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Arnold Homestead
Arnold Homestead.jpg
Front of the farmhouse
Arnold Homestead is located in Ohio
Arnold Homestead
Location in Ohio
Arnold Homestead is located in the United States
Arnold Homestead
Location in the United States
Location State Route 201 in Huber Heights, Ohio
Area 125 acres (51 ha)
Built 1800 (1800)
Architect Daniel and Joseph Arnold
Architectural style Vernacular form of Federal
NRHP reference No. 77001077
Added to NRHP November 7, 1977

The Arnold Homestead is a special historic farm in Huber Heights, Ohio, a town near Dayton, Ohio, in the United States. This homestead was started over 200 years ago. Its main building is a farmhouse built in the 1830s for a family who moved from Virginia.

The Arnold Family's New Beginning

Who Lived at the Homestead?

The story of the Arnold Homestead begins with Daniel Arnold. He was from what is now West Virginia. In the early 1800s, Daniel sold his farm there. He then moved with his wife, Catherine, and their five children to what is now Huber Heights, Ohio.

The Arnolds were part of the Dunkard Brethren Church. This church group, mostly German immigrants, slowly moved west across America. This move helped them become more a part of American society.

Building a Home in Ohio

When they first arrived, the Arnold family rented land for their first winter. After that, Daniel Arnold bought the farmstead from Henry Harshberger. This is the land where the homestead stands today. The family lived there for the rest of Daniel's life.

For their first few years, the Arnolds lived in a simple log cabin. But by 1835, they built a much better home. This new house is the main farmhouse you see at the homestead today.

Exploring the Historic Farmhouse

What Does the Farmhouse Look Like?

The Arnold farmhouse is made of strong brick. It sits on a solid stone foundation. The roof is covered with asphalt. Other parts of the house use wood and more asphalt.

The house has a simple shape. It's a two-story rectangle, wider than it is long. The ends of the house have no windows and rise up to gables, which are the triangular parts of the wall under the roof. Each gable has a chimney on top.

Special Features of the House

At the back of the house, there's an extension that's almost as wide as the main house. A porch is built into the "ell" shape of the house, which is like an L-shaped part. The front of the house has three windows on the second floor. The main front door is in the middle of the first floor, with one window on each side. A small porch with a shed roof covers the entrance.

Besides the main farmhouse, the homestead has other important parts. There's a cemetery and six other buildings. These include the original log cabin and a large bank barn.

The Homestead Today

Visiting a Living History Museum

Today, the Arnold farmstead is a key part of Carriage Hill MetroPark. The farmhouse is now a historic house museum. People who work there dress up like farmers from the 1800s. They help visitors imagine what life was like back then. Other parts of the farm are used for different activities related to the park.

A Place of Historical Importance

The Arnold Homestead was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. It earned this honor for two main reasons. First, it's important to the local history of the area. Second, Daniel Arnold played a big part in settling the region.

The Arnold Homestead is one of four places in Huber Heights listed on the National Register. The others are the Ausenbaugh-McElhenny House, the Taylorsville Canal Inn (which has been torn down), and Lock Seventy on the Miami and Erie Canal.

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