“We were looking at some historical houses in other areas, but they were kind of row houses or just kind of boring,” Wyckoff said. “We came to look at it [home] and the second we walked in, we didn’t say anything. Afterwards, we were like, ‘this is the one.’ This one has character. Although the neighborhood needs a lot of work, all the homes here are beautiful. You just can’t really replicate them.”
The home was featured in the Wall Street Journal’s “Meet the New Stewards of America’s Gilded Age Homes” section in October of 2023. The home was considered incredibly upscale for the time because it had electrical wiring installed when it was built. By 1925, only half of the homes in the United States had electricity.
The entrance is inviting and elegant with large windows and solid wood framing. The first floor includes oak trim, columns, built-in cabinets, bookcases and window seats. The home has five bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and a third-floor en suite.
The home was also built with a two-car garage, even though most Americans were still using horse and buggies to get around.
Some restoration was done when they moved in, but nothing was structural. Plaster work was done as well as some roof work. Wyckoff and his father installed lighting and some braces were installed underneath the floor.
The garage was also restored a bit.
Wyckoff purchased an empty lot where a home burned down next to the home, and had privacy fence installed around both properties. A gazebo was also built in the backyard. Wyckoff is proud that the home has maintained its original integrity.
“It’s nearly all original,” he said. “That’s the most unique thing. Most homes that are this old have been renovated numerous times. The woodwork has never been painted on the first floor, which is a shocker. The gas fireplaces still work.”
The home was part of a historic home tour last summer.
Wyckoff is the vice president and acting president for the Dayton View Historic Association. The group’s mission is to bring neighbors together for the historic preservation of the Dayton View neighborhood.
An article from the Dayton Daily News in 1933 credited the expansion of the area to J.O. Arnold. His original farmhouse still stands at the northwest corner of Superior and Arnold, and dates back to 1832. He envisioned a grand neighborhood of broad, tree-lined streets graced with large, impressive homes set back comfortably from the street.
Wyckoff said they are currently exploring other ways to raise money so that more homes can be restored in the area. He said currently 123 homes are being restored in the district.
The group hopes to attract younger couples to restore homes and to try to replicate the 1999 Rehabarama movement.
And ... a 120-year old home wouldn’t be unique without its ghosts from the past. Wyckoff detailed seeing a woman in the mirror in the foyer walking through the dining room and into the kitchen. After observing a swinging kitchen door, he ran into the kitchen to find nothing. He has also heard numerous knocks throughout the home.
“It freaked me out,” he said. “Nothing has significantly happened since November of 2023, but it was scary. I just love old houses. I always have. I just think it’s beautiful.”
Wyckoff’s paranormal experiences in the home spawned some short stories that he has included in his new book “Spectral Echoes: Ghostly Tales and Haunting Verses.” It’s an anthology of spooky poems and short stories by Wyckoff, which will soon be available for purchase.
MORE ONLINE
Check out the Dayton View Historic District online at dvhd.org and see more photos of the Wyckoff home at daytondailynews.com.
TIMELESS DAYTON
Are you a local home or business owner who has an historical property to feature? Email jessica.graue@coxinc.com and tell us about it.
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