644 Dayton Street

This Victorian home was built in the 1870 as the residence of Postmaster John McKee and his wife Sarah (Beckett) McKee, daughter of Thomas Beckett the founder of Beckett Paper. It is the second residential home ever built on Dayton Street and the oldest surviving home. In 1892, it became the residence of attorney Allen Andrews, a member of one of Hamilton’s prominent families. Allen contracted Samuel Hannaford, later architect of Cincinnati Music Hall, to add the turret and additional rooms to the property. It is the only example of Hannaford’s work in Hamilton. and this renovation adopted the Queen Anne style of architecture. Queen Anne homes in Hamilton were usually brick, and often included round turrets, octagonal towers, steep roof lines, and tall chimneys. The Dayton Lane District probably has more Queen Anne houses than any other neighborhood in town.

Inside, the home boasts impressive inlaid hardwood floors that survived the 1913 flood and several Hamilton tile fire places. In more recent history it underwent renovation from 2017 - 2019, and is a multi-family home.