Since I've just spent a few days focusing on the Avon Lake power plant, I might as well go next door to the Peter Miller house, which is just west of it. The undated vintage photo (above) is reproduced from The Avon Lake Story by Milburn Walker.
I've always enjoyed seeing this house while commuting to Cleveland for the last thirty years. It's nice that something that historical and special has managed to survive for 180 years, and that a group of people had the foresight and love of the past to make it happen.
The house received Avon Lake's first historical marker on July 4, 2010. (Here is the link to the Morning Journal's coverage of the event.) Rather than just paraphrase the content of the marker, I'll transcribe it here.
The marker reads, "The Peter Miller House was constructed around 1830 and is one of the last remaining pre-Civil War lakefront houses in Lorain County. The architecture is Greek Revival. Peter Miller married Ruth Houseworth in 1828. They had five children. In 1851 Peter Miller died and it's believed that his family continued to reside on the property until 1925. The City of Avon Lake purchased the property in 1962. The house was opened for tours, and restoration proceeded as funds were available. In 1975 the water heating system burst and caused extensive damage. In 1985 a new committee took over and was successful in restoring the house. Volunteer trustees have overseen the operation of the house as a museum since September 1989."
One of these days, I'm going to have to take one of the tours through the house. But until then, why not take a tour from the comfort of your computer? If that sounds like a good idea, click here.
And before I forget, here's the flip side of the marker, which gives the history of Adam Miller, Peter Miller's father. (Give it a click.)
There is a house very similar to this one in Vermilion. It sits on the SW corner of Ohio and Grand Sts.
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