Huffman Historic District

Part 1 |Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | National Historic Register Documents

Part Two: A Dramatic Comeback

During the middle part of the 20th Century, the neighborhood began to literally disintegrate -- what some have called demolition by neglect.

By the early 1980s, nearly one-quarter of the residential structures in the area were vacant and uninhabitable. Crime rates were among the highest in the city.

Odd Fellows Building, E Third St. Lost to fire in 1990s.

Neighborhood residents became alarmed. At the rate things were going, the neighborhood would soon be but a distant memory.The Dayton City Commission agreed.

Historic District Status Achieved

In 1981, the Dayton City Commission declared the area an historic district, enacting tough zoning laws that forced absentee landowners to either contribute to the neighborhood or get out.

Grocery Store, Fifth & Linden. Lost to neglect -- demolished 1990s.

Today, most of those formerly vacant homes are occupied by families who safely stroll Huffman's tree-lined streets. Success stories like this have earned Dayton praise across the country for its progressive and aggressive protection of its historic areas.

The Huffman Historic Area is a remarkable example of the success of Dayton's groundbreaking historic district protection laws.

Linden Victorian: early stage of restoration showing siding and woodwork being restored.

One of Seven Historic Districts

Today, the Huffman Historic Area is one of seven historic districts that the City's Commissioners have vowed to protect. The others are: Oregon (1972), St. Anne's Hill (1974), McPherson Town (1978), Dayton View (1978), South Park (1981) and Grafton Hill (1988).