Gooding House and Tavern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Gooding House and Tavern
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | Orange Township, Ohio |
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| Built | 1827 |
| Architectural style | Federal, Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 05000753 |
| Added to NRHP | July 27, 2005 |
The Gooding House and Tavern is a historic building in Orange Township, Ohio. It started as the home of George B. Gooding in 1827. He used his house as a place for travelers to stop, eat, and rest. This kind of place was called a stagecoach stop or a tavern.
The building was also known as "Halfway House" because it was about halfway between Worthington, Ohio and Delaware, Ohio. It was located on what is now U.S. Route 23. The Gooding family owned this property for 175 years! It was very important for trade and travel in the 1800s and early 1900s. It shows how important inns and taverns were for travelers back then.
The Gooding House also shows how buildings can change over time. It has parts that look like they were built in the 1820s (Federal style), the 1850s (Italianate style), and the 1910s (Colonial Revival and Craftsman styles). Each time the Gooding family updated the house, they added new architectural styles.
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The Gooding Family and Their Home
George B. Gooding was born in 1796. He built the Gooding House and Tavern. In 1826, he bought a large piece of land, about 250 acres (100 ha). This land was next to a main road that later became the Columbus-Sandusky Turnpike. George Gooding thought more people would travel on this road, so he built his tavern in 1827.
Besides running the tavern, George Gooding was a successful farmer. By 1850, he owned about 1,000 acres (400 ha) of land. His farm produced a lot of wool, butter, and cheese every year. He was known as one of the best farmers in Delaware County.
The Gooding family owned the property for a very long time, 175 years! They finally sold it in 2001. Today, the building has been restored and is used by different media companies.
Gooding Tavern: A Popular Stop
George B. Gooding's tavern was called "Halfway House" because of its perfect location. It was a popular stop for stagecoaches and wagons traveling between Worthington and Delaware. Travel was hard back then, so a good stopping place was very important.
There are many stories about the tavern. One story says that Mrs. Gooding would bake 40 pies at a time! She would put them in the ice house behind the main building to cool. In winter, ice was cut from the river and stored in the ice house with sawdust. This kept food cool all summer long. It is also said that General William Henry Harrison stayed at the Gooding Tavern in 1841. He was on his way to become president!
How the House Changed Over Time
The original Gooding Tavern building was likely built with a special brick pattern called Flemish bond. It had five sections across the front. The house changed a lot around 1854. Tax records show that the value of the house jumped a lot between 1854 and 1855. This means big improvements were made.
George Gooding was doing well as a farmer in his late 50s. New things like the railroad coming to Orange Station in 1850 helped him. Also, a new road, Gooding Road (now Orange Road), was built. He even got a license to keep the tavern open in 1853. All these things helped him make improvements to his property.
You can see the changes in the bricks. The first floor has the old Flemish bond brick pattern. But the second floor has a different pattern called common bond. This shows the second floor was built later, after the Federal period. The house also got new features like wide eaves (the part of the roof that hangs over the walls) with carved brackets. The windows changed to a new style, and the front door looked different. Inside, the main staircase also got a new look around the mid-1800s.
More big changes happened around 1917. At this time, Harry Gooding, George Gooding's grandson, owned the house. Many years had passed, and things like electricity and indoor plumbing were becoming common. Architectural styles also changed. The Colonial Revival style and the Arts and Crafts movement were popular.
Harry Gooding invested a lot in the home. He added new windows, fancy trim around windows and doors, and new doors. The walls and ceilings got new wood panels. Fireplaces got new mantles, and built-in cupboards and seats were added. A large window with a window seat was put in the dining room. Bathrooms were added on both floors, and the kitchen was updated.
The Tavern's Role in History
The Gooding House and Tavern is a good example of an early 1800s tavern. Its shape and layout were common for inns and taverns found along old roads in Ohio.
Small taverns in the countryside often had similar floor plans. Even when George Gooding made changes in 1854, it was still used as a tavern. The changes made by his grandson in 1917 show a new time. The road in front was paved, and cars were becoming more common. The tavern's role changed as travel changed.
A Lasting Landmark
The Gooding House and Tavern has changed a lot since it was first built in the early 1800s. It was passed down through the same family for 175 years. It is an important reminder of the early history of Orange Township in Delaware County.
The building served as a tavern for about 30 years. It played a big part in how people traveled and traded along the Columbus and Sandusky Pike. The family continued to own the home for another 145 years. They made updates that show important architectural styles from the mid-1800s and early 1900s. Today, it still has its unique historic look.
