Stunning Queen Anne Victorian Home c.1902 with Historic Charm
This stunning Queen Anne Victorian home (formerly Shining Dawn Bed & Breakfast) is located in the heart of Hanover, Pennsylvania, just steps from shops, restaurants, and downtown attractions. The elegant home was designed by the renowned architect, John Dempwolf, and built with no expense spared by, Tempeth Jacob Little, a successful local merchant. Featuring a wealth of original details, including stained glass windows, ornate woodwork, grand entry hall, large formal parlor, airy solarium, 8 bedrooms (including 4 suites), 6 full bathrooms and 2 – 1/2 bathrooms, this is a rare opportunity to acquire a magnificent, well maintained historic Victorian home with versatile residential/commercial zoning. All wood floors on the first and second stories are quarter sawn oak.
A private, beautifully designed courtyard with mature landscaping, walkways & contemplative spaces offers respite from the bustle of the city and a large, 2 story carriage house/garage features space for 4+ cars & a second floor storage area or studio.
This is a home of rare and beautiful distinction, close to Philadelphia, Baltimore & DC, yet a world away.
ROOMS
Main Floor
Entry Hall – Batchelder-Wilson ceramic tile floor, ornate wall & ceiling woodwork, front door with leaded glass sidelights, grand staircase with large stain glass window, French doors to the Living Room, magnificent fireplace with limestone mantel.
Main Stairway – Hanging staircase with large hanging lamp, large stain glass window, wainscoting, ornate brass/wood railing.
Front Parlor – Inlaid wood floor, ornate wall & ceiling woodwork, 3 wall sconces, 3 windows with stain glass.
Powder Room – Ceramic tile floor & 1/2 wall, stain glass window.
Dining Room – Wood floor, wainscot, ornate ceiling wood work, 5 wall sconces, French doors from the Entry Hall, hanging lamp, swing door to Kitchen, large 7 panel stain glass windows, 1 side window.
Grand Parlor – Inlaid wood floor, French doors from the Entry Hall, fireplace with marble surround and wood mantel, ornate wall & ceiling woodwork, 5 wall sconces, hanging lamp, 3 windows with stain glass.
Study – Wood floor, crown molding, hanging lamp, door to porch, stain glass on door window, 5 wall sconces, 2 windows.
Solarium – Batchelder-Wilson ceramic tile floor, French doors from Grand Parlor, ornate wall detailing, crown molding, Batchelder-Wilson ceramic tile fountain, 5 wall sconces, leaded & stain glass windows, door to porch.
Rear Hall – Carpet, closet, back stairway.
Back Stairway – Wood stairs, stain glass window.
Powder Room (with ADA features) – Wood floor, 2 windows.
Butler Pantry – Vinyl floor, swing door from Kitchen, 3 compartment metal sink, dishwasher, 2 windows.
Kitchen – Vinyl floor, ceramic tile counters, stainless steel electric range, center island with sink, chair rail, large breakfast room, ceiling fan, second dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave oven, 2 hanging lamps, door to side porch, door to basement, 5 windows.
2nd Floor
Landing – Wood floor, ornate wainscot, crown molding, 2 wall sconces.
Bedroom 1 – Wood floor, hanging lamp, crown molding, closet, pass door to Hall Bathroom (currently closed with removable sound proofing panel), 2 closets, 3 windows.
Hall Bathroom – Ceramic tile floor, 2 hanging lamps, 2 wall sconces, lighted vanity, shower, 2 closets, 2 stain glass windows.
Bedroom 2 – Carpet, hanging lamp, lighted vanity, pass door to Hall Bathroom (currently closed with removable sound proofing panel in place), 3 closets, 4 windows.
Bedroom 3 Suite – Carpet, hanging lamp, crown molding, closet, 2 windows.
*Bathroom 2 – Vinyl floor, hanging lamp, shower.
Bedroom 4 Suite – Carpet, hanging lamp, crown molding, 1 large closet, 1 door to hallway, 1 door to Bedroom 2 (currently with removable sound-dampening in place), 1 door to second floor landing, 1 door to second story porch, 1 door to Bathroom 3, 2 windows.
*Bathroom 3 – Vinyl floor, bathtub, toothbrush sink, hanging lamp, 1 window with stain glass.
Bedroom 5 Suite – Wood floor, ceiling fan, closet, 2 windows.
*Bathroom 4 – Vinyl floor, bathtub, 1 window.
Hallway – Wood floor, back stairway, closet.
Bedroom 6 Suite – Wood floor, hanging lamp, wall mural, door to porch, closet, 1 window.
*Bathroom 5 – Carpet, antique claw foot bathtub, 1 stain glass window.
3rd Floor
Landing – Wood floor, 1 window.
Bedroom 7 – Carpet, 1 window.
Laundry – Wood floor, built-in large capacity linen drawers, 1 washer (hook up for second washer), 2 dryers.
Hall Bathroom 6 – Vinyl floor, bath tub.
Sitting Room – Wood floor, 1 window.
Bedroom 8 – Wood floor, pass door to Sitting Room, closet, 1 window.
Living Room/Kitchen – Wood & vinyl floor, 2 hanging lamps, breakfast bar, double sink, electric range, refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave oven, closet, 1 window.
2 Turrets – Storage space accessible through doors in Bedroom 8 and Living Room/Kitchen.
Floor Plan
Improved Basement
8 spacious rooms, concrete floor, workshop, bathroom…ready for renovation or lots of storage.
Floor Plan
2006-2012
2010
2006
2005
Over several years – Replaced most cast-iron sewage lines with PVC pipe.
From detailed arial photographs of Hanover, two of the most prominent features of our property are the turrets just off Broadway. For that reason we’ve been told that the house is sometimes referred to, with good humor, as the “Madonna House.” Although she is most certainly not a painted lady, we think she is a stately Queen with a lovely glow, warm character and striking features.
In 1902 Tempeth Jacob Little presented this brand new house to his wife Georgia Anna Barbara (Bittinger) Little, and their three Little Princesses, Helen, Grace and Mary. The Little Castle was built from top to bottom with high quality brick, stone, brass railings, hardwood floors, and doors, extensive wainscoting, plaster walls, ceilings, and molding. In addition to the original stained glass windows, it featured a limestone fireplace with stone inlay in the grand foyer, a marble fireplace in the living room and several luxurious bathrooms made with marble and built-in porcelain fixtures. Mr. Little had a business just two blocks down the street on Hanover Square; it was a clothing/department store with his partner, Napoleon Bonaparte Carver. Around 1898, Tempeth sold his interests in the business to Carver, and started to finalize plans for his family’s new house at 224 Broadway. The Littles made this house their home for about 22 years.
In 1924, another Hanover Square merchant, Augustus H. Melhorn and his wife Anna, bought the home from the Littles. Mr. Melhorn owned a store that sold liquor, drugs, groceries, and various general items to the public until he closed it in 1918. The Melhorns made some significant, enduring enhancements to the property. They added a sunroom that features stained glass windows on all three exterior walls, a porch, and a custom built-in wall fountain. They also added a large detached two-story brick “horseless” carriage house complete with an automobile wash station, a unique walk-through door within the overhead door, and a wood stove.
After making these significant improvements to the property, the Melhorns only lived in the house for about four years. Around 1928, the home was sold to Albert F. Rees. Mr. Rees owned a plant for processing hides and tallow on Center Street. The home remained in the Rees family for about 27 years.
Around 1955, the home was sold to Dr. Burnell Grim and his wife Loretta. Dr. Grim was a prominent veterinarian in Hanover, and owned the Hanover Veterinary Hospital a block down the street. With 11 children and both sets of grandparents living with them, the Grims used every square foot of space in the house. Many Grim family members still reside in the Hanover area, and it is such a pleasure to meet them and hear their wonderful stories of growing up in the house. For example, we have learned that due to all of the foot traffic through the yard, the good doctor had to give up on much of his lawn and decided to turn the entire back yard into one large green concrete playground for his children, and their many neighborhood friends. We often meet Hanover natives who still refer to the house as the “Grim House” and they recall having played here as children or accompanying “Doc Grim” on his farm house calls to treat area livestock. Everyone has such good memories to share of the 20 years this large, remarkable family lived here.
Since the time of the Grim family, five other families have made 224 Broadway their home, each adding their own unique styles and renovations. The current owners operated Shining Dawn Bed and Breakfast at the home for 12 years from 2006 through 2018. Thousands of guests enjoyed staying at this beautiful home.
John Augustus Dempwolf was born October 3, 1848, in Brunswick, Germany, to Charles Dempwolf, a millwright, and Wilhelmina (Beaker) Dempwolf. He was the eldest of twelve children. In 1867 the family immigrated to the United States, settling in York. He was apprenticed to local carpenter William Gotwalt to learn the trade and worked in a planning mill as a drafter. In 1871 he relocated to New York City, where he enrolled in the night school of Cooper Union. After graduating in 1873 he worked as a construction superintendent in Boston and for Stephen Decatur Button in Philadelphia. In 1876 he returned to York, where he opened his own office as an architect. In 1884 he was joined by his younger brother Reinhardt Dempwolf as a drafter. Recognizing his brother’s talent for design, at his encouragement Reinhardt traveled to Paris, where he was admitted to the École des Beaux-Arts in 1886. In Paris he was a student of Julien Guadet, winner of the Prix de Rome in 1864. He returned to his brother in York in 1890, and remained his associate for the remainder of his life. In 1918 they were joined by Frederick G. Dempwolf, son of John. Like his uncle, Frederick had been educated at the Beaux-Arts in Paris. John A. Dempwolf died in 1926, after which Frederick succeeded to the practice, with Reinhardt as associate. Reinhardt Dempwolf retired in 1930, and died in 1944. Frederick practiced under his own name until his retirement in the 1960s, and died in 1970.
more>>>
The Hanover Historic District is a national historic district located in Hanover in York County, Pennsylvania. Bordered roughly by Elm Avenue, Broadway, Eisenhower Drive, Hollywood Avenue, and the borough’s boundary line, this district encompasses 2,632 contributing buildings, four contributing sites, three contributing structures, and one contributing object (The Picket) in the central business district and surrounding residential area of Hanover.
The community of Hanover, Pennsylvania had its beginnings in a grant of 10,000 acres (40 km2) of land by Charles Calvert, the fourth Lord Baltimore to the Irish nobleman and Maryland resident John Digges in 1727. Named Digges Choice at the time, the name was changed to the Conewago Settlement in 1730 when Catholic settlers from Pennsylvania and Maryland began relocating there in increasing numbers.
Richard McAllister then purchased, in 1745, the specific area of heavily forested land where the original town of Hanover would later be built. After clearing a portion of the land, he erected a log home, store and tavern at what would eventually become the corner of Baltimore and Middle Streets. He then officially founded the town of Hanover in 1763. The town’s name was reportedly suggested by Hannover, Germany native Michael Tanner, a commissioner who had helped plan York County’s configuration in 1749.
While en route between his home in Monticello, Virginia to Philadelphia to participate in the first session of the Continental Congress where he would, in short order, draft the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson stopped on April 12, 1776 in Hanover, where he spent the evening at the Sign of the Horse inn on Frederick Street which was owned by Caspar Reinecker. Jefferson then also spent the evening there on September 5, 1776, while en route on his return home. At this time, the town had roughly 500 primarily log-style residences.
This community also played a role in the War of 1812, enrolling two infantry companies which helped halt the advance of British troops on Baltimore in 1814 during and after the Battle of North Point.
In 1852, further growth of the community was facilitated by construction of the Hanover Branch Railroad to Hanover Junction, Pennsylvania, followed by the 1858 opening of the Gettysburg Railroad, which extended travel capabilities west toward Gettysburg. The Hanover and York Railroad then extended travel even further by opening a link to York in 1876.
On June 30, 1863, Hanover became the site of the final encounter between the Union and Confederate States armies before they fought against each other in July’s three-day Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War.
Many historians believe that the Battle of Hanover delayed J.E.B. Stuart from arriving in Gettysburg in time for the first two days of fighting there, which played an important role in the outcome of the battle. The Battle of Hanover was a cavalry battle, some of which was fought on Broadway (then called Abbottstown Road).
Today, Hanover is a thriving borough with ample local industry (Utz Potato Ships, Snyder’s of Hanover, Hanover Foods, R.H. Shepherd, Hanover Shoe Farms, Clark Shoes, and many more). Hanover is also a favorite relocation area for retirees and commuters to Baltimore (60 minutes) and Suburban DC (90 minutes).
more>>>
Discover Hanover – All about Hanover PA
Hanover Historic District – Wikipedia Information
John Dempwolf – Renowned Architect
Queen Anne Victorian Architecture – Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission
abc27 Feature – 1900s, ‘Queen Anne Victorian-style’ mansion for sale in York County
This information is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.
Updated on December 16, 2023 at 5:09 pm
Historic Queen Anne Victorian c.1902 - 224 Broadway Hanover, Pennsylvania 17331 United States
