The Hobart Family
In the late 1940s, brothers Edward A. and William H. Hobart, civic leaders and industrialists, began to buy and renovate older buildings in Troy. Their intent was to contribute to the preservation of the city’s architectural and cultural heritage and to provide comfortable lodgings for guests of the family-owned enterprise, Hobart Brothers Company.
The Overfield Tavern as it appeared ca. 1948, just before its restoration.
In 1948, investigation of an unassuming house on the corner of West Water Street and Mulberry revealed that beneath its nineteenth-century siding were massive square-hewn logs that marked the former Overfield Tavern as a notable historic building meriting preservation. Edward and William Hobart bought the building and arranged for its restoration and furnishing. The museum exists today thanks to their foresight, energy, and commitment to preserving the history of Troy, Ohio.
The Overfield Tavern ca. 1948, as the wood clapboard siding was being removed to reveal the handhewn logs underneath.
In the 1960s, the tavern became the headquarters of the newly formed Troy Historical Society and was used to display local artifacts collected by the Hobart family and other members of the community. Today, members of the Hobart family continue to play an active role in the preservation of the Overfield Tavern Museum, serving on the Board of Trustees and offering ongoing financial support.
The Overfield Tavern Museum as it appeared in the late 1960s.