Hopes are to reopen the museum by the end of 2026 to honor America’s 250th anniversary.
“The Overfield Tavern was not just a museum or a historic building. It is quite literally where the community of Troy was born in 1808, and we pledge to carry on as a symbol of community spirit and shared heritage,” Manning said.
The cause of the fire reported around 5 a.m. has not been determined by investigators. There is no evidence of arson. The focus is on the utility room where a natural gas-fueled boiler furnace and electrical box were located, Manning said. A damage estimate also has not been determined but likely will max out the policy for both the building and contents, she said.
The museum’s board is developing a vision for the future appearance of the museum and plans to keep the community updated with postings on its Facebook page and website.
Credit: Submitted
Credit: Submitted
The building located along East Water Street downtown just south of the Great Miami River was built by Benjamin and Margaret Overfield in 1808.
It is Troy’s oldest structure and the oldest log tavern in Ohio on the National Register of Historic Places. It has served as a museum featuring a collection of late-18th and early-19th-century artifacts reflecting daily life on the Ohio frontier prior to 1850.
Future work will include a structural assessment conducted by a structural engineer.
“Our hope at this time is that the exterior log walls of both the 1803 one-room log cabin that served as the Overfields’ first home and the two-story log tavern in the front can be saved and restored,” Manning said. “The interior is largely a loss, but much of the interior had been put in place in the 1990s under the tenure of the previous director, Bob Patton, so most of it was not original. A couple of later additions that were added to the back of the building in the mid- to late 1800s are a total loss and will probably not be replaced.”
The fire claimed much of the museum’s contents, including an early Ohio grandfather clock and a large 1883 folk art painting that showed someone stealing the 1841 courthouse from Troy and carrying it off to rival community Piqua. Also believed lost was a linen night shirt that belonged to John Knoop, the county’s first settler, and made from linen/flax grown in Miami County.
A preliminary review showed many of the metal and ceramic objects survived the fire, but the condition of a valuable textile collection is unknown because access has not been made to the area where they were stored, Manning said.
Medical texts of Dr. Asa Coleman, Troy’s first professional physician, had been placed in a cupboard prior to a fundraising dinner planned at the museum last week and appeared protected somewhat by that move, Manning said. Some texts dated to the late 1700s. They appear to have survived but some pages are charred. They are in a freezer awaiting conservation because they also were waterlogged.
Credit: Jim Witmer
Credit: Jim Witmer
The fundraising dinner that had been scheduled for Saturday and Sunday was sold out. It went forward anyway, moving from the museum to the nearby St. Patrick Soup Kitchen. Around 270 community members attended the event, which Manning described as a huge success given the circumstances.
Among those stepping forward to support the Overfield Museum effort was the city of Troy, which announced Sunday it would allocate up to $75,000 in aid toward renovation, rehabilitation, environmental cleanup, research and acquisition of artifacts or any other eligible expenses not covered by insurance. The money will come from the city general fund, said Patrick Titterington, city service and safety director.
Asked if there was a precedent for the city contribution, Titterington said there was not.
“This is very unique given the structure involved,” he said.
Titterington and Mayor Robin Oda announced the city support.
“While it’s too early to assess the damage and what the next steps will be, we want to be as proactive and supportive as we can, in whatever way we can, to provide assistance towards restoring this historical asset and founding symbol of our city’s heritage,” Oda said.
The community can support Overfield Tavern Museum by becoming a member and/or donating at www.overfieldtavernmuseum.com. Checks also can be sent to P.O. Box 127, Casstown, Ohio, 45312.
Contact this contributing writer at nancykburr@aol.com
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