Village Hobby Shop facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Village Hobby Shop
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Front and southern side
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | N. Main St., Mechanicsburg, Ohio |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1880 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| MPS | Mechanicsburg MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 85001894 |
| Added to NRHP | August 29, 1985 |
The Village Hobby Shop is an old and important building in the small town of Mechanicsburg, Ohio, United States. It was built on Main Street (which is now State Route 29) in the late 1800s. This makes it one of the oldest business buildings still standing in the village. Because of its history, it has been named a historic site.
History of the Building
Mechanicsburg was started in 1814. At first, it grew very slowly. By 1830, only 99 people lived there. Businesses began to open on Main Street by 1840. However, most of these early buildings are gone today. This is because several big fires damaged the town over the years.
While some fires destroyed important businesses, others actually helped the town. They cleared away old, weak buildings. This made way for newer, stronger ones to be built. After the Civil War, Mechanicsburg grew very quickly. This time of fast growth is called a "boom period." The Village Hobby Shop was one of many business buildings built during this exciting time.
Mechanicsburg had always been a place where farmers from nearby areas came to buy and sell things. But during the boom of the late 1800s, its businesses grew a lot. By 1890, people could buy many different things downtown. This included medicine, jewelry, groceries, and other goods.
The Hobby Shop building was built in 1880. It was a typical building for that time. Over the years, it was home to different businesses. It was once Trader's Bank and also Schetter's Jewelry Store. From 1901 into the 1910s, it was John Brinnon's Meat Market. By 2010, the building had become a beauty parlor.
Building Style and Look
The Village Hobby Shop is built entirely of brick. Its walls, its strong base (called the foundation), and its decorations are all made from brick.
Many parts of the building show the Italianate style of architecture. This style was popular in the 1800s. Some key features include:
- Large, rounded arches over the big display windows.
- A small decorative ledge (called a cornice) above the entrance and windows.
- A row of arches that look like a covered walkway (an imitation arcade). This is found under the main decorative ledge (the upper cornice) that has supports (called brackets).
Protecting This Historic Place
In 1985, the Village Hobby Shop was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a special list of buildings, sites, and objects that are important in American history. The Hobby Shop was chosen because of its unique architecture and its role in Ohio's history.
It was part of a group of about twenty buildings in Mechanicsburg that were all listed at the same time. These buildings were spread out across the village. Because they were not all close together, they could not be called a single historic district.
Many of the twenty buildings were homes or churches. But the Hobby Shop was one of several business buildings in the group. Other commercial buildings listed included Hamer's General Store, the Magruder Building, the old 1830 Lawler's Tavern, and the four buildings of the Mechanicsburg Commercial Historic District.
