumler House. Excerpts from the National Register nomination for the Central Avenue Historic District, which includes this property:
Kumler House (316 CentralAvenue), c. 1905: Rectangular two and one-half story frame and clapboarded residence with formal, symmetrical plan and Georgian Revival styling . …
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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. Rike-Kumler Co.
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.
Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 27, 2024
2. Kumler House Marker
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 33 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 20, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
