dover history – Noel B. Poirier

“Negligence Born of Familiarity”: Tragedy at the Penn Iron and Coal Company

The Penn Iron and Coal Company as depicted on a 1899 perspective map of Dover, Ohio. (Source: loc.gov)

I am often drawn to tragic stories because, in many cases, the individuals involved end up being lost to the historic record. This often happens because many tragedies occur when people are younger and have yet to establish themselves or create a family to carry on their names and stories. This is one such tragedy.Continue reading ““Negligence Born of Familiarity”: Tragedy at the Penn Iron and Coal Company”

One House’s Story: The Pfeiffer Family

The Pfeiffer Saloon and residence on West Front Street, Dover, Ohio, 2023. (Source: earth.google.com)

I enjoy good barbecue as much as anyone. The other day I drove past one of Dover’s local barbecue restaurants and, knowing how Front Street was a collection of hotels and saloons in the early 20th century, I wondered who had called that building home (and work) in the past. This is the story ofContinue reading “One House’s Story: The Pfeiffer Family”

One House’s Story: The Kreiter Family

The Kreiter House on North Wooster Avenue, Dover, Ohio, 2013. (Source: google.com)

There are many large and decorative homes lining North Wooster Avenue in Dover, Ohio. Nestled among them is a somewhat more modest house that was once home to a Dover grocer and his family. A note about addresses: House numbers and street names often change over time. While it has been difficult to establish detailsContinue reading “One House’s Story: The Kreiter Family”

One House’s Story: The Bombing of the Bowers’ House

Modern image of the front façade of the Bowers home on Tuscarawas Avenue in New Philadelphia.

I stumbled across one of this house’s stories while researching one of the home’s inhabitants for another project. I could not resist sharing this very surprising, and violent, piece of New Philadelphia history. A note about addresses: House numbers and street names often change over time. Well known attorney Henry Bowers (1858-1934) and his familyContinue reading “One House’s Story: The Bombing of the Bowers’ House”