Historical Homes of Grove City
The streets of Grove City are lined with homes that have interesting histories. As a part of the town’s Bicentennial celebration, members of the Grove City Woman’s Club researched a sampling of Grove City’s more historical dwellings. A sampling of that information appears below.
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- East Pine Street – John Carruthers House – Built about 1901 on two lots in the Monroe Plan, it was sold to Shelley’s to become a funeral home in 1936, and still later became Ficca’s Funeral Home.
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- East Pine Street – C.F. Fithian House – Colonial Revival also known as the Classic Box. In 1922 a large 3-floor addition was added to the back. Mr. Fithian coined Grove City’s descriptive caption “Where Industry and Education Unite.”
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- East Pine Street – R. E. English House, one of the 4 corners homes built by one of the founders of Cooper Industries
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- East Pine Street – E.J. Fithian House – Queen Anne style home, built about 1901, by Fithian who ran for Governor on the Prohibition Ticket and who owned the first motor car. He was a primary at Bessemer Gas Engine.
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- East Pine Street – Built in the late 1890s by C.C. Floyd. Originally stood where the post office is now of wood saved from 1883 for house. The house was moved in 1932 so the post office could be built in its location.
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- West Pine Street – Graham House – Built in the late 1800s – early 1900s by Mark Graham, a banker and president of the Grove City school board. Children put on plays on the landing between the first and second floor.
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- West Poplar Street – Built in 1895 for Capt. Charles Rowell- First Commandant of the Military Department at GCC. Later owned by W.A. Stewart family, then Dr. Kelly, father of Paula Kelly, of the Modernaires, popular WW II singing group.
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- Superior Street –On land traced back to Charles Cunningham – son of Valentine. Part of a grant from the state of Pennsylvania in 1838. This land changed hands 17 times, including to Tidball, VanEman, Stewart, McCoy, Nelson, and Price.
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- Stewart Avenue – Built about 1900 perhaps by a dentist named Dr. Hall. The back of an old picture said the house may have been built by an oilman. Beautiful house- with leaded windows.
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- Arthur Armour Shop – Built in 1905 as a soda pop bottling plant, it became aluminum craftsman Arthur Armour’s forge, as a rental in 1933, before he purchased it in 1946.. He produced beautifully designed work there until his death in 1998.
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- Stewart House – Original Stewart farm house for which Stewart Avenue was named. It was built in the late 1880s. It was old to aluminum craftsman Arthur Armour in 1946. Armour sold it in 1966 although he retained his shop at the rear of the home.
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- West Main Street – Built by the Pearsall Family in the late 1800s with 22 rooms, beautiful woodwork and marble floors on the first floor. It was used as a hospital from 1907 until the town’s need for a larger facility was determined.
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- West Main Street – Built about 1900 by Mr. Welch, the first Burgess of Grove City in 1883 when the town was incorporated. He married Elizabeth Cunningham, daughter of Squire Cunningham, son of Valentine.
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- East Main Street -.Built about 1896 as a rooming house for young ladies attending Grove City College, it was purchased by Dr. James McClelland, physician, in 1920. Later it became a bed and breakfast, called the Snow Goose Inn.
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- Cunningham Hall – Built in 1845 or 1854 by James “Squire” Cunningham. Bricks were made on the site next to Wolf Creek. Beautiful detail work. “Squire” Cunningham lived there until his death. Apple orchards were in the back yard.
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- East Main Street – One of the oldest in Grove City, built prior to 1869. Charles Cunningham owned 333 acres and sold it to his brother James in 1838. Taylor Barr acquired the property and buildings in 1869.
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- East Main Street – McCoy House ,built about 1889 by Tom McCoy, a Civil War veteran held captive in Andersonville. Mr. McCoy was a stone mason who cut the stone for the foundation. The bricks were made locally.
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- Liberty Street ¬ The Boots House was built about 1870 by D. A. Boots, an engineer. It had a little house at the rear where his daughter, Silvia, a music teacher, gave private lessons.
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- Liberty Street – Built by D.A. Boots behind his main house, this “little house” was used by his daughter, Silvia, when she offered music lessons. It had no kitchen or bath. Silvia married Ted Hassler who was the editor of the local newspaper.
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- The Young House, Liberty Street,– Built about 1840 by GC’s first postmaster, William Fleming, purchased in 1853 by William A. Young who came to the area to purchase James Tidball’s Tannery which stood behind the house.
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- The Knoll House – Woodland Avenue – Built in 1912 by John McCune. At $1 per load, Mr. Campbell hauled stone for the house from his dairy farm on East Main to buy an engagement and wedding ring for his girlfriend. It circled the knoll.
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- Woodland Avenue – Built in 1910 probably by builder C.C. Floyd because of its “L” shaped porch – “L” houses became known as “Hell” Houses. Later bought by the Firth family.
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- The Washington Boulevard Area – Developed in early 1900s by Ed and Cliff Harshaw, this development was designed without sidewalks and with underground electric lines. Local horticulturist Fred Kocher did the landscaping
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- The Washington Boulevard Area – Developed in early 1900s by Ed and Cliff Harshaw, this development was designed without sidewalks and with underground electric lines. Local horticulturist Fred Kocher did the landscaping
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- The Montgomery House – Built in 1935 by Charlie Montgomery in French Provincial style of Indiana Limestone. Mr. Montgomery was murdered in Florida several years later.
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- West Washington Boulevard – Known as the Johnstone House, it was built in the early 1930s by C.F. Fithian. The architect wanted the house set straight on the lot. Mrs. Fithian insisted on setting it on angle so the architect resigned the project.
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- Washington Boulevard Area – Built in 1926 by “Bud” Carruthers. The Architect was W.G. Eckles of New Castle. In1932 it sold to Mike Pollock, later Mike Wherry and finally Dr. Weir Ketler., President of Grove City College.
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- Lincoln Avenue –Beautiful example of a Dutch Colonial perhaps built by a member of the Harshaw Family
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- Defense Houses – 900 sq. ft. homes built following WWII by the local Montgomery Lumber Co. for soldiers returning from war. Houses had hard -wood floors, and the bathtubs were made of marble because metal was unavailable for general use.
