We would like to welcome you to our office at 712 Dayton Street, in Hamilton’s Dayton Lane Historic District. Originally a single-family home, this building was built in 1910 by William and Luella May Shuler.  Mr. Shuler was the son of Asa Shuler, who founded the Shuler and Benninghofen Woolen Mills after he returned from the California gold fields in the mid-1800's.  William Shuler purchased our property in 1902.  An existing structure occupied the property at that time, but details of that building have apparently been lost to history.  Mr. Shuler chose this location for his home because the streetcar ran directly from this area down 7th Street to his Mill. He also enjoyed its proximity to the residence of his partner, Christian Benninghofen, at the corner of 8th and Dayton Streets.  

The home stayed in the Shuler family until 1950, when William's son sold the property to Meldon and Antoinette Diefenbacher.  In 1957, the property was sold to Dr. and Mrs. George Marr.  Dr. Marr did extensive remodeling to establish his medical practice on the first floor, and the Marrs maintained their residence on the second and third floors. In 1989, George and Betty Lou Bitner purchased the building.  Many months of their hard labor brought the building back to its turn-of-the-century grandeur.  Their insurance company occupied the first floor, and the upper floors remained as their private residence. 712 Dayton Street has been home to Nye Family Vision Center since 2001.

 Architecturally, 712 Dayton Street is a complex building.  The tiled roof and cornice-line brackets are elements borrowed from the Italian Renaissance style.  Its porch columns are heavy brick masonry piers, devoid of classical ornament.  (The Italian Renaissance style usually had elaborate details, and its porches were more often than not recessed into the building mass.) The Prairie Style, made popular by Frank Lloyd Wright, also heavily influences the building.  This style is displayed in the wide overhanging eaves and the organic color scheme. Also, horizontal lines and geometric symmetry, typical of Prairie Style, are evident throughout our building.

 The building actually sits on four separate lots, and was part of the original Shillito's Subdivision. In years past, there was a sizable fishpond in the backyard, where the parking lot is now located.  It was deep enough for fish to live under the ice in the winter, and was adorned with water lilies and a large birdbath nearby.  The original carriage house, of matching architecture, continues to grace the property.

There are 22 rooms in the building, including six bathrooms.  The entire first floor is used for patient care, and showcases the building's original Victorian charm. Originally the front parlor, our Frame Room features original quartered oak cove molding, pocket doors, and a Rookwood fireplace. The Rookwood tile is a glazed, baked configuration with mountains, running water and trees in relief.  This room was also used as a library, where the 1913 floodwaters reached to the top of the original bookcases (about 10 feet above floor level). Our Reception Room was originally the formal dining room, and is notable for its solid mahogany beam ceiling, pocket doors and matching fireplace.

 The grand staircase to the second floor includes an impressive original stained glass window at the landing. Our "Board Room" and Dr. Nye's private office are on the second floor. The remainder of the second floor is a 2500 sq.ft. apartment with two full baths and a den.  The third floor, originally the grand ballroom, is now home to a large loft apartment with separate bedroom and full bath.

 The building is also notable for its elevator that reaches from the basement to the third floor. The elevator was installed around 1931, when Mrs. Shuler had difficulty with the stairs after breaking her ankle getting into her car.  She had caught the heel of her shoe in the driveway's ridges, and those ridges still remain. This same driveway was previously known for its elaborate grape arbors extending from the carport to the rear of the property.

 We're very proud of our office home for a number of reasons.  It is certainly enjoyable practicing in such an elaborate setting.  It also gives us great pride in knowing that we are helping to preserve Hamilton's architectural history.  Most importantly, though, our facility allows us to offer quality eyecare in an atmosphere that reflects our philosophy of personal service. 

 We hope that you enjoy your visit to our office, and appreciate this brief history of 712 Dayton Street.  If any of you have further details about our property, or previous residents of the Shuler home, we would certainly love to hear from you.