Boom Town Houses
Culture: Short Feature
Have you ever wondered what Bowling Green was like when the town was just beginning to grow? The year is 1884 and the small farming town of Bowling Green, located in Plain and Center townships, is expanding exponentially. Up until recently this was a peaceful agricultural community. Now, due to recently discovered fields of oil and natural gas, it's a booming metropolis.
With the sudden burst of wealth, residents began building large, elaborate homes and downtown buildings. Some of the community structures built included four churches, a modern school house, and two main sewer systems. The oil and gas money also brought new businesses to the Bowling Green area including four glass factories, two newspaper companies and a variety of family-owned businesses. And it brought north-to-south railroads stretching from Toledo to Findlay.
Many of the buildings built during the boom years are still in use today. A large number can be found in and near the downtown area, and all have been renovated and updated since their original construction.
In the midst the expansion two disastrous fires broke out in the town, one in August 1887, the other in October 1888. The first fire started in either “Billy” Donaldson’s saloon or Miller’s bakery and was well under way when it was discovered at one o’clock in the morning.
Some of the buildings destroyed in the '87 fire were the Owen’s building, G.W. Munshower’s large furniture store, and the back of the Terry House on Court Street. The second fire consumed C.W. Ever’s Sentinel block and the Wood County Sentinel plant, Charles Hunter’s jewelry store, Charles McCauly’s marble shop and the office of Golden and Clark.
Many homes were also damaged in the fires, still today 96 residential structures remain that were originally built during the oil and gas boom years. Each house is unique in architecture, and all have their own stories. For instance, the land that the Kuhne-Clayton house is built on has been in the same family for over 100 years.
The Nearing house, located directly across from the county courthouse, was built to serve as the judge’s chamber, as well as a place for the jury to deliberate, and recess areas. The house has 53 windows, six interior staircases, and two fireplaces.
Before the boom, houses in Bowling Green were built for efficiently, not luxury. During the oil boom new houses were built with dramatic arches, wrap around porches, and lots of windows. The Queen Anne architectural style, one of a range of styles found in the area, incorporates delicate turned porch posts and spindles that lace the corners of the house. The Munshower, Parker, and Helfrich houses all reflect this style.
The Eastlake style is similar, but on a smaller and less dramatic scale. Examples are the Lenhart and Case houses. The Italianate style, known low-pitched or flat roofs and serlian windows, is represented in the Kuhne-Clayton, Curry-Canary, and James houses.
Tours of some of the historic homes in the city are available, and can be arranged through the Main Street Bowling Green office. Additional information on the structures is also available through their office.