Architecture of St. Anne's Hill
St. Anne's Hill is a small, approximately 12-block area of restored
and maintained homes, dating from the nineteenth and early twentieth century, which
retains the feel of a turn-of-the-century neighborhood. Located within walking distance of
downtown Dayton, it is mainly residential in character with a commercial strip (Fifth
Street) bisecting the area. St. Anne's Hill is significant for both the quality and
diversity of its architecture and for its position as the best and most intact example of
an ethnic German neighborhood.
St. Anne's Hill is a neighborhood of one and two story (and a few 3
story) brick or frame vernacular houses showing the influence of popular nineteenth
century styles such as Italianate, Gothic Revival and Queen Anne. Two of St. Anne's homes
on the National Register of Historic Places are the Steamboat House at 6 Josie, which is
an example of the Queen Anne style with its typical asymmetry, complex massings of diverse
architectural forms, and elaborate detailing. The Bossler Mansion, built in 1869, at 136
Dutoit Street is the finest example of Second Empire Architecture in the City. Second
Empire Architecture was prominent in France during the reign of Napolean III, 1852-70. The
IOOF Building on LaBelle Street is another architecturaly unique structure.
St. Anne's Hill still preserves a sense of friendly, family oriented
nineteenth century neighborhood while offering twentieth century amenities and the
convenience of a location close to downtown Dayton and major highways.
