GALION, Ohio – Boston Street saw quite a bit more traffic than usual on Saturday as buyers arrived for the auction at The Howard House. The personal property sold well, but the historic home still awaits a new owner.
The house is not only listed on the National Register of Historic places, the restoration and preservation that has been done since the 1970s makes it an Ohio showplace.
Auctioneer Craig Miley explained to the crowd that the owners, Dale and Amy Harrell, were selling the house and the personal property because Dale Harrell, rather than retiring from the Air Force, is furthering his military career.
“So that is mainly the reason they are selling the house here today. He’s been stationed over in Europe and a lot of the beautiful antique pieces Amy has picked up over there and brought back. That’s why there’s some of the most spectacular pieces I’ve ever had the opportunity to sell, especially here in Galion, Ohio,” Miley said.
The auction began in the back yard of the Howard House at 230 S. Boston St. where Craig Miley began offering antiques as small as women’s compacts to large stoneware crocks. An antique hair crimper sold for $7.50 and Soufflenheim pottery pieces from France started at $37.50. A set of iron scales on a marble base sold for $95.
On the south side of the house a tent held antique furniture and the front and north lawns held boxed goods from books to dishware and decorations.
The plans for Saturday’s auction included selling the personal property first, then the furniture, and then the house at noon. But when noon arrived and the sale hadn’t reached the tent of furniture, Miley stopped to offer the house as scheduled. Approximately 100 people stood on the front lawn as Miley described the house and the improvements made on it and the property.
“This is a very rare opportunity to own a magnificent historic Victorian brick home with recent updates here today, Miley said, beginning the bidding on the house.
“There’s nearly 5,000 square feet of living space. The home was built in 1898 and has had only three owner. It has 14 rooms, five bedrooms, one and one-half baths. It has outstanding craftsmanship from the cherry in the library to the oak in the foyer with beautiful inlay patterns…the sycamore in the dining room and gorgeous built-in china cabinet…to the seven mantles and fireplaces throughout the house.”
Miley reviewed some of the house’s updates that included the new steel, stamped roof; relined gutters; new electric and new hot water heat. The Harrells had also purchased the neighboring house and demolishing it to expand the property.
Miley opened the bidding on the house suggesting, $700,000. When no response was given he suggested $500,000 before finally lowering it to $200,000. Someone called out $160,000 and Miley said he would discuss it with the owner.
“I can tell you, it’s not going to sell at that price,” Miley stated.
Amy Harrell reported that there had been other interest by people who were not prepared with financing at the time of the auction and she and her husband would work with them, but the house may then be listed as real estate offered by Miley.
A spectator, who was only willing to be identified as Gary, said he remembered visiting the Howard House as a child. “The main thing I remember about it as a little kid, and I thought it was fascinating, was you pulled the doors open and the lights would come on. That’s the main thing I remember about the inside,” he said.
He also remember that the last member of the Howard family to live in the house, Ida (Howard) Barr gave away the best Halloween candy.
“She gave the good stuff. Everybody else gave the penny stuff,” Gary said, “and she would give big candy bars, and of course we took advantage of it. We came back over and over for Trick or Treat. It was like a week long back in those days, back in the 50s.”
Read here for more about the history of the house and the Howard family.
