The Brookville Historical Society invites the community to visit the Spitler House at 14 Market St., during its open house Sunday, July 14. The historical society also invites the community to ride the electric train that will be set up at the train deport, located at the corner of Hay and Cusick avenues.
Terry Baver | The Register-Herald
BROOKVILLE — The Brookville Area Historical Society will feature during its July and September open houses a train ride at the train depot, located at the corner of Hay and Cusick avenues.
Bruce Bloom, train engineer at Kings Island Amusement Park in Mason, Ohio, will offer rides to both children and adults on his small electric train he will set up at the train depot.
Cost of the train ride is $1.
The Brookville Area Historical Society open house in July will take place Sunday, July 14, from 2-4 p.m.
In addition to the train depot and the caboose, all the other historical society’s buildings will be open to the public. The buildings include the Spitler House/Community Museum, located at 14 Market St., and the exhibit building and genealogy/research library, located at 3 Hay Avenue.
Bloom, a Brookville High School graduate, has been the train engineer at Kings Island since 2015.
He was the 4950th Test Wing Program Manager at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base from September of 1985 to July of 1994.
The historical society is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Spitler House becoming the community’s museum.
The Samuel Spitler House was built in 1894 at 5 Hay Avenue.
According to the historical society, the structure is that of a three-story frame Queen Anne-style house that includes “a tower room, seven porches and much ornamental detail.”
The historical society noted the house was built by local builder and craftsman, Warren Rasor.
The historical society stated the house was home to Spitler and his wife, Ettie Pearl (Weaver) Spitler, and their daughter Anona. The family lived in the house until about 1920.
The historical society stated after the Spitlers moved, “there were other owners” of the house and “at one time it was an apartment building.”
The historical society stated to prevent the deteriorating house from being torn down in 1973, a “Save The Spitler House” campaign was initiated and funds were raised to move the house from Hay Avenue to the current Market Street location.
The house opened to the public on May 15, 1976.
Reach Terry Baver at [email protected].
