Sharon Memorial Hall

137 East Granville Road

Images: (1) Sharon Memorial Hall; (2) Horace Wright Residence, c. 1860s; (3) With porch added, early 1900's; (4) Historical Society Sale on the lawn, 1960s

Originally this home was the elegant residence for three generations of Wrights. It was built in 1861 by Horace Wright in before his marriage to Henrietta Tuller. One of eight children of Potter Wright and Lovisa Maynard Wright, Horace and wife Henrietta had five children. In one week in 1876, three died from childhood diphtheria. Subsequent generations of the Wright family occupied the home until 1940. Although the balustrades no longer adorn the hipped roof of the old Wright home, many structure features of the Victorian residence have been retained. Of note is the stone arch outlining the recessed entry. The impressive front porch and columns were added in the early 1900s.

Following a War Memorial Levy in 1945, the property was conveyed to the Trustees of the Sharon Township Memorial as it is now known. The building housed the Historical Society museum from 1955-1969. It now houses office space for a variety of uses.

This home was built on lots one through four of the Morris Addition. This was Worthington’s first subdivision, an area of 188 lots bounded by Granville Rd., Morning St., South St. and Andover St. It is named for Cincinnati business man, Calvary Morris who developed it with Uriah Heath and William Bishop. Heath was a Methodist minister believed that free African Americans and retired Methodist ministers should have a place for their own homes. He teamed up with William Bishop, a saddler, who operated the Bishop Hotel (Worthington Inn). Heath began selling lots as early as 1855.