Page 162 - History of UB Church in Hburg Region
P. 162
History of U.B. Churches in Harrisonburg-Staunton Region December 26, 2024
#347 (Rev. J. W. Howe House): Detached house. Vernacular, ca. 1900. Wood frame (German
siding); 2 stories; gable roof (standing seam metal); 3-bay, gable-end facade; 3-bay porch. This is one
of a small group of gable-entry houses in Dayton, built at the turn of the century.
Buildings on East View Street—#290 (Dayton Methodist Church, now Christ Gospel Church):
Church. Gothic Revival, 1898. Brick (8-course American bond); 1 story; gable roof (standing seam
metal/slate); originally 2 bays, now 4 bays; no porch. The Dayton Methodist Church is one of several
brick Gothic Revival churches built in Dayton at the turn of the century.
Buildings on High Street—#270 (Professor Beall House): Detached house. Vernacular, I-house,
1890s. Wood frame (Masonite siding); 2 stories; hipped roof (standing seam metal); 3 bays; 3-bay
wooden porch. The Beall House is one of several I-houses with 2-story, 2-room-plan ells located on this
first block of High Street. Most date to the late 19th century.
#347 (J. S. H. Good House): Detached house. Vernacular/Victorian, 1900-10. Brick (stretcher
bond); 2 stories; gable roof (standing seam metal); 2 bays; 2-bay wooden porch wraps around north side.
One of several early 20th-century houses along the north end of High Street, this brick example displays
an irregular form embellished with shingled gables, stained-glass transoms, and Palladian windows.
Buildings on King Street—#150 (Shenandoah College Snack Bar): College building, now
commercial. Vernacular, 1940s. Wood frame (German siding); 1 story; gable roof (standing seam
metal); 3-bay gable-end facade. This long frame barracks contained the snack bar for the college, and
was one of several barracks owned by the college and used for auxiliary services.
Buildings on Main Street—#229 (Dayton United Brethren Church): Church. Gothic Revival,
1904-05. Brick (6-course American bond with Flemish variant); 2 stories; gable roof (slate and standing
seam metal); 5-bay facade, including 1918 addition. Built by the Eutsler Brothers as contractors and the
Shrum Brothers as masons, the U.B. Church is one of the finest early 20th-century churches in Dayton.
Its presence on Main Street creates a diversified commercial district.
#294 (W. J. Miller House): Detached house. Vernacular, mid-19th century. Wood frame
(Masonite siding); 2 stories; gable roof (standing seam metal); 3 bays; 3-bay wooden porch. Limestone
end chimney; bracketed cornice; 616 window sash; 2-story, 2-room-plan ell with 2-story porch on south
side. The Miller House, which sits back from the road near the old mill site, belonged to W. J. Miller,
one of the owners of the Lower Mill in Dayton. This is one of the oldest remaining houses on this end
of Main Street.
#360 (Captain W. H. Ruebush House): Detached house. Vernacular/Foursquare, 1910. Wood
frame (weatherboard); 2½ stories; hipped roof (composition); 2 bays; 2-bay porch, with enclosed porch
along south side. Captain Ruebush, who taught music at Shenandoah College and worked with the
Ruebush-Kieffer Printing Company, was the original owner of this house. Its foursquare design is
typical of Dayton building in the early 20th century.
Buildings on Maple Lane—#327/337 (Shenandoah College Infirmary): College infirmary.
Vernacular, 1940s. Wood frame (German siding); 1 story; gable roof (composition); 3-bay gable-end
facade, 11-bay longitudinal walls; 1-bay gable-end porch. This long frame barracks is one of several
mid-20th-century buildings constructed by the College, but because of their association with the College
and their similarity in scale and materials, these buildings do contribute to the historic district.
Conference Reports. Dayton as a place is first mentioned in Conference Minutes in 1854, when
Woodstock and Rockingham were divided into three circuits: all north of Mill Creek to constitute
Woodstock Circuit, all north of Dayton and Whitesel’s to constitute Lacey Springs Circuit, and the
remainder to be called Rockingham [Circuit]. Dayton is first mentioned as a charge in 1875, when J. W.
Nihiser was appointed to Dayton Circuit. His report in 1876 showed six appointments—all organized
II.B.14 Dayton U.B. Church and SCI 148
#347 (Rev. J. W. Howe House): Detached house. Vernacular, ca. 1900. Wood frame (German
siding); 2 stories; gable roof (standing seam metal); 3-bay, gable-end facade; 3-bay porch. This is one
of a small group of gable-entry houses in Dayton, built at the turn of the century.
Buildings on East View Street—#290 (Dayton Methodist Church, now Christ Gospel Church):
Church. Gothic Revival, 1898. Brick (8-course American bond); 1 story; gable roof (standing seam
metal/slate); originally 2 bays, now 4 bays; no porch. The Dayton Methodist Church is one of several
brick Gothic Revival churches built in Dayton at the turn of the century.
Buildings on High Street—#270 (Professor Beall House): Detached house. Vernacular, I-house,
1890s. Wood frame (Masonite siding); 2 stories; hipped roof (standing seam metal); 3 bays; 3-bay
wooden porch. The Beall House is one of several I-houses with 2-story, 2-room-plan ells located on this
first block of High Street. Most date to the late 19th century.
#347 (J. S. H. Good House): Detached house. Vernacular/Victorian, 1900-10. Brick (stretcher
bond); 2 stories; gable roof (standing seam metal); 2 bays; 2-bay wooden porch wraps around north side.
One of several early 20th-century houses along the north end of High Street, this brick example displays
an irregular form embellished with shingled gables, stained-glass transoms, and Palladian windows.
Buildings on King Street—#150 (Shenandoah College Snack Bar): College building, now
commercial. Vernacular, 1940s. Wood frame (German siding); 1 story; gable roof (standing seam
metal); 3-bay gable-end facade. This long frame barracks contained the snack bar for the college, and
was one of several barracks owned by the college and used for auxiliary services.
Buildings on Main Street—#229 (Dayton United Brethren Church): Church. Gothic Revival,
1904-05. Brick (6-course American bond with Flemish variant); 2 stories; gable roof (slate and standing
seam metal); 5-bay facade, including 1918 addition. Built by the Eutsler Brothers as contractors and the
Shrum Brothers as masons, the U.B. Church is one of the finest early 20th-century churches in Dayton.
Its presence on Main Street creates a diversified commercial district.
#294 (W. J. Miller House): Detached house. Vernacular, mid-19th century. Wood frame
(Masonite siding); 2 stories; gable roof (standing seam metal); 3 bays; 3-bay wooden porch. Limestone
end chimney; bracketed cornice; 616 window sash; 2-story, 2-room-plan ell with 2-story porch on south
side. The Miller House, which sits back from the road near the old mill site, belonged to W. J. Miller,
one of the owners of the Lower Mill in Dayton. This is one of the oldest remaining houses on this end
of Main Street.
#360 (Captain W. H. Ruebush House): Detached house. Vernacular/Foursquare, 1910. Wood
frame (weatherboard); 2½ stories; hipped roof (composition); 2 bays; 2-bay porch, with enclosed porch
along south side. Captain Ruebush, who taught music at Shenandoah College and worked with the
Ruebush-Kieffer Printing Company, was the original owner of this house. Its foursquare design is
typical of Dayton building in the early 20th century.
Buildings on Maple Lane—#327/337 (Shenandoah College Infirmary): College infirmary.
Vernacular, 1940s. Wood frame (German siding); 1 story; gable roof (composition); 3-bay gable-end
facade, 11-bay longitudinal walls; 1-bay gable-end porch. This long frame barracks is one of several
mid-20th-century buildings constructed by the College, but because of their association with the College
and their similarity in scale and materials, these buildings do contribute to the historic district.
Conference Reports. Dayton as a place is first mentioned in Conference Minutes in 1854, when
Woodstock and Rockingham were divided into three circuits: all north of Mill Creek to constitute
Woodstock Circuit, all north of Dayton and Whitesel’s to constitute Lacey Springs Circuit, and the
remainder to be called Rockingham [Circuit]. Dayton is first mentioned as a charge in 1875, when J. W.
Nihiser was appointed to Dayton Circuit. His report in 1876 showed six appointments—all organized
II.B.14 Dayton U.B. Church and SCI 148
