Restoration began Friday on the chimneys at the Hanby House on West Main.
The process is more difficult than a regular tuckpoint job, as the chimneys were found to be more decayed than first thought, and the matching mortar mixture is an unusual one that dates back to when the chimneys were built after the house was moved. The cedar shake roof is also scheduled to be replaced over the winter.
The Hanby House is one of Westerville’s most significant historic landmarks. Built in 1846 and later purchased by Bishop William Hanby, the home served as both a family residence and a center for education, faith, and abolitionist activity during the mid-19th century.
William Hanby, a bishop in the United Brethren Church, was a leading voice against slavery and a founder of Otterbein University. The Hanby home became a stop on the Underground Railroad, offering shelter and assistance to freedom seekers traveling north. His dedication to equality and learning helped shape Westerville’s enduring civic spirit and its later reputation as the “Dry Capital of the World.”
In 1937, nearly seventy years after the Hanby family lived there, the house was saved from demolition and moved about one block west to its current site on West Main Street. The relocation was carefully executed, with the home dismantled and rebuilt brick by brick on a new foundation. This effort by local residents preserved the house.
The Hanby family’s story also extends into American music. William’s son, Benjamin Russel Hanby, grew up in this house and went on to compose several enduring 19th-century songs, including “Darling Nelly Gray,” inspired by the story of an enslaved man separated from his love, and the holiday favorite “Up on the Housetop.” Although Benjamin died at only 33, his songs exerted national influence and reflected the moral and creative atmosphere of his upbringing in Westerville.
Today, the Hanby House is preserved as a museum managed by the Westerville Historical Society in partnership with the Ohio History Connection. Visitors can tour the rooms where the Hanby family lived and view original furniture, letters, and early editions of Benjamin’s sheet music. The museum stands as both a record of one family’s faith and conscience and a reminder of Westerville’s role in the nation’s abolitionist and cultural history.
Midnight Madness Photo Gallery
The Westerville News is a reader-supported publication by Gary Gardiner, a lifelong journalist who believes hyper-local reporting is the future of news. This publication focuses exclusively on Westerville—its local news, influence on Central Ohio, and how surrounding areas shape the community.
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What a great capture of those children in costumes!