Benninghofen House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Benninghofen House
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Front and side of the house
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 327 N. 2nd St., Hamilton, Ohio |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1862 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001388 |
| Added to NRHP | May 17, 1973 |
The Benninghofen House is an old and important home in Hamilton, Ohio, United States. It was built in the 1860s. This house is special because of its beautiful design. It used to be a home for important people. Now, it is a museum where you can learn about history.
Contents
History of the Benninghofen House
Who Lived Here First?
The Benninghofen House was built in 1862. It was first built for a lawyer named Noah C. McFarland. He lived in Hamilton, Ohio. A few years later, he became a politician. This means he worked in government.
Noah McFarland was a senator for Ohio from 1866 to 1868. He represented Butler and Warren Counties. Later, from 1881 to 1885, he worked for the U.S. government. He was the commissioner of the United States General Land Office. This office managed government land.
The Benninghofen Family
Noah McFarland lived in the house for twelve years. In 1874, he sold it to John Benninghofen. John Benninghofen came from Prussia, which was a part of Germany. He was a very successful businessman.
In the 1850s, John Benninghofen became rich from making textiles. Textiles are fabrics like cloth. By 1874, his company also started making paper. Making paper became a big business in Hamilton.
What Does the House Look Like?
Italianate Style
The Benninghofen House is made of brick. It also has parts made of iron. It is a great example of Italianate architecture. This style was popular in the 1800s. It often looks like old Italian villas.
Windows and Porches
You can see the Italianate style in the windows and front porch. Many windows have rounded arches at the top. Some windows are paired, meaning two are together. The front porch has small columns. These columns have fancy decorations at the top and bottom.
Some windows, especially on the side, are rectangular. These might have special designs above them. The house has a main porch at the entrance. It also has a smaller porch on the second floor. This smaller porch is right above the main entrance.
Roof and Fence
The roof of the house is a hip roof. This means all sides slope down to the walls. The roof is held up by decorative brackets. These brackets form a fancy border called a cornice. A metal fence with a stone base surrounds the property. It separates the house from the sidewalk and street.
The House as a Museum
A Look Inside
The Benninghofen House is no longer a home. The Butler County Historical Society now takes care of it. They run it as a historic house museum. When you visit, you can see how people lived in the 1800s.
Some rooms still look like they did in the 1800s. For example, a painting was moved from a hallway to the formal living room. Other parts of the house are used for different museum displays. The basement, for instance, shows old dentist's tools from the 1800s.
Special Artifacts
The museum also has important items. One special item is a Civil War battle flag. It belonged to the 35th Ohio Infantry. This flag was carried by soldiers from Hamilton. It was owned by a Hamilton resident named Ferdinand Van Derveer.
National Recognition
In 1973, the Benninghofen House became a very important place. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized for its history and special architecture. It is one of sixteen historic places in Hamilton on this list. There are more than eighty such places in Butler County.
