The Depression
By the dawn of the Great Depression, things were looking grim for Henn. He was the president of an enormous enterprise that employed more than 1,000 skilled workers, had a main factory that spanned six acres and had warehouses on four continents. "When the Depression hit, [Henn] continued to employ his employees," says Daugherty. "The philosophy at the time was: you take care of the company, and the company will take care of you.
"Instead of laying people off or making cutbacks, he continued building inventory. When the full Depression hit, the markets collapsed worldwide, and he couldn't pay his taxes." Euclid was hit hard, as a nightmare scenario unfolded with a grape blight ravaging a major agricultural source of revenue and skilled labor jobs being lost at a rate the city's economy could not contend with. At one point, the front lawn of the Henn estate was converted to sell gladiolus in an effort to raise money, while the family planted root vegetables to help guarantee food through the winter. "Henn's children were very well educated, but the grandchildren came of age during the Depression," says Daugherty. "Several moved back to live in the family house. He wanted them to remember their teen years; he wanted them to enjoy that period."
In the early 1940s, as he aged into his mid-70s, Henn agreed to a settlement with the city of Euclid that allowed him to live out his days on the estate, which would revert to city property after his death. Albert Henn died of cancer on May 15, 1947, and was buried in the family plot at Lakeview Cemetery.
Fall and Rise
For 40-plus years, the Euclid recreation department and board of education used the third floor of the mansion as a council hall for meetings, while the main city hall's Euclid blue stone–clad facade stood at 605 East 222nd Street. The estate's four other houses were razed during that period. When the city consolidated its offices at the "new" city hall in 1989, the Henn Mansion fell into decline, as its sole use became the site of sporadic police and fire training drills. (pictured left: living room fireplace detail / Photo courtesy of Friends of the Henn Mansion and photographer Brent Durken)
"Our group was formed when [Euclid's] mayor in 1996, Paul Oyaski – a very smart, determined man, who I admire very much – had an ordinance to tear the Henn Mansion down before council," says Daugherty. "In fact, council had put together $65,000 to tear it down, and that's when our group was very hastily formed." Founders Daugherty and city councilman Meg McGarry called a meeting of citizens interested in saving the historic one-of-a-kind mansion in Sims Park, and the Friends of the Henn Mansion was officially incorporated on August 7, 1996. The first board of directors included Maryanne Hiti as president, Greg Jurcisin as vice president, Daugherty as treasurer and Sandra Strieter-Shannon as secretary.
Oyaski wanted to build a picnic shelter, but agreed to give the newly formed Friends of the Henn Mansion six months to rejuvenate the space, effectively transferring the $65,000 earmarked for destruction to use toward restoration. "We quickly realized how wonderful people are," says Daugherty. "People cared, people came forward to help." Scores of volunteers came forward to assist cleaning and repairing the Henn Mansion, and professionals were hired to manage more complicated jobs related to health and safety. The Friends of the Henn first rented the mansion in May 1998, and continued inviting people to view the house in a determined grassroots effort to drum up community support of the house's gentrification. That same year, representative Edward Jerse helped Friends Of the Henn secure a $50,000 grant from the state of Ohio to save the home. McGarry Brothers Painting Contractors donated time and materials to paint the entire exterior and Daugherty Construction Company repaired the ailing roof.
The Friends then turned to the architectural firm of Gaede Serne to develop a complete renovation plan. The not-for-profit Friends signed their first lease with the city in 1999, on the condition that they would contribute $20,000 and complete a renovation of the east porch. At the time, there was only one functioning restroom in the home, so to expand event occupancy, the City noted that the group must install two handicap accessible bathrooms. Through funds raised by Friends of the Henn and the City of Euclid, and grants from TRW and the Cleveland Restoration Society, the east porch was renovated to include the needed facilities, at a cost of $45,000.
A second state-supplied grant of $75,000 was secured in 2000, providing funding to make final repairs to the roof and entryway canopy, replace the original copper gutters and downspouts, restore the leaded glass windows and doors, and update the security system and fire protection. Restoration work has continued in earnest through the efforts of the Friends: ceilings fixed, walls painted and patched, historically accurate lighting fixtures installed, wood floors sanded and refinished, a complete renovation of the kitchen, a new boiler, and total second floor balcony and north porch overhauls. (pictured left: the restored breakfast room / photo courtesy of Friends of the Henn Mansion and photographer Brent Durken)
The second-floor bedroom suites and surrounding area were updated to allow for a nonprofit tenant to maintain offices there. In its 16 years of operation, Friends of the Henn Mansion has actively campaigned to raise more than $800,000 for repairs of the Henn Mansion. When the group first organized, it was composed of a small group of likeminded individuals, and today has more than 600 members. "It's a source of pride for Euclid," says Daugherty. "We really have to save historic America. These buildings are not disposable buildings."
For more information about the Henn Mansion visit www.hennmansion.org. The house is located at 23131 Lake Shore Blvd., Euclid, Ohio 44123, and is open to the public with free tours most Wednesday evenings from 7-9 pm. The Friends of the Henn Mansion, Inc. may be reached at 216-731-5060.
