Twin Houses

Darby Township, Union County, Ohio

This farmhouse doesn't seem particularly noteworthy at first glance. I encountered the property owner (?), who seemed neither hostile nor thrilled about my trespass. Not wanting to overstay my welcome, I captured only a few photographs.

While the one-and-a-half-story front ell is quite featureless, the rear section is constructed of brick, with segmental arched windows at the basement level. I first assumed that the brick portion was built prior to the frame section; an incorrect assumption, as it turns out.

West facade. The tarp covers an arched basement-level window.

Porch area. Note the row of vertical bricks, barely visible between the porch floor and door.

 A few months ago, I discovered an identical house merely a half-mile away.

The twin house, thankfully inhabited.  Photo (circa 2001?) is from the Union County Auditor's website.

Both buildings feature the same odd brick section and, obviously, were designed by the same individual. The 1877 county atlas lists A.M. Vollrath as the owner of both parcels, though neither house existed at that time. Vollrath immigrated to Union County from Germany at an unknown date, and likely constructed both homes in the late 19th century.

The northern section of Darby Township contains a number of brick farmhouses, part of a German settlement area centered around nearby St. John's Lutheran Church.