Tag Archives: city of new philadelphia

One House’s Story: The Ditto Family

This modest home located near New Philadelphia High School was the home of a painter and his family. A working-class tradesman who became a pillar of the New Philadelphia community. Joseph Ditto (1814-1889) arrived in Ohio around 1840 from his birth state of Pennsylvania. A painter by trade, he originally settled in Summit County whereContinue reading “One House’s Story: The Ditto Family”

One House’s Story: The Brown Family

I have always said that every house tells a story no matter how modest the house may be or what it’s modern appearance may be. This small, working-class house on the west end of New Philadelphia is an example of just that truth. A note about addresses: House numbers and street names often change overContinue reading “One House’s Story: The Brown Family”

One House’s Story: The Horning Family

This large brick home on East High Avenue in New Philadelphia, one of many large homes on that stretch of road, was home to one New Philadelphia’s most successful businessmen and his wife. The son of an immigrant, the home stands as a testament to the immigrant goal of achieving a better life in AmericaContinue reading “One House’s Story: The Horning Family”

One House’s Story: The Campbell Family

This New Philadelphia home, located on Tuscarawas Avenue, once belonged to an Irish immigrant who became one of Tuscarawas County’s most prominent and respected educators of the late 1800s. A note about addresses: House numbers and street names often change over time. The Campbell family immigrated to the United States from County Down, Ireland atContinue reading “One House’s Story: The Campbell Family”

Who Was Alfonso Stewart?

If you’re like me you thumb through Fred Miller’s book Images of America: Tuscarawas County Ohio, published in 2000 by Arcadia Publishing, a lot. I love just spending some time seeing the county as it once was. On the last page of the book is an image of men who served as patrolmen in theContinue reading “Who Was Alfonso Stewart?”

One House’s Story: The Wilkinson Family

The man who built this home in New Philadelphia was the son of an immigrant and started out as a small town Tuscarawas County coal miner. Eventually he moved to New Philadelphia where he became a successful local businessman and built a home that stands today. A note about addresses: House numbers and street namesContinue reading “One House’s Story: The Wilkinson Family”

One House’s Story: The Seibold Family

This house was constructed by one of the county’s most significant business families of the late 1800s and early 1900s. While the family’s patriarch is perhaps best known, this house was the residence of one of his sons for nearly fifty years. A note about addresses: House numbers and street names often change over time.Continue reading “One House’s Story: The Seibold Family”

One House’s Story: Flaccus Brothers

I’ve driven past this New Philadelphia building many times and, given its proximity to the railroad tracks, had always assumed it was somehow connected to a railroad. I now know that it was associated with an entirely different type of business that sat on that property for many years at the beginning of the 20thContinue reading “One House’s Story: Flaccus Brothers”

Samuel F. Hensel and the Hensel Transfer and Storage Building

This large building has dominated the first block of South Broadway in New Philadelphia since its construction and, when it was built, was considered state-of-the-art. I thought I would explore its construction and tell the story of how it became the focal point of an early 20th century Ohio Supreme Court case. The Hensel familyContinue reading “Samuel F. Hensel and the Hensel Transfer and Storage Building”

The “Freak Animal Critter” Hoax of New Philadelphia

Since April Fools Day is coming up, I thought I would share a story of a time when someone tried to fool the entire Tuscarawas County community and beyond. As Oscar R. Long (1888-1960) told it, he was out hunting racoons in the Stonecreek Valley in early February 1930 when he caught the most unusualContinue reading “The “Freak Animal Critter” Hoax of New Philadelphia”