The Edgerton Home.
Donate via Paypal!
We had a couple of days in April 2023 to participate in the City's free dump days. We cleared out some of the larger items remaining inside the home. Thank you to our volunteers!
In December 2022 we had to remove the old west porch as it was in really bad shape.
The decorative pillars and other details were saved and will be repaired. The porch will be rebuilt.
GRANT! Thank you BNSF Railway Foundation!!
The Livingston County Preservation Society closed out their first BNSF Railway Grant in Sept. 2022 to help replace the roof on the old Edgerton home at Polk and Locust Streets. Many individuals also contributed as well as Westlake Ace Hardware and Lauhoff Jewelry. We are now gearing up for the next steps: porches, cleaning out the house, and some flooring repairs. We also hope to start removing the siding on the exterior of the house; this will give us an idea of how much repair work we will need to do next year before painting. The original entrance to the home at 1003 Locust Street provides the backdrop for our picture above: Rodney Mouton, Kris Daniel, Amy Dickerson, Ashley Gabrielson, and Kirsten Mouton.
Livingston County Preservation Society board member, Kris Daniel, accepts a $300 donation from Westlake's manager, Bill Moffat in December 2021. Thanks Westlakes for helping us "Raise the Roof!"
We closed on the property on August 5, 2021! We have been working on removing the vines and weeds around the home and have placed some temporary plugs in the roof. Getting a new roof is our TOP priority right now!
The entire block was formally part of the Bryan family estate. Upon the death of its patriarch, the land was sold into smaller lots.
Edgerton and others bought multiple lots and he built his fine home at the corner of Locust and Polk Streets. This home was built by Dr. William Wilburforce Edgerton in about 1890, with his family moving into it in 1891. Locust Street was sort of the main drag so the home was originally designed to face Locust Street. Over time the home was subdivided into apartments, with entrances listed as Locust and Polk Streets. And eventually the address was changed to Polk Street.
Dr. W. W. Edgerton was born in Ohio in 1845. He enlisted in the Army at the age of 16, serving during the Civil War from 1862 to 1865. He was in Company A, 107th New York volunteer infantry.
He moved to Wheeling, Missouri in April 1872 after graduating from Rush Medical College in Chicago. While practicing medicine in Wheeling, he performed a medical exam on two young men, both vying for one spot at West Point Military Academy. Dr. Edgerton broke the tie by choosing the one in the best physical condition: a man named John Pershing who went on to become a famous general in World War I.
Edgerton then opened and ran a general merchandise store in Wheeling from 1881 to 1889 with partner William Scruby. Edgerton and Scruby built the first grain elevator in Wheeling in 1884.
In 1876 he married Elizabeth Davis and in 1889 they moved the Chillicothe. Here he recognized the need for a bank and helped create Citizen’s National Bank, serving as vice-president and the first cashier. He became President upon the death of the first President, Thomas McNally. Citizens National Bank was the only bank in Chillicothe and 1 of only 3 in the county that managed to stay afloat during the Depression of 1929; there had been 5 banks in town and 22 in the county prior to that time.
Edgerton was a member of the Masonic Order and served as an officer on the Chillicothe Cemetery Association.
From 1903 to 1905, he was mayor of Chillicothe and brought about “many important improvements” during his term. He helped to pass an ordinance in 1904 requiring property owners to “pave” the streets in front of their lots. (By “pave” they meant brick on a sand base.) He was involved in the Milwaukee Depot land ownership dispute with all the shops on railroad property reverting back to the City. He had to do away with the “merchant police” due to budget issues as well as an unclear chain of command and vague responsibilities. Edgerton was also involved in keeping the fire insurance rates down when the insurance trust tried to raise rates. He also helped re-organize the fire department and spoke against raising light rates.
Edgerton died at his home at 1003 Locust Street, at the corner of Locust and Polk, on November 11, 1931.
It is our goal to purchase the home and replace the leaking roof right away. Then we will prioritize the other work needed.
Our plan for the Edgerton home is keep it in LCPS ownership to ensure its long-term condition. It will also become a self-supporting enterprise for LCPS, eventually generating funds for future renovation projects. To do so, we propose to use it an as a rentable space, like an Airbnb. The house is approximately 2500 square feet and will accommodate both large and small groups. The Edgerton home will offer Victorian charm right next to downtown. The decor will highlight the Edgerton/Welch and Bryan heritage of the property. Much of the historic details remain both inside and out. It’s a great location offering Victorian charm right next to downtown Chillicothe and we foresee a lot of interest.
We are seeking donations. Donate via Paypal!