Overfield Tavern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Overfield Tavern
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Overfield Tavern in 2004
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| Location | 201 E. Water St. Troy, Ohio 45373 |
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| Built | 1808 |
| Architect | Benjamin Overfield |
| Architectural style | Federal Style |
| Website | http://overfieldtavernmuseum.com/ |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001495 |
| Added to NRHP | January 30, 1976 |
The Overfield Tavern is a very old building in Troy, Ohio. It sits by the Great Miami River. This historic place was built way back in 1808. It used to be an inn and tavern, a place where travelers could eat, drink, and sleep. Today, it's a museum where you can learn about history! The Overfield Tavern is the oldest building still standing in Troy. It's also one of the oldest buildings in all of Ohio. In 1976, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a really important historical site. Sadly, a fire in December 2024 caused a lot of damage, but the main structure is still there.
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History of the Overfield Tavern
The Overfield Tavern is thought to be the very first house built in Troy. It was also Troy's first courthouse. Court meetings were held there from 1808 to 1811.
How Troy Began
In the summer of 1807, the area where Troy is now was chosen to be the main town for Miami County. A man named Andrew Wallace planned out the town later that year. Benjamin Overfield bought a piece of land, Lot 2, and finished building his tavern by the fall of 1808.
Serving as a Courthouse
Records from December 16, 1808, show that the court for Miami County would meet at Benjamin Overfield's house in Troy. He agreed to let them use a room for free until a proper courthouse was built. A new courthouse started being built a few years later in the center of the town square. However, it wasn't finished until 1824.
Moving the Tavern
In 1824, a fire destroyed many of the log houses along Water Street. After this, Benjamin Overfield moved his tavern business to the public square. This made it closer to the new courthouse.
The 2024 Fire
On December 7, 2024, another fire hit the Overfield Tavern. The fire caused a lot of damage inside the building. The thick log walls on the outside were strong enough to survive. However, most of the inside was destroyed. A large collection of local historical items that could not be replaced was lost in the fire.
What the Tavern Looked Like
Before the 2024 fire, the Overfield Tavern was a two-story building made of large, cut logs. It was built in 1808. There was also an older log structure from around 1803 attached to its north side. These two parts were connected by an enclosed walkway called a dogtrot.
Original Log Cabin
The smaller, older log structure is believed to have been the first one-room log cabin that Benjamin Overfield built for his family.
Later Additions
Later, in the mid-1800s, several one-story additions were built onto the north and east sides of the tavern. The building shows features of the Federal style, which was popular for buildings in the early 1800s.
