Although the brick and mortar portion of the Greenbaum building may be gone, its memory will be preserved for generations to come with a new historic marker.
Pike County’s newest Ohio Historical Marker now stands on the sidewalk beside the former location of the Greenbaum building, which is now the parking lot for the Brass Monkey Bar & Restaurant.
It was in that location on Tuesday, July 16 that the Pike County Chamber of Commerce and Visit Pike County joined with the Pike County Land Reutilization Corporation (Land Bank) to unveil and dedicate the new marker.
Chandler Grooms, Tourism Development Director at the Pike County Chamber of Commerce, introduced himself and welcomed those gathered for the historical event.
“Today, we celebrate not only our rich history, but also we recognize the spirit of collaboration that has brought us together. In fact, it is this same collaboration and community investment that has played a pivotal role in multiple projects that we can see happening around Pike County to this day,” Grooms said.
“In every decision that is made, the only criteria that truly matters is ... ‘Is the community left in a better place when we’re done, than where it was when we started?’ The Pike County Land Reutilization Corporation, or as it’s better known as, the Land Bank, is a true testament to what collaboration, hard work, and a lot of grant writing can get done in just a few short years. At that time, the Greenbaum Building Project was an undertaking bigger than the organization had done to date.”
“We had to have a long runway for the Land Bank to get off the ground. The Land Bank is something for me as a commissioner, and we as a county should be extremely proud of,” said Pike County Commissioner Tony Montgomery.
“It took a lot of groups to come together to make this happen. For a while, we thought there was no way. Then some folks put their heads together to get this done. I appreciate everybody who is involved. I’m proud of what it has accomplished. So far all we’ve done is tear a bunch of stuff down. That’s getting ready to turn. Those properties are going on the market. If we do our jobs right, those properties are going to be sold and used and hopefully bring jobs and people to the county. If that’s the case, then the Land Bank can’t be a bigger success.”
Grooms recalled just a few short years ago in 2021 that the Greenbaum building was still standing in the spot where all of those who were present had gathered.
“From the outside, the windows were broken and boarded up. The brick was faded and vines were growing up a large mural that said Greenbaum. The side wall was crumbling into the parking lot beside us, with what seemed like nothing more than an infamous 2x4 keeping the entire structure from collapsing,” Grooms said.
“There was no hope for the future of this condemned building. By November, the Land Bank was able to produce and raise funds from the Ohio Department of Development, Pike County Commissioners, Village of Waverly, Pike County Community and Economic Development Office, the Joint Economic Development Initiative of Southern Ohio (JEDISO) Opportunity Fund (funded by Fluor BWXT), and the Recovery Council for the demolition. In December, the site was demolished and cleaned up.”
Grooms went on to recognize the members of the Land Bank who were present for the ceremony. They included: Advisors: By the Book Advisors, LLC — Todd Book & Carrie Kessinger-Berry; Secretary — Daphne Mosley, Pike County Community and Economic Development; Treasurer — Shirley Bandy, Pike County Chamber of Commerce; Chair — Ed Davis, Pike County Treasurer; Voting Members: Pike County Commissioner Tony Montgomery; Pike County Commissioner Jeff Chattin; John Hall of John Hall Appraisals; Mayor of Waverly Richard Henderson; and Pike County Community and Economic Development Chair Gary Arnett.
Members of the Pike Heritage Foundation were there to share both the history and the historic moment. The Pike Heritage Foundation has been sharing Pike County’s history and heritage since 1983, and showcases that history in the Pike Heritage Museum, which is located in the former German Evangelical Church in downtown Waverly. That church was built in 1859.
Mike Patterson, Pike Heritage Foundation Vice President, did some of the preliminary research as the community progressed toward placing the historic marker.
“The process of learning more ended up being a really fulfilling and wonderful thing. At the time of James Emmitt’s death, he owned a third of the property in Waverly. He employed about half of the population. In 1878, he decided to build this (Greenbaum) building,” Patterson said.
“The former site of Don’s Furniture was where Charles’ (Greenbaum) original store was. He purchased what was the Greenbaum building in 1912. This building has had a lot of uses over time.”
The next speaker introduced to the crowd was Diane Carnes, who is the only great granddaughter of Charles Greenbaum.
“I can’t tell you all how emotional this day is for me and my family. Where you are standing, I grew up. I was all over here. I was an only child so I just went to work with people. I still don’t know how to do anything else but go to work,” Carnes said.
“I am Charles Greenbaum’s great granddaughter. I’m his only heir. He had one daughter, my grandmother. She had one daughter, my mother, and then she had me. I have managed to multiply that a little more than they did.”
Carnes introduced members of her family who were present with her, spanning five generations all the way down to two granddaughters.
“I grew up in this building. I lived in this building. My grandparents had one big apartment. My mother and step-father had another big apartment. We could look out the windows on Saturday nights and watch them throw drunks out of the Grand Tavern,” Carnes said.
“It was exciting because we had this (Greenbaum’s) store. As a kid if I needed a pair of socks or shoes, I could just go down the inside steps and go down in the store and get some. It was a great place to live, a great place to grow up, and I’m so honored that you’ve honored my great-grandfather.”
Carnes explained that Charles Greenbaum’s home was located where Boyer Funeral Home is currently on Second Street in Waverly.
“I do want to tell one story. I’m told that when he (Charles) was a little boy, his father was a painter and he fell off a ladder and was killed. It left my great-great grandfather with seven or eight children,” Carnes said. “When he was seven or eight years old, he (Charles) was working and carrying bricks to build this building. In his dairy, he wrote, ‘When I grow up, I’m going to own this building and 12 suits of clothes.’ I think that’s pretty cool because he did.”
Laura Russell, Manager of the Historical Markers Program at the Ohio History Connection, shared more about how the markers that are placed around the state come to be.
“The program began in 1950, and we placed our first Ohio Historical Marker in 1957. We are very proud of the program, because it does come from the local communities to identify and tell the stories. The mission of the Ohio History Connection is to spark discovery of Ohio’s stories, embrace the present, share the past and transform the future. We strive to do this every day with our markers program, but we can only do it when our community joins us in telling those stories,” Russell said.
“Your marker, the Emmitt/Greenbaum Building and the Waverly Canal Historic District joins all of those other state markers telling the story of Ohio. You are to be commended for taking the initiative to do this project and recognize your community. The marker was made possible with hard work and a lot of collaboration.”
Grooms named off the locations of the other markers around the county, including Canal Park, Pike County Courthouse, Emmitt House/James Emmitt, the German Evangelical Church/Pike Heritage Museum, Ohio and Erie Canal Marker, PP African American Settlement/Eden Baptist Church, and the First County Courthouse/Removal of County Seat.
Now those are joined by the newest monument, which shares the story of the Emmitt-Greenbaum Building on one side and talks about the Waverly Canal Historic District on the opposite side. It is located at the corner of Market Street and U.S. 23 (Emmitt Avenue within Waverly) beside the Brass Monkey parking lot.
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