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History of Twin Creek Tea Room
The Twin Creek Tea Room at 19 East Dayton Street, has an interesting history. The lot was one of twenty on the north side of U.S. 35 in the original plot of the town of West Alexandria, Ohio.
John M. Davis made arrangements to have brick made for the house in 1874 and the house was completed in 1875. The late Nate Derby said that his grandfather, Edgar Derby, was responsible for the beautiful butternut woodwork and staircase. |  |
In 1878, John Halderman purchased the house for $5000. J. R. McCleaf owned it in 1880, then Benjamin P. Kennedy. John E. and Nora McLean Davis purchased the house for $3400 in 1894. Following their deaths, it went to their daughter, Pauline McLean Davis who married a man by the name of Lilley. She was on the Broadway stage. In 1936, she was using the name Pauline Daigneau and sold the house to Russell and Bess Hall of Dayton, formerly of Chicago. The Halls build on a larger kitchen and opened a restaurant called "Country Cousin". It opened in the late 1930's and closed in the early 1940's due to a shortage of food supplies created by World War II rationing.
Eugene Copp and his mother, Ruth Copp, purchased the home in 1946. After Eugene married Verle Beaver of Hamilton, Ohio, Ruth continued to live with them while Eugene and Verle raised their family.
In 1972, John and Elfrieda Santo purchased the home from the Copps. The Santos had their family residence and an antique business called "The Red Elephant" in the building.
In November, 1992, Dr. Mark and Carolyn Ulrich of Enterprise Road became the owners of 19 East Dayton Street. After some minor modifications and extensive painting and wallpapering, in July 1993, the Twin Creek Towne House Tea Room and Catering Company was opened by Mrs. Melodie Dill and Mrs. Pam Morneault of Farmersville, Ohio. The Twin Creek Townehouse Bed and Breakfast was on the upper level. Mark and Carolyn had already been operating a bed and breakfast called Twin Creek Country Bed and Breakfast on their Enterprise Road farm. In 1995, one room of the upstairs rooms was converted to the gift shop called "The Ivy Parlor." Interest in the gift shop grew and eventually the total upstairs was converted to the gift shop.
In June 2000, Melodie and Pam chose to retire from the food business. Mark and Carolyn decided to continue operating The Ivy Parlor Gift Shop and to keep the tea room open. On July 5, 2000, the Ulrichs opened the Twin Creek Tea Room with expanded hours and menu and scheduled candlelight dinners.
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