The Bronson House is a Greek Revival House built in 1845 by Herman Bronson. The house is one of 70 buildings in the Peninsula Village Historic District. Bronson is responsible for creating the initial plotting of the village on Peninsula in 1837. The town is named after the fact that the Cuyahoga River makes a sharp twist. Thus the town appears to be at the tip of a peninsula. The town was the site of a series of locks along the Erie Canal. Bronson is also responsible for the construction of the Bronson Methodist Church. The church, now owned by the Peninsula Foundation, stands across the street from the Bronson House.
The building was constructed in 1887 by the Peninsula Board of Education using the stick-style design of architect John Eisenmann. Eisenmann designed many buildings including the Cleveland Arcade. He also designed the state flag for Ohio which was adopted in 1902. Over time, the study population outgrew the building and the building was used for various other purposes. By 1985, the building closed by order of the State Fire Marshal. The non-profit Boston Township Hall Committee, Inc. was formed in 1990 and took on the task of coordinating the renovation of the buildings and finding new uses for them. A $1.2 million renovation was begun in 1999 to rehabilitate the buildings. The building is now is the home for a number of businesses that rent office space.
The Grand Army of the Republic Hall began as a one-room schoolhouse in the center of Peninsula, Ohio, and was then converted to a gathering place for veterans of the Civil War. The members of GAR Post #272 veterans names the hall in George L. Waterman, a native of Peninsula who was in Dayton while attempting to quell pro-slavery riot.
Robert L. Hunker was a successful entrepreneur who had the foresight, resolve, and resources to preserve much of the historic buildings in the village of Peninsula, Ohio. Many of the buildings he restored were in poor condition or had been slated for demolition. Mr. Hunker recognized the historical value of each and restored each to its original condition. As such, he has preserved a chapter the village of Peninsula's history.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This short walking tour takes visitors to a number of historic buildings and landmarks located near each other within the small community of Peninsula Ohio.
