Abandoned Ohio – A 156-Year-Old Victorian Era Farmhouse

If you take a drive through West Alexandria, Ohio you’ll find a whole lot of farmland. What some may not notice though, is one of Ohio’s most beautiful historic homes falling to pieces, overlooking farmland that once belonged to Preble County Court Judge J.H. Markey. This gorgeous Victorian mansion was built by Markey in 1864, and contains 17 rooms, 2 bathrooms, basement and servants’ quarters spread throughout 3 stories. In addition to his position as county court judge, Markey was also a large farm owner, and had decided to build this incredible home to overlook his land. Now in a rotting, dilapidated state, the home still stands tall at the end of a long dirt driveway, gazing over cornfields as it has for 156 years.

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The Victorian Era (1830-1910)

Victorian architecture emerged during the period between 1830 and 1910, during the reign of Queen Victoria. During this era, many well-known styles emerged, including Gothic revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, stick style, Romanesque style and shingle style. Much of the architecture at this time evolved from the elaborate Gothic style, which was based on the idea that architecture and the furnishings within that architecture should be a thing of beauty over practicality. Gothic architecture was coupled with French, Italian, Tudor and Egyptian details. With architects all over the world combining so many different ideas from many different styles, few Victorian era homes ended up looking the same.

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Victorian Architecture Becomes Commercially Available

As the Industrial Revolution rolled around, steam-powered sawmills helped builders create intricate materials quicker at a far lower cost. With these advancements, the trend of Victorian architecture spread across the nation. Homes from later in the era became increasingly ornate as machinery advanced. Lower income families were even able to add affordable trim to their existing homes, creating “folk Victorians.” In the 1880s, the Queen Anne style rose to popularity, as mass-production of architectural trim peaked. These homes were often elaborate and brightly colored, and are what most people imagine when they think of a Victorian home.

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The Arts and Crafts Movement

The Arts and Crafts Movement hit America, and brought with it many critics. These critics demonized the homes, deeming them cluttered with an unnecessary amount of complexity to their designs. The Victorian style fell out of fashion as a more streamlined, handcrafted home design was brought into popular style. While most Victorian homes across the country were built before 1910, many Midwestern farming communities still built in this style into the 1940s. Thanks to the mass production during the late 1800s and early 1900s, you can still find many Victorian homes remaining across the country. Among the homes you find though, you will surely run into many that are sadly abandoned or very rundown, as the cost of fixing and maintaining one of these beautiful old homes has become incredibly difficult today. 

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The Markey Mansion

The Markey Mansion, as it’s known today, was built in the Gothic revival style. However, there’s a bit more to this home other than it being a beautiful relic of the Victorian era. For a short time when the home was first constructed, it served as a stop on the underground railroad in years during and following the Civil War. While the 13th amendment to the Constitution was approved in 1865, abolishing slavery across the entire United States, some people were still using the railroad to escape slave owners. In 2014, Preservation Ohio named the mansion one of Ohio’s Most Endangered Historic Sites. A mismatch of bricks in the basement points to a possible former tunnel connecting the main house to the guest house, which would have been part of the underground railroad.

Over the years, the property had many different owners. It wasn’t until the late 1970s that Preble County farmer Frederick Voge bought the farm along with the 3 historic homes on it. In 2006 the home was placed under an agricultural conservation easement with the Three Valley Conservation Trust. Over the years that Voge has owned the farm, he has rented the home to many tenants. The final tenant left in 2004, and the home has sat vacant and falling apart since. A cycle of harsh Ohio winters followed by mass overgrowth in the southern Ohio heat continues to hit the home year after year. 

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