HISTORY

HISTORY The Home was built by Toledo native Jerome Bihl around 1890's just across the street from the Historic Rutherford B Hayes Museum at Speigel's Grove. just a block away it is where Fort Stephenson was built in the early 1800s on the west side of the lower Sandusky River. It was the site in 1813 of an American victory in the Battle of Fort Stephenson during the War of 1812. On August 1, 1813, a mixed force of British soldiers and allied Native American warriors, said to number 1500 to 2000, led an assault on Fort Stephenson. Over the course of two days, the severely outnumbered garrison of about 160 men, under the leadership of Major George Croghan, repelled all probes by strategically using their marksmanship and a single cannon, dubbed "Old Betsy." The British forces returned the next day but were again unsuccessful in breaching the fort. Proctor halts the attack at this point when he realizes his force can advance no further. After dark that night the Indians crawl up close to the fort and pick up the wounded British, Canadians and Indians that had fallen early in the day. In the end the British had 30 men missing, 26 killed and 41 wounded. The Americans had one killed and seven wounded.

Jerome Bihl was a prominent figure in the Fremont area with several business owning a jewelry and piano shop. In the 1920's the Bihl family had decided to move to Minnesota and sold the manor to Clarence and Daisy Wolfe. Over the years the family also had friends and family use the home for viewings and services. In 1942 Clarence Wolfe passed away at his home then in 1966 after several years of her failing health Daisy passed away in her bedroom. The manor was later sold to the Lucas County Children's Center which transformed the house into a Children's Group Home. The house was home to mentally retarded children, very sick children and unwanted children. One historian had mentioned that a boy committed suicide or had an accidental death After its closing in 1990's the home was purchased by a couple and made into the Buckland Bed and Breakfast until 2009 when it was sold. The family that purchased it lived in it for about a year and later moved out of unknown reasons.