As one historic home is undergoing restoration on the upper part of Kennedy Street, another unique structure was demolished last week due to its rundown condition from mold and water leakage.
The home at 115 Kennedy St., which was built in 1884 by river pilot, lumberman and oil producer Benjamin Dikeman, was razed to the ground last week, said Sally Costik, curator of Bradford Landmark Society. According to Bradford Landmark, Dikeman was “one of the earliest settlers of Bradford, coming to the Tuna Valley from Delaware with his family in 1832 at the age of 9.”
Dikeman gained wealth through the lumber and oil industry in the area, and was “a noted river pilot, and for years guided logs down the Allegheny and Ohio rivers to Cincinnati,” Bradford Landmark records state.
Costik said an unusual feature of the home, which had been relocated from its original location up Kennedy Street to the lot next to Tunungwant Creek in 1922, was the mansard roof on the structure.
According to information provided by Bradford Landmark, the top of a mansard roof, which attributes its style to French architect Francois Mansart, is generally broad and flattish in order to maximize the volume of space beneath it.
“They’re kind of unusual around here,” Costik said of the mansard roof, noting there are believed to be only two other homes with similar roof designs on Congress and School streets.
Costik said that while the home was not in the historic district downtown, “there are things that aren’t in the district that are certainly worth saving.”
The home was considered distinctive enough to be featured in the 1969 “Historic Homes of Bradford” tour.
Mike Cleveland, building inspector and director for the city’s Board of Health, as well as a board member with the Historic Architectural Review Board (H.A.R.B.), said “water intrusion and mold” were big factors in the decision to demolish the structure.
“I would dare to say there were roof issues if there was water getting inside,” Cleveland added. “And more or less because it was let go and nobody was really caring for it. People had also broken in (the home) and overall it was a significant public nuisance.”
Cleveland admitted that the demolition “was very unfortunate because it was a very unique home and sad to put that one in front of the Board of Health as a potential nuisance.”
Cleveland didn’t say how many other unique historic homes in Bradford may be threatened with demolition, but noted when houses are left unoccupied, it appears their deterioration is accelerated.
“It’s kind of on a case-by-case basis and sitting down with the property maintenance department on trying to figure out which ones are at the top of the list and which ones are to watch,” he said of threatened historic structures.
Cleveland said the late owner of 115 Kennedy St., William Howard, became ill and moved out of the house a number of years ago. He said H.A.R.B. and the city couldn’t do anything to save the home because it was privately owned.
“It’s unfortunate that that is the case because I think the house could have been saved if somebody could have gotten to it sooner,” he added.
Cleveland said the house was razed by the Office of Economic and Community Development with grant money. He said the property will remain part of the Howard estate until further legal decisions are determined on its ownership and use.
An historic house up the street at 162 Kennedy St. has experienced a different outcome thanks to owners Brad and Kim Preston. The structure, which had served as an early home to Zippo Manufacturing Co. founder George G. Blaisdell, was also nearing demolition until the Prestons purchased it and began restoring the 119-year-old structure.
