Louis Traxler Mansion
Built c. 1911 for Louis & Adeline Traxler, President of the Traxler Department Store, this Flemish Chateauesque style building stands out in the Dayton View Historic District. The property was added to the National Register of Historic Places individually in 1979 and again in 1984 as part of the district.
The property was reportedly designed by Harvey Hiestand (1872-1944), founder of Miami University's College of Architecture in 1929 and its chair until 1938. The house is a larger version of the Leo Flesh Mansion in Piqua, Ohio, which was built c. 1907. Hiestand would eventually move to New York (at least between 1911 and 1913) and use the design once again c. 1912. That house is now the Lynne Parks '68 SUNY Cortland Alumni House.
Hiestand was once an employee of the Frank Mills Andrews's architecture firm according to a 1991 article about the Traxler Mansion. Andrews is attributed to designing the Dayton Arcade's 3rd Street Facade, and was once married to Gertrude Reynolds, daughter of John R. Reynolds, but later divorced. Gertrude lived for decades in the Van Deman Apartments on a hefty alimony.
Louis Traxler was born in Austria in 1864. The family moved to the United States in 1883. After a brief residence in Pennsylvania and Indiana, Traxler came to Dayton in 1899. He began his own mercantile business, which prospered and grew. Louis Traxler purchased the property in 1909. In 1911, the Traxler family moved into the large two-story stone house where they remained until 1929.
The house and property were sold to David Pickrell, Jr. in 1929. Pickrell was the owner of the Pickrell Plumbing Company and also the president of the North Dayton Savings Bank.
In 1932, the house was sold to Lillian Baker, whose husband, Frank R. Baker, was a salesman. Frank Baker later opened his own restaurant in downtown Dayton.
During the war, the house was divided into apartments. In 1941, it became a boarding house and divided into 22 apartments.
When the home was put up for auction in 1977, Dayton attorney Gerald Callahan bought it for $34,000 and restored it at a cost of $150,000. Callahan lived in the house for several years, but sold to Centerville physician Virginia Stull.
Stull then sold the property to Rev. William & Doris Moore in 1990, who have owned the property since that time.
The house was selected as a Dayton Philharmonic Show House in 1991, and was selected as one of Ohio's Most Endangered Properties by Preservation Ohio in 2019 and again in 2022.
The property was reportedly designed by Harvey Hiestand (1872-1944), founder of Miami University's College of Architecture in 1929 and its chair until 1938. The house is a larger version of the Leo Flesh Mansion in Piqua, Ohio, which was built c. 1907. Hiestand would eventually move to New York (at least between 1911 and 1913) and use the design once again c. 1912. That house is now the Lynne Parks '68 SUNY Cortland Alumni House.
Hiestand was once an employee of the Frank Mills Andrews's architecture firm according to a 1991 article about the Traxler Mansion. Andrews is attributed to designing the Dayton Arcade's 3rd Street Facade, and was once married to Gertrude Reynolds, daughter of John R. Reynolds, but later divorced. Gertrude lived for decades in the Van Deman Apartments on a hefty alimony.
Louis Traxler was born in Austria in 1864. The family moved to the United States in 1883. After a brief residence in Pennsylvania and Indiana, Traxler came to Dayton in 1899. He began his own mercantile business, which prospered and grew. Louis Traxler purchased the property in 1909. In 1911, the Traxler family moved into the large two-story stone house where they remained until 1929.
The house and property were sold to David Pickrell, Jr. in 1929. Pickrell was the owner of the Pickrell Plumbing Company and also the president of the North Dayton Savings Bank.
In 1932, the house was sold to Lillian Baker, whose husband, Frank R. Baker, was a salesman. Frank Baker later opened his own restaurant in downtown Dayton.
During the war, the house was divided into apartments. In 1941, it became a boarding house and divided into 22 apartments.
When the home was put up for auction in 1977, Dayton attorney Gerald Callahan bought it for $34,000 and restored it at a cost of $150,000. Callahan lived in the house for several years, but sold to Centerville physician Virginia Stull.
Stull then sold the property to Rev. William & Doris Moore in 1990, who have owned the property since that time.
The house was selected as a Dayton Philharmonic Show House in 1991, and was selected as one of Ohio's Most Endangered Properties by Preservation Ohio in 2019 and again in 2022.
Help PDI bring Dayton's endangered historic properties back to life!
Our Endangered Properties Committee provides resources and raises funds to proactively stabilize and/or obtain control of these irreplaceable properties. Preservation Dayton maintains an annual list of the Ten Most Endangered properties for intervention, as nominated by you and selected by the Endangered Properties Committee. Visit our Top 10 Endangered Properties page to see the full list of other nominees. If you have an urgent request for an at-risk historic property, please contact us at preservationdayton227@gmail.com.
Please donate today! Your contribution, large or small, will save Dayton's historic structures before they are lost forever.
Your contributions are 100 percent tax deductible and are dedicated solely to preserving Dayton's rich history. The Dayton Foundation processes all gifts and donations to the Preservation Dayton, Inc. Fund #8630, a component fund of The Foundation. You can contribute by clicking the ‘Donate’ button below which takes you to the Dayton Foundation secure website. Or mail your check to payable to "Preservation Dayton, Inc. Fund #8630" Preservation Dayton, P.O. Box 3614, Dayton, OH 45401.
Thank you for your support!
Our Endangered Properties Committee provides resources and raises funds to proactively stabilize and/or obtain control of these irreplaceable properties. Preservation Dayton maintains an annual list of the Ten Most Endangered properties for intervention, as nominated by you and selected by the Endangered Properties Committee. Visit our Top 10 Endangered Properties page to see the full list of other nominees. If you have an urgent request for an at-risk historic property, please contact us at preservationdayton227@gmail.com.
Please donate today! Your contribution, large or small, will save Dayton's historic structures before they are lost forever.
Your contributions are 100 percent tax deductible and are dedicated solely to preserving Dayton's rich history. The Dayton Foundation processes all gifts and donations to the Preservation Dayton, Inc. Fund #8630, a component fund of The Foundation. You can contribute by clicking the ‘Donate’ button below which takes you to the Dayton Foundation secure website. Or mail your check to payable to "Preservation Dayton, Inc. Fund #8630" Preservation Dayton, P.O. Box 3614, Dayton, OH 45401.
Thank you for your support!
