Information & history on rear of plaque:
This Queen Anne Victorian was built by merchant Sam S. Urfer in 1884. Inspiration for the vibrant colors of this subtle and elegant home came from the Devoe Paint Company's "Exterior Decoration" which was published in 1885. Sam S. Urfer was a prominent businessman in New Philadelphia who opened and ran a successful dry goods store. It is now owned by a third generation contractor who since 1989 has worked diligently on the restoration of this historic home. State Bird: Cardinal; Flower: Scarlet Carnation; Tree: Buckeye; Motto: "An Empire within an Empire"; Nickname: Buckeye State.
Information & history on rear of plaque:
Lorenzo Halstead, a New Yorker, built this eclectic Italianate in the 1870's. Halstead came to Coldwater and set up a sewing business, as well as a business of building homes for sale. In the 1980's, two antique dealers found this wonderful home painted in a drab yellow. Eight months and $8000 later, they had restored the cupola and repainted. During the restoration they were very careful not to disturb the friendly ghosts of two children who sit at the top of the maid's staircase.
Information & history on rear of plaque:
Granite merchant George Beckett, whose ancestor came to America on the Mayflower, built this Steamboat Gothic Queen Anne in 1898. The Beckett family lived here until the 1930's. In 1987 the house was renovated. The exterior was painted using historic colors of rose and blue tones. The original woodwork gracing the interior was polished, restoring this old lady to her former beauty. State Bird: Hermit Thrush; Flower: Red Clover; Tree: Sugar Maple; Motto:"Freedom and Unity"; Nickname: Green Mountain State.
Information & history on rear of plaque:
When built in 1885, the Allyn Mansion was the finest house in the Delavan area. Designed by E. Townsend Mix and built by Alexander Hamilton Allyn, a wealthy dairy farmer, the house is in the Queen Anne style with Eastlake influences. The house was "modernized" in the 1940's and many of the architectural elements were removed. Purchased in 1984, the new owners found the original architectural drawings in a basement safe and began the painstaking process of restoration. The porte cochere on the west side was replaced and the entire front porch was rebuilt. The gable and tower once again stand watch over the front door. The Allyn Mansion was awarded the grand prize of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. State Bird: Robin; Flower: Butterfly Violet; Tree: Sugar Maple; Motto: "Forward"; Nickname: Badger State.
Price each + S&H Prices subject to change without notice
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