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The William Orr Residence
Restoration of the Orr Mansion was accomplished with generous financial assistance from: Bellefontaine City Council, Logan County Commissioners, and the Columbus Foundation Mary Eleanor Morris Fund. It has been said that the home cost $40,000 when it was built in the early part of the 20th century. This was a huge sum of money, for the average factory worker may only have made $2 per day. To show the change in times, in 1995 the Society restored the tile roof on the mansion at a cost of nearly $90,000. |
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The William Orr Residence is now the home of the Logan County
Historical Society. The home and the attached nursing home were
purchased in 1988 for $50,000 by the Logan County Historical Society.
After much work remodeling, it was opened to the public in 1989.|
BACKGROUND OF WILLIAM ORR William Orr came to Logan County from Uniopolis, Ohio, about 1891. |
FACTS ABOUT THE ORR HOME The property
was purchased from Mrs. Kate
Berndt in 1906 for $2,500. |
CONSTRUCTION OF THE HOUSE
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Woodwork: All hand rubbed,
quarter-sawed white oak C. Windows: Front entrance was all leaded glass and a large window at top of stairs was stained glass. NOTE: The original stained glass & leaded glass paned windows were stolen and had been replaced with plain glass before the Historical Society purchased the house. The windows including the stained glass at the top of the stairs were replicated in 1997 (see right) at a cost of $3,010. The money was raised through contributions. The replica windows were done by Vera Proctor Sickles, a graduate of Bellefontaine High School, class of 1964, using photographs of the original windows as a guide. |
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FIRST FLOOR– RENOVATED IN 2001
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The Logan County Historical Society renovated the first floor of the Orr Mansion in 2001. The rooms were redecorated primarily in the Arts & Crafts style that was popular in the early 1900s. The Society did not have photographs showing what the original wallpapers or paint looked like. The Society hired Bethany Wical of Flair IV Design to research the time period and decorated the home in a style that best represented the style of the time it was built and what we knew of Mr. Orr. |
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| Den: This was off the side entrance from the portico. Warming Room: This room was used by the servants to keep food warm before being served. Food from the kitchen, originally in the basement, was brought up in a dumb waiter (also called a hand elevator.) Food was then passed through an opening into the dining room. NOTE: The dumb waiter was to the right of the door leading into the dining room. |
Basement: This contained the kitchen, laundry room, and boiler/furnace
room and was remodeled for nursing home use as storage. It is now used as
the museum's offices, storage and work area. Downstairs Bathroom: Was located at the end of the central hallway behind the stairs when the house was built. It is now used as a storage closet. |
DINING ROOM
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Decorating sponsored by “Valerie Stanley, Trustee for the Lewis & Dorothy Tamplin Trust.” NOTE: Wainscot all around the room, had mirrors above. |
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EAST PARLOR
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Decorating sponsored “In Honor of the Families in Logan County, Past, Present and Future, by The Kuba Family; Dennis, LaDonna, Jason, Julie, Lake, and Junior.” NOTE: Fireplace had mirrors mounted above it and the Orr era furniture was black leather. |
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WEST PARLOR
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Decorating sponsored by “Ted & Carol Kneisley in Honor of Our Families.” NOTE: This room was used for company and the fireplace also had mirrors mounted above it. |
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MUSIC ROOM
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Decorating sponsored “In Memory of James & Louise Underwood by Their Daughters & Family.” NOTE: Originally had a door through the north
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ENTRY & DOWNSTAIRS HALL
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Decorating sponsored by “Flair IV Design LLC, Bethany Wical, Judy Wilson, & Bob Wilson. NOTE: The 1st floor closet in the back
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SECOND FLOOR RENOVATION -
(go here)
OTHER OWNERS OF THE HOME
Mr. and Mrs. Carl E. Stuber, who bought it in December, 1922, for
$15,000.
Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Harrold, who bought it in January, 1926, for $25,000.
The property was transferred to Odessyl & L. H. Kelly in February, 1942.
(Mr. Harrold died in 1937 and his wife Odessyl married and later divorced
Walter S. Kelly).
Harold Kerr Post of the American Legion, which bought it in May,
1947, for $25,000.
Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Pickering*, who bought it in November 1953, for
$27,500.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Latham, who bought it in September, 1960, for
$38,500 and built additions on the north of the home in 1961, 1963, and 1965.
These additions were used for the Latham Nursing Home business. The
home could handle up to 52 patients, had a staff of twenty, and was directed by
Mrs. Olga Latham. The rates in 1965 were around $8.00 per day. The Latham’s
moved out in the late 1970s. The home closed in 1984, and the city’s zoning code
prevented like businesses from locating there.
The Logan County Historical Society, the building sat empty and uncared for until purchased by the Society in 1988.
1953 HOME REFURBISHED/REMODELED
After the purchase in November of 1953,
Mrs. Pickering began the remodeling and kept very good records. When
the bills were totaled, she had used:
1. 54 gallons of varnish remover and the same amount of alcohol.
NOTE: The beautiful woodwork had been painted, so she stripped all paint
off.
2. Cut crystal chandeliers were purchased at a cost of $275 each for the
living rooms and $249 for the one in the dining room.
3. They also built a two-car garage on to the back of the house.
4. The original door from the Music Room to the side entrance was closed
up and the wall torn out for a doorway to be put into the downstairs hall.
5. New kitchen put in on first floor.
6. Dining room ceiling paneled and beams added and wainscoting
refinished. Also wall-papered upper walls in Winchester Hunting Scene.
7. Living room had fireplaces relined and tiled; all walls were re-plastered, the
woodwork was refinished, all floors were sanded, and all lighting was
replaced.
8. Back stairway was closed and made into closets.
9. First floor bathroom tiled—both ceiling and floor.
10. Bought and laid 480 yards of carpeting.
12. Basement stairway and ceiling re-plastered and room in basement
paneled.
13. 35 doors were stripped and re-varnished throughout the house.
Based on the work of Jean Leininger.
SECOND FLOOR RENOVATION - (go here)