Nestled in the quiet suburbs of Warren, Ohio sits the Harriet Taylor Upton House. It’s one of the oldest surviving homes in its area, completed in 1840 by General Simon Perkins. The quaint little home was originally built in the Egyptian Revival style, later modified to Greek Revival, and over the decades has seen many remarkable visitors. Five US Presidents have stayed at the Upton House, along with other notable figures of the early 20th Century. In 1887 the home was gifted by its then-owner, Congressman Ezra B. Taylor, to his daughter Harriet Taylor Upton.
A writer, public speaker, and suffragette, Harriet Taylor Upton was a transformative force in her time. Befriended and mentored by Susan B. Anthony, her name may not be as instantly recognizable, yet she was a key member and organizer for the National Woman Suffrage Association. From 1903 to 1905, at Mrs. Upton’s request, the house served as the Associations headquarters.
The house was modernized in the 1930s, becoming a community center for a time, then subdivided into apartments in the 1950s. Local groups rallied in 1988 to save the house from demolition, and after it was restored it was granted a place as a National Historic Landmark in 1993. Now the house serves as a monument to the women’s suffrage movement under the stewardship of The Upton Association.
A bronze statue honoring the women’s suffrage movement was installed on the property in 2005. Over the years damage started to give the statue some instability, and Ken Conklin, Vice President of Upton Association, contacted us about repairing it with BronzeWeld-P. Seeing the photos of the statue and the process to repair it prompted us to reach out and find out more about the Association, the history of the house, and some of the remarkable people to have visited over the years.
Here’s what Ken had to say
When was the Upton Association established?
The Upton Association was established in 1989.
What has the process been for establishing and maintaining a historical preservation organization?
The Harriet Taylor Upton House located in Warren was scheduled to be demolished in 1988. A group of concerned citizens gathered together and we had 2 months to raise 160,000 dollars to purchase the house. We successfully raised the money. The house had been divided into 5 apartments and we kept 3 apartments as we needed the income to pay utilities etc.
The house was built in 1840 and five presidents, Hayes, Garfield, McKinley, Cleveland, and Harrison have visited the house. Also, Thomas
Edison, Henry Ford, Susan B. Anthony, and Barbara Bush visited the house. We are totally debt free and no longer have renters. The Association has restored the entire house and it is completely furnished with antiques. We are not a museum. The house can be rented for showers, weddings, dinners, meetings, etc. It is rented almost every weekend.
How did you get involved with the Upton Association?
I have always enjoyed history and have lived in Warren all of my life (80 years). I also worked for a bank in Warren for 43 short years and retired as VP.
How old is the statue and has work been done to restore it before?
The statue was purchased in 2005. The pins that hold her to the base had come loose and because it is bronze, it could not be welded.
How was your experience with Abatron products?
I was THRILLED to find your product online. It was extremely easy to work with and once again, the statue is solid.
Thanks very much, Ken Conklin VP of Upton Association.
