Huffman

Huffman Historic Area is a small neighborhood of restored and well maintained homes built primarily from the 1860s to the 1890s located between Third and Fifth Streets in East Dayton. Huffman was declared a historic district in 1981. William P. Huffman, a prominent businessman and landowner, founded this community in the late 1800s on land he owned just outside Dayton’s city limits. He made the area socially desirable by building elaborate mansions on Linden Avenue for his children as wedding presents. He also donated the land for the Linden Avenue Baptist Church and for Huffman School, further contributing to the settlement of the neighborhood. By the end of the nineteenth century, Linden Avenue was referred to as Millionaire’s Row.

This area stands as a remarkable blend of architectural styles, showcasing a cross-section of the late 1800s, from stately Italianate and Queen Anne homes to more modest dwellings with simple, vernacular designs, with the grandest homes being on tree-lined Linden Avenue.

Residents of Huffman believe that neighborliness is a tradition that gets passed down, not just something of the past. The Historic Huffman Neighborhood Association supports homeowners with expert advice and resources while fostering community through year-round events—from family-friendly bike parades, picnics, and Easter egg hunts to neighborhood clean-ups, cocktail parties, and Christmas Caroling. An active Neighborhood Watch partners with local police to ensure safety, and collaboration with the city and civic groups keeps Huffman thriving and improving.