Preserving the past

TIFFIN — The Tiffin Historic Trust recently hosted its annual dinner and awards ceremony, recognizing community members for their efforts to restore and maintain historic properties with Historic Preservation Plaques. Four properties were honored at the event: • 116 N. Sandusky St. — Tony and Lee Anese• 12 S. Monroe St. — Larry Breidenbach• 491 Circular St. — Mike and Nancy Grandillo• 125 E. Market St. (Tiffin Community Kitchen) — accepted by the Rev. Aaron Gerlach Trust President Tim McKee praised the Aneses' work on their Victorian home at 116 N. Sandusky St. "It's the perfect blend of updating and modernizing a Victorian home," McKee said. "It still has that character, the charm, and it feels comfortable and elegant." Breidenbach was recognized for his work on 12 S. Monroe St., which he repainted entirely, transforming its appearance. He also shared the home's unique history, noting it was relocated just before the 1913 flood in Tiffin. "This property wasn't always located here," Breidenbach said, showing historic photos of its original site. When asked if he maintained it as a single-family home, he replied, "Yes — I could not break this property up like that." Gina Grandillo accepted a plaque on behalf of her parents, Mike and Nancy Grandillo, for their work on 491 Circular St., her childhood home. She shared that her parents bought the house in 1982 for $13,000 — two years before they were married. "There is a lot of history to the house," she said, adding that her mother wrote about the original builder, Dennis Bibb, a formerly enslaved man who escaped via the Underground Railroad and settled in Tiffin with his wife, Emily. "Dennis met Emily — who was from Tiffin — in the Oberlin area after escaping the slave trade," Grandillo said. Bibb was reportedly once enslaved by John Martin James, the grandfather of outlaws Frank and Jesse James. She also shared newspaper clippings and historical references documenting the couple's journey and life in Tiffin. The Tiffin Community Kitchen, located at 125 E. Market St., and attached to the Old Trinity Episcopal Church, was also honored. The Rev. Aaron Gerlach accepted the plaque and thanked the Trust for its guidance during the project's construction. "One of the first things we were told is to make sure when you add on to a historical building, you don't want to mimic its style but rather complement it," Gerlach said. He noted that construction is ongoing, with several milestones already achieved. The Trust also presented its Volunteer of the Year award to member Rachel Crooks. "It's been an exciting year, and the group has accomplished so much together," Crooks said. "As someone who has personally renovated a historic home in Tiffin, I am passionate about preserving the beautiful historic properties in our community, and I hope we can continue building momentum and enthusiasm for that work."