Photo courtesy Wow Video Tours
Address: 838 Dayton St., West End
Price: $799,900
Andrew Hickenlooper wore many hats—throughout his life, he worked as a Civil War general, U.S. marshal, lieutenant governor, city engineer, and president of Cincinnati Gas & Electric Co. He played a crucial role in the Battle of Shiloh, holding the Union line for several hours while General Grant’s men regrouped, formed a counterattack, and claimed victory the following day. By the end of the war, Hickenlooper was promoted to the rank of brevet brigadier general. With such a distinguished reputation, it’s no surprise that his home was built on Dayton Street’s “Millionaire’s Row.”
Photo courtesy Wow Video Tours
Constructed in 1871, the regal Italianate features a limestone facade with layers upon layers of intricate molding and motifs. It’s an exterior that must be taken in slowly, appreciating the subtle variation in detail on each floor. Glance too quickly and you’ll miss unique features like the carved swag above the middle window on the second floor, or the acanthus motif near the roofline. In warmer months, the outside is nearly enveloped by evergreen vines, giving it an air of dreamy enchantment.
Photo courtesy Wow Video Tours
Listing agent Brian Thomas appreciates the amount of “preserved history” inside the home. “From the pocket doors to the 12-foot ceilings to the built-ins and wood trim, there’s an attention to detail that simply cannot be replicated today,” he says. These gorgeous details surround you from the moment you pass through the vestibule and into the entryway. Classic checkerboard tile covers the floor, while stick and ball fretwork stretches across the doorway of a large living room. At the staircase, an Art Nouveau–style newel post lamp remains perfectly preserved on its perch, ready to illuminate the steps.
Photo courtesy Wow Video Tours
The delights continue from room to room, where old world craftsmanship is found in the smallest areas, like the ornate door hinges or the intricate carving and fleur-de-lis keyplate on the pocket doors. Within the formal dining space, two built-ins eliminate the need for an additional hutch or buffet and offer essential storage for entertaining accoutrements. There’s even a small pass-through above the smaller cabinet that may have once connected to a butler’s pantry (it’s currently set up as a laundry room). Lion’s head ornaments roar from atop each of the built-in alcoves.
With more than 4,200 square feet of living space, including five bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms, the sheer size of the home—and finished carriage house—offers income-producing potential. On the flip side, it can easily exist as a large, comfortable, single-family dwelling. Plus, with improvements being made constantly on surrounding homes, “Millionaire’s Row is really becoming Millionaire’s Row again,” says Thomas. “A lot of people are coming back to the area now to restore the homes to their former glory. And Dayton Street, specifically, is the crown jewel of a bygone era.”
While much has changed since Hickenlooper’s heyday, his home remained a sturdy stalwart and successfully stood the test of time. Now, 838 Dayton St. is ready for a new era of ownership.
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