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We hope you enjoy these pictures. they were taken in 1998
prior to opening day in June.
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First Floor
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First Floor
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First Floor
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First Floor
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Tavern inside 1st floor
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Tavern inside 1st floor
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Tavern inside 1st floor
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The Bar in the taproom was made by Terry and Frankie Lewis with lumber
donated by their grandfather, Louis Times. Terry, an employee of the Canal
Works, and Frankie of the Post Office of Miamisburg, also hung all the
cabinets and Terry did the mantels.
Bottles (Whiskey, beer, wine 1870-1900
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Old plaster & straw matting that survived
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Summer Beam
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There are a lot of items on the first floor. Here is
some information about those items.
Wooden Tools: This is one man’s private collection. No doubt tools like
these were used in building this tavern in 1811.
North fireplace Area: Dried herbs hanging at the fireplace. Notice
bouncing Betty. The green leaf was used as soap when placed in water.
Adams plates on mantle were of the tavern period. Candle molds. Iron cup
with handle - Sealing wax to seal jars. Pottery hangs at the mantle.
Dutch over (iron) for making biscuits. Crane for hanging kettles. Copper
over for baking meat. Iron kettles with feet sat in the fire. Pottery with
marks or designs of potter indicates age of pottery.
Woven baskets from reeds gathered in area. Wooden bowls for cutting
cabbage for kraut or making butter with paddles. Knife cleaning and scouring
box of brick dust. Chair seats woven or reeds or cattails. Meat chopper with
handle made of wood.
Table-chair sample, larger ones were common. Dough box or tray for bread
making. Plank chairs at table for eating. Windsor chairs with spine backs.
Plates on table - Barnes pewter 1812-1817. Knives and forks - bone
handled.
Plate at south fireplace. Gaudy Pennsylvania Dutch (Miriam Reiter,
Owner). Candle holder that fits on back for a reading light. Horn for
calling farmers to the house for dinner.
There was no kitchen in this tavern.
Ox Cart Wheels
Hutch Made by Cliff Colson.
Mortar and pestle for mixing herbs for medicines.
Soap no lye used. Wood ashes and grease of animal fat cooked together
made pioneer soap.
Ale shoe - Ale warmed over fire before drinking.
Boot jack - To remove shoes or boots.
Broom Made from bushes or branches.
Tools on board by back door, miscellaneous in nature.
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Second Floor
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Here is the upstairs bedroom
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A Silver Service
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Tobacco Table
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Folding Boat
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This is a representation of a private bedroom from the
era of the early 1800’s. Daniel Gebhart and his family most likely would not
have stayed at the tavern. They would have had a house near to the tavern.
This room is furnished with the type of furniture of the tavern period,
1811-1840.
The rope bed is interesting. Ropes took the place of springs. We have a
straw tick which usually covered the ropes. The feather bed is there. This
was used as a blanket for cover. The antique quilt was woven on a loom.
Also look for the following: Trundle bed, commode, wash bowl and pitcher,
trunk, doll, candle holder, Old child’s coat, and cradle.
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Bedroom 2nd floor
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Bedroom 2nd floor
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Bedroom 2nd floor
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Bedroom 2nd floor
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Large Outer Room Upstairs: The large room was the
dormitory for the patron travelers who stayed all night at the tavern. Beds
were not available. The customers slept on the floor where they rolled up in
their blankets.
The room now serves as a museum house to miscellaneous collections of
antiques from the Miamisburg area.
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Folding Boat
ACME Folding Boat, 1890-1948 at Pearl St. and RR: Developed by David Allen
and William Gamble Jr. There were two kinds of boats: Acme - flat bottom,
Eureka - round bottom. Materials: White ash, heavy canvas. Boats sold around
the world: Russia, Mexico, Australia, etc. Invention of auto ended the
business finally.
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Display case
Silver articles used by ladies
Silver set belonged to Gebharts in Dayton. The family started the first
grest mill in Dayton.
Indian Relics
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Fractur (fraktur): On the west wall outside the
bedroom hangs a Pennsylvania Dutch birth certificate for Isaac Reiter, 1819.
Notice the artistic decorations. Ohio certificates are plain white. The
Pennsylvania Dutch used colored inks, making sometimes elaborate pictures on
these certificates, using beautiful calligraphy.
There are a lot of items on the second floor. Here is
some information about those items. Pictures will come at a later time.
Two armoires (closets for clothes)
One Bible is dated 1831 and fits the period of the tavern. This Bible was
purchased for 10 cents at a yard sale and presented to the tavern.
The other Bibles are of a later period. The photograph albums are of a
later period also, but they are interesting to see how beautifully the
subjects were dressed to make the best possible appearance in the
photographs.
Dr. John Treon’s account book, 1835
Light used inside trains
Writing desk that folds up
Gebhart coat of arms
In glass case: The working model of the mower was built in Miamisburg by
the Hoover-Gamble Company in 1870. This model was used by salesmen to sell
the mower. The McCormick Reaper was already in use in the 1840. Dr. R.C.
Doan’s wife was the grand daughter of the Allen who worked with the Hoover
Company in Miamisburg.
Gruver Coverlet: This quilt was woven in 1835 for the Gruver family. This
particular pattern or design is pictured in the book of coverlets.
Other Articles: Wooden clamp to hold leather when making harness, etc.
Flax comb to remove seeds from home grown flax to spin thread to make
linen.
Railroad lamp of brass used whale oil or kerosene with a wick.
Ink well made from Pennsylvania clay.
Gruver Coverlet: This quilt was woven in 1835 for the Gruver family. This
particular pattern or design is pictured in the book of coverlets.
Tin lunch box.
Dr. Judy’s pill bag he carried in making house calls before 1924.
Sampler framed on west wall: Dr. Reiter’s wife made this sampler in 1829
while she was attending school in Pennsylvania. All young ladies of this era
did beautiful needle work. Dr Reiter was a Reformed Church minister in the
early pioneer days of Miamisburg.
Dress Form: This dress and bonnet belonged to the grandmother (Kate brady)
who lived in the house pictured on the wall, 715 E. Linden Avenue. She died
in 1950 at the age of 96.
Cupboards: The two cupboards fastened to the wall do not represent the
tavern period. They will be helpful in the future to house the memorabilia
that will be added to the museum collections.
The two wardrobes do not represent the tavern period either. But they
will serve nicely to hold articles on display. One wardrobe came from the
Weber House. The other from the Brough Family. Ben Brough was a cabinet
maker. Both of these wardrobes were hand made and used in the olden times as
closets.
Heating: The tavern was heated by fireplaces. There were 2 upstairs.
Imagine the work involved to supply the 2 fireplaces downstairs and the 2
downstairs, and the one in the cook house outside with wood. It would
require several men to fell trees, cut wood, carry the wood to the
fireplaces, and carry out the ashes.
Lighting: Candles supplied the only light. Point out the candle holders
that hangs over a peg and can be carried from place to place.
Tobacco Table: Miami Valley raised more tobacco than any place in the
world. There were 16 warehouses in Miamisburg. Farmers raised tobacco as a
money crop. On the table are: Lath and spuds for hanging tobacco in sheds in
September; Cigar Mold; hand chopper for chewing tobacco; Sprinkler for
moistening leaves in stripping; Cigarettes put tobacco raising in this
Valley out of business. Spittoons for men and women.
Portrait of Dr. John Treon: First doctor in Miamisburg 1811, came as
young man on horseback from Penn. with his uncle, also a doctor. He arrived
at Tavern with 37 1/2 cents. He could see smoke from only 3 chimneys along
the river. All other residents were living in log cabins west and east of
the river. There were no Churches, Streets, Schools, or business enterprises
or roads. Gebhart’s Church and Stettler’s Church existed there? In 1818 Dr.
John Treon with several others laid out the first Platt which became
Miamisburg, the only town by this name in the world.
Under Tables: Hand made toys.
In Front of Fireplace: Cobbler’s tool to repair shoes, Spinning wheel.
Saw on wall for cutting ice.
In glass case on West wall: Mud from 1913 flood. Black ball box for
voting. Reading glasses prepared for sale without eye examinations. Dollar
issued on early Miamisburg bank, 1844. Hypodermic needle. Key to council
room when Mr. Haklik was Mayor.
Flat iron collection, plus more modern irons.
Map: This shows how maps were made to lay out parts of the City of
Miamisburg in plats. This was the Hunt Platt of 1884 for a new development
in Miamisburg. It concerned the area between Central Avenue and Linden
Avenue east of Seventh Street.
Framed Picture on North wall: This is the picture of the Brady Residence,
715 East Linden Avenue. This is one of the houses built in the Hunt’s Platt.
It still stands today, the second house, east of Seventh Street on the North
side of Linden Avenue. Notice the yard in the picture. It seems to be on the
level with the street. Today this house stands on a hill because Linden
Avenue was cut down to eliminate the hill.
Hand vacuum cleaners
Pictures of Sycamore Bridge: First bridge- covered, destroyed by flood.
Second bridge- open bridge 1919. Third bridge- opened several years ago.
Hanging quilt: Names of Miamisburg Ladies who paid 20cents to have name
embroidered on quilt. This was given to the luck lady whose name was drawn.
Wheeler and Wilson sewing machine 1850
Looking out the West windows: View of the river blocked by conservancy.
The Well. Stable?, Cistern for two family house after 1840. Site of cook
house. Time capsule to be opened in 2033. Harold Gebhart Smokehouse.
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