5 things you didn’t know about Patterson Homestead

A version of this article was originally published on Dayton.com October 23, 2015. 

Patterson is just one of those names that seems to be everywhere in Dayton: Patterson Park, Patterson Road, Patterson Pub.

Did you know that you can tour the Patterson Homestead and take a look inside the home that housed the famous Patterson family? This legendary home raised three generations of Pattersons, including legendary industrialist John H. Patterson who founded his National Cash Register enterprise on the family’s land — roughly half-a-mile northwest of Patterson Homestead.

Here are 5 things you didn’t know about Patterson Homestead:

1. Colonel Robert Patterson built this house on some serious acreage in the early 1800s, 20 years after founding Lexington, Kentucky and defeating the British in the Revolutionary War. Colonel Patterson first settled here in 1804, and upon his death in 1827, Rubicon Farm (the name of his land) covered 2,038 acres.

2. You might be interested to know Patterson Homestead appears on Forgotten Ohio’s list of haunted places. Stop in sometime to see if you catch any shadowy figures in military regalia climbing the stairs.

3. John H. Patterson and Frank Patterson started NCR in the late 1800s and built it all on family land. That’s right, the NCR building was built on the same plot of land that Patterson Homestead is built on. The Pattersons seriously owned a huge section of Dayton.

4. You know how people say “sleep tight” when you go to bed? Well there’s a reason for that and you can see it for yourself at Patterson Homestead. Apparently even the nicer beds of the 1800s were sitting on top of a lattice of rope inside a bed frame. Each week you had to tighten the ropes to keep the bed from dipping in the middle.

5. Normally when you visit historic places you’re used to standing on one side of a velvet rope, but at Patterson Homestead you can take part in one of their Victorian Teas. There are several scheduled every year. The cost is $25 and advance registration is required. Check out Dayton History’s website for more information. Can’t make it to one of the teas? They also have private teas you can schedule by calling their event coordinator (937) 293-2841 x 107. If you’d like to tour this historic home, visit daytonhistory.org for more info.

Want to go?

WHAT: Patterson Homestead

WHERE: 1815 Brown St, Dayton

HOURS: Please call to schedule a special tour. Two-week advance notice required.

COST: $5 per person

INFO: Website | Facebook | Call (937) 222-9724