#Sharp House

[cityguide-westerville]

The Historic Sharp House

A Historic Landmark Amidst Modern Growth

The Stephen Sharp House, located at 8025 Africa Road in Westerville, Ohio, stands as a property of profound historical significance, serving as a tangible link to a pivotal era in American history. Its primary distinction lies in its crucial role as a station on the Underground Railroad, the clandestine network that provided safe passage for enslaved people seeking freedom before the Civil War. This historic home is now situated within a major economic development initiative undertaken by the City of Westerville, known as the East of Africa Road project, which involves the strategic expansion of the successful Westar Place business park. [[MORE]]

The City of Westerville has expressed an explicit commitment to preserving the Sharp House for "adaptive reuse" as part of this large-scale development. The city's proactive acquisition of the 88-acre "historic Sharp House property" for this significant economic development project, while simultaneously dedicating resources to the house's adaptive reuse, demonstrates a sophisticated and deliberate urban planning approach. This strategy moves beyond mere preservation; it represents an intentional integration of historical heritage into a modern economic landscape. The decision to invest in such a large-scale commercial and job growth initiative, yet safeguard a historic structure within its footprint, suggests a clear recognition of the intrinsic cultural and historical value of the property, indicating that this value is seen as complementary to, rather than an impediment to, economic progress. The city's commitment to this dual objective underscores a progressive vision for community development.

The city's decision to hire a project manager for this undertaking further underscores its commitment to meticulously overseeing the preservation of this historic asset while driving significant economic growth. This role is crucial for navigating the complexities inherent in striking a balance between historical integrity and modern development demands.

The Sharp Family's Roots in Westerville: Founders and Abolitionists

The history of the Sharp House is inextricably linked to the Sharp family, who were foundational figures in the establishment and early development of Westerville. Garrit Sharp, the family patriarch, arrived as an original settler of "Sharp's Settlement," the precursor to modern-day Westerville, around 1810. His contributions to the nascent community were substantial, including donating land for and helping to organize Westerville's first Methodist church. Garrit Sharp was also instrumental in establishing the Blendon Young Men's Seminary, an institution that later evolved into Otterbein University, notably admitting African Americans and women from its founding in 1847.

Garrit Sharp, like many Methodists of his era, was an ardent abolitionist, a conviction that profoundly shaped his family's actions and the character of early Westerville. This strong anti-slavery stance was deeply ingrained and passed down to his sons, including Stephen Sharp. The Sharp family's foundational role in Westerville's civic and educational institutions was thus profoundly intertwined with their fervent abolitionist activities. This suggests that their anti-slavery work was not a peripheral endeavor but a core expression of their community values and religious convictions, shaping the very identity of early Westerville. The repeated emphasis on their Methodist faith and its connection to their abolitionism indicates a causal link between their beliefs and their social activism. As instrumental figures in founding the town and its key institutions, the Sharp family effectively wove their abolitionist values into the fabric of the community from its inception, imbuing Westerville with an early and strong identity rooted in social justice.

The Sharp family homes, strategically located on N. State Street and Africa Road, formed a critical network on the Underground Railroad route through Westerville. This concentration of family homes dedicated to aiding freedom seekers was significant, potentially representing the largest such network in Ohio outside of the John Brown family houses in Ashtabula County.

Several key Sharp residences were involved in these vital activities:

Garrit Sharp's home (Alkire House): Built in 1849 at 259 N. State Street, this residence served as a meeting place in Westerville and a safehouse for freedom seekers.

Stephen Sharp's home: Stephen, one of Garrit's sons, resided in the stately home at 8025 Africa Road, constructed between 1857 and 1858. This house is the primary subject of current preservation efforts.

Joseph Sharp's home: Another son of Garrit, Joseph, resided at 8216 Africa Road, a property also known as Yarnell's Farm, built circa 1843.

Garry Sharp's house: Garry, another son, built a house around 1857 on the current site of St. Paul's Catholic Church on N. State Street, though this structure was unfortunately demolished in 2001.

From these Sharp homes, freedom seekers would continue their perilous journey north, typically proceeding to the house of Samuel Patterson along Alum Creek and then further into a Quaker settlement near Marengo in Morrow County. This deep connection between the family's founding principles, religious conviction, and direct action elevates their story beyond individual acts of heroism to a broader narrative of how community values can be shaped and expressed through the actions of its early leaders. It highlights the historical significance of Westerville itself as a place built on abolitionist ideals, making the preservation of the Stephen Sharp House not merely about a building, but about the town's foundational identity.

The Stephen Sharp House: A Sanctuary on the Underground Railroad

The Stephen Sharp House at 8025 Africa Road is a significant example of mid-nineteenth century rural architecture in Delaware County. It was constructed between 1857 and 1858, with a one-story addition built approximately two decades later. The house features a straightforward four-bay front, plain sandstone lintels, and a Greek Revival style front entrance with sidelights, characteristic of its era. The site originally included six brick outbuildings, most of which were erected in the latter part of the 19th century.

Stephen Alfred Sharp, Garrit's son, was a respected community figure, serving as both a teacher and a justice of the peace. A unique detail of the house, and a testament to Stephen's personal circumstances, is the presence of specially crafted doorknobs. These were designed to accommodate Stephen, who had lost the use of one hand due to a childhood fire-related injury, and they remain in the house to this day.

Beyond its architectural and personal details, the Stephen Sharp House played a pivotal role as a sanctuary for freedom seekers. The house was specifically adapted for clandestine operations, featuring a stone and brick fireplace that served as a tunnel. This hidden passage allowed formerly enslaved individuals to crawl through to access a dug-out earthen area for hiding. This detailed description of a structural modification, rather than a generic hiding spot, indicates a sophisticated and intentional commitment to aiding freedom seekers, suggesting a level of planning and risk-taking that goes beyond simple hospitality. The presence of such a dedicated, concealed passage implies a deliberate architectural adaptation for the purpose of hiding, demonstrating a higher degree of involvement and commitment from the Sharp family. They were not merely opening their doors; they were modifying their home to facilitate these dangerous journeys. This level of detail makes the house a tangible artifact of the Underground Railroad's operational methods, underscoring the extreme risks taken by both the freedom seekers and the Sharp family, and highlighting the ingenuity and bravery required for such clandestine operations.

Recognizing its national significance, the Stephen Sharp House has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982.

Preservation in Progress: The Sharp House and Westerville's East of Africa Road Development

The Stephen Sharp House is currently at the nexus of Westerville's ambitious economic development plans. In 2023, the City of Westerville, with assistance from the nonprofit Westerville Industry and Commerce Corporation (WICC), acquired four tracts of land totaling 88 acres located east of Africa Road. This acquisition represents the city's largest single capital investment project, designed for economic development, commercial use, and job growth, serving as a strategic extension of the highly successful Westar Place business park. The property is situated south of OhioHealth and Polaris Parkway on Africa Road, directly across from Central Ohio Primary Care Physicians (COPC).

Extensive infrastructure development is currently underway, funded by over $30 million for critical infrastructure. This includes the creation of new roadways, such as the extension of Westar Boulevard and Hoff Road, which will connect at a roundabout, along with the installation of utilities, stormwater management systems, greenways, and parks. The infrastructure build is tentatively scheduled to begin in Spring 2025 and continue until Fall 2026.

Despite the extensive nature of this commercial development, the City of Westerville has explicitly committed to preserving the historic Sharp House for "adaptive reuse". This commitment is an integral part of the city's broader strategy to "preserve key natural features as greenways, create a pathway connecting different parts of the developed city and protect the historical Sharp family home". The city's decision to undertake a massive infrastructure project and acquire 88 acres for economic development, while simultaneously prioritizing the preservation of the Sharp House, highlights a deliberate and potentially challenging balancing act between rapid urban expansion and historical stewardship. This demonstrates a progressive approach to urban planning where heritage is seen as an asset, not a liability. The sheer size and economic ambition of the "East of Africa Road" project create immense pressure on any existing structures within its footprint. The fact that the city chose to acquire the land and then committed to preserving the house, rather than acquiring and demolishing, indicates a strong policy decision to integrate heritage into growth. This complex undertaking requires careful planning to ensure the historic structure's integrity is maintained while fitting into a modern commercial environment, suggesting a recognition that historical assets can contribute to the unique identity and appeal of a new development.

The hiring of a project manager is a critical step in ensuring that the preservation of the Sharp House is seamlessly integrated into this complex and large-scale development. This role will be responsible for navigating the intricacies of historical preservation requirements alongside modern construction and economic development goals, ensuring the house's future while honoring its past. This specialized expertise is essential for the successful execution of such a multifaceted endeavor.

Honoring Heritage, Shaping the Future

The Stephen Sharp House stands as a powerful testament to Westerville's rich past, embodying a dual significance: it is both a family home deeply rooted in the town's founding and a vital, tangible link to the courageous efforts of the Underground Railroad. Its preservation is a recognition of its enduring role as a symbol of abolitionist ideals and the relentless pursuit of freedom in 19th-century Ohio.

The City of Westerville's approach to the East of Africa Road development exemplifies a forward-thinking vision that balances ambitious economic growth with a profound respect for its historical roots. The preservation of the Sharp House within this significant development demonstrates a clear commitment to integrating heritage into the city's future landscape, rather than sacrificing it for progress. The preservation of this specific house, with its strong ties to abolitionism, sends a clear message about the values Westerville wishes to project as it grows. It is not merely about saving any old building, but one that embodies a core aspect of its historical character—a commitment to freedom and social progress. This integration of a moral historical narrative into a modern economic narrative is a sophisticated act of civic identity formation.

The crucial role of the newly appointed project manager underscores the city's dedication to this integrated vision. The project manager will serve as a facilitator and guardian of this historical treasure, ensuring its story continues to be told and its legacy preserved for future generations amidst Westerville's ongoing growth. The success of this project could serve as a model for other municipalities facing similar dilemmas between development and preservation, illustrating that historical preservation can be a component of sustainable and desirable urban growth. The Sharp House, therefore, becomes a living monument, a constant reminder of the city's origins and enduring principles, even as its surroundings transform.

[karta-ri]

WAIT ON THAT DOODLE PAGE

IS THAT.. IS THAT A BEAUTY AND THE BEAST REFERENCE………?!?!?!?!

yeah… 🙈🙈🙈 just a doodle though i can’t commit to a crossover yet

[headintheselbywall]

i love you twisted retellings i love you stories within stories i love you unreliable narrators i love you mockumentaries i love you dramatizations i love you prose of carnage and war i love you cosmic horror upon Earth i love you doppelgängers i love you tales so graphic they cannot be retold in other forms of media

[greghatecrimes]

House M.D.'s Remy "Thirteen" Hadley & Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

(5x05 "Lucky Thirteen", 5x10 "Let Them Eat Cake", 4x16 "Wilson's Heart", 5x09 "Last Resort")

[niyana-the-ambiguous-mobian]

I love how this scene changes with each new film. Every new family member has a moment on the couch, complete with watching a movie and the eerily similar bowls of popcorn XD

[noheteroexplanation]

The men are annoying her again. Someone help her.

[ibuprofenjuliet]

like mother, like son

gif maker @barbieaemond <3

[starry-bi-sky]

MMMM twins au with danny and dan except its og TUE timeline danny and dan

ok okay i neeeeed o write this down and share it before i explode buT. as the title says. twins danny and dan (who im going to be calling James/Jamie bc i cannot express how much i despise the name dan) where, instead of disappearing into the ghost zone after he's separated from danny's body, Dan rips out Vlad's ghost half, tears THAT in half, and fuses one half with himself and the other with Danny.

Shit happens, and BOOM. Two morally ambiguous and perhaps slightly murderous demonic twins from hell. Daniel James Fenton and his Twin WHose Always Been Here What Are You Talking About :) James Daniel Fenton. They are both depressed, lonely, and one bad day from becoming a mass extinction event :)

this is because i got grabbed by the hair today and dragged into the SVSS fandom screaming and the fanart of Shen Jiu/Shen Yuan/Shen Quingqiu (????) with his fan entranced me. Ice Prince Core is my favorite thing so naturally i have to implant that onto my favorite blorbos ever :)

After the Incident, both their appearances changed and they're practically identical to each other. Sorta. They both have heterochromia and salt-and-pepper hair. But Danny has one green eye and one blue eye and white hair with black streaks, while Jamie has one blue eye and one green eye and black hair with white streaks. I'm iving them both long hair, for funsies <3

nobody can tell them apart, they keep getting confused on whose who and frankly the mix-match hair and eyes make it worse not better asjd. they're horrifically codependent. please do not separate :)

and because i must. im pulling a blood blossom/tales of the passerine and giving them to pre-robin batman. batman and his terrifying demon(??) twins. nobody is quite sure if they're human or not, and the scourge of gotham are a little too terrified to ask.

(they dont HAVE to go to batman while he's pre-robin. however. i think its much funnier that way bc gotham isn't use to A) Batman having kids, and B) Batman having TERRIFYING kids yet. think of all the new fun rumors)

they both use war fans while they're out, and neither of them use their ghost forms because they at least have the remaining empathy to know that they're more likely to murder someone accidentally as a ghost :). Ghost form is for fellow mythicals and Functionally Immortals Only! Not for Squishy Humans.

Jamie: murder. bloodshed. revengggee Bruce: no. no. Justice. peace!! hope! Danny: bittinngggg. blooood. ^-^

They're honestly not bad kids they're just horrifically traumatized two halves of a whole that can never be reunited ever again :).

idk what their vigilante names are but i do know that the underground refer to them in horrified whispers as 'the twins'. this all stemmed from the desperate and sudden urge to see Danny and Jamie, as their vigilante selves, hiding the lower half of their faces with fans and looking terrifyingly judgmental while they do it <333

[thinwhitedoc]

SHERLOCK | Martin Freeman as John Watson

[rookanis-de-riva]

NOT thinking about a bad ending where Rook dies in the final battle

NOT imagining Lucanis left all alone in his enormous estate, nothing but ghosts and Caterina, in a house that feels more like a graveyard

NOT writing an epilogue where Lucanis becomes known as The Mad Crow, the first talon no one dares to challenge but they all know he's insane, whenever he's not working he wanders the gardens speaking to the ghost of the spouse he never got to marry

NOT sure if it's better or worse if Rook really is haunting him. now Spite is the only one who can truly see and touch them, and Lucanis is left on the outside. sometimes he believes Rook really did come back as a spirit to stay with him and some days he knows Spite is only showing him what he needs to see to make it through one more day

just one more day ...

one more day ...

one more--

[sssven11]

Hi I'm Sven i like The Loud House, i mostly draw Lynn Jr. And SaLuna aswell as Lincoln sometimes...

sven11773127 on both X and Tiktok:P

Uhhh SaLuna art i did.

[rodrickheffeley]

daughters (and kendall) doomed by the narrative you’ll always be loved by me

[dotti-artwork]

Silly girls

Ref: https://youtu.be/lOG_UtLxh58?si=ba4JMmNAu4OTxPQi

[valyrianheirs]

Aemond and Vhagar | 2x8

[noheteroexplanation]

Manipulating all the men with her big brown eyes. Me next please.

[the-raven-and-the-tower]

Viago de Riva; forgotten son with a found family of assassins (a brief but angsty dive)

Born one royal bastard of many to King Fulgeno II of Antiva, Viago was born without a lot of choices, but one very large one;

Exile or the Antivan Crows.

VIago was the only one of all Fulgeno's bastards that chose the Crows, a choice that put him on a path of shadows and blood. Turning his back on the only home he has ever known for the ruthless world of the Crows, Viago had to forge his own house and find his own family, turning his back on a royal lineage that never wanted or acknowledged him.

Viago has walked in both worlds, where betrayal can come from any direction and alliances are often temporary - in either world, his survival has hinged time and time again on his vigilance and natural mistrust of others. More than once, the only thing that has kept him alive was the way he builds tolerance to poisons and insists on testing everything he eats. I have to wonder if Viago has ever truly rested, he's always alert, always keeping one step ahead of all the threats on every side - always in danger, both as a bastard who could be seen as a threat to the legitimate line and as a Crow Talon surrounded by ambitious assassins.

And then there's his relationship with Teia 💜

I love the humanity of Viago's struggle to love and be loved. As a royal bastard, he would have been inherently unwanted and constantly reminded of his illegitimacy - daily reminders to ingrain a perpetual sense of unworthiness and isolation into him. I love the honesty of how he struggles to open up and be vulnerable, even with someone like Teia from within the world of the Crows.

The two of them live in a dangerous world, where personal relationships can become weapons in the wrong hands. Viago has every reason to shy away from Teia (and sometimes does), yet that inherent need for perception and connection drags him out of safety and back into her arms, time and time again.

All of that to say loooooooooooook at this fourth draft of a letter Teia is helping Viago write to send to his dad about the situation in Treviso with the Butcher.

King's Draft: Action on Behalf of Antiva

As Seventh Talon, I give notice that the Antivan Crows have drawn a contract against the enemies of Treviso, the Antaam. (Teia)

Teia, the Seventh Talon, is writing to inform of the situation, rather than Viago (Fifth Talon). We don't know if she's stepping up to protect Viago from his asshole father or if Viago doesn't speak to the king often on principle (he does in prior Dragon Age content), or if this is simply how it is done - maybe there's an existing agreement among the Crows to avoid political complications by keeping the king and his son seperate. Any way the cookie crumbled, I like these crumbs.

It is not the Antaam. (Viago)

We aren't required to give His Majesty a point-by-point, but he's your blood, Viago. It is a courtesy to let him know we are going to war. (Teia)

"He's your blood, Viago." I don't know if this is a reminder of his unique ability to bridge two vastly different worlds or if it is just a reminder of political significance, but either way it struck me as significant. Despite his royal blood being a source of personal pain, it provides Viago leverage in ways that other Crow Talons could never wield, not even Caterina.

The occupying Antaam are strong, driven, fanatical. They cannot be reasoned with because reason is just a weapon to be resisted. They can be killed, of course, but removing a leader does not remove their desire to be led. They are a force we must contend with, but they are NOT Treviso's true enemy. (Viago)

A name, Viago. Contracts require a stabber and a stabbee. (Teia)

Teia (child street thief turned Crow) is the pragmatic and operational, focusing on fulfilling the requirements as a formality, while our baby boi Viago the Strategic is firmly honed in on reality and understanding the details. Teia wants to take the next step to move forward, Viago wants to understand the problem before making the next move. They are so different and I love the way their differences lend their relationship strength, rather than pulling it apart.

Teia, you know my doubts. The Butcher took the city too easily, and there is dealing with the gods there that I dread to know. But I fear that the true enemy of Treviso is not known because they ARE known, merely unrevealed. (Viago)

"The Hand That Leashed Treviso." Is that nebulous enough? (Teia)

I like this. Sarcastic, yet she's showing that she's listening to Viago's concerns and hearing them.

Yes, that is a series of someones we can eventually kill. But not something we can send my father. (Viago)

And he acknowledges being heard, but points out the impracticality of presenting such a target to his father. Again, I think it's fucking significant that he refers to Fulgeno as his father and not as the king. Whether he's tying himself verbally to his unique position, subconsciously reacting to his abandonment by the royal family or just responsing to Teia's "he's your blood" earlier, it feels powerful. Like the kick in the gonads I'd like to five Fulgemo.

On to draft five, then. Neri, begin again. (Teia)

It says a lot to me that they're having this entire conversation in front of their scribe. Doubtless someone sworn to secrecy already, it just strikes me as wholesome that they're comfortable having these disagreements in front of Neri. They may not agree yet, but they're committed to it. And their disagreement has no weight on their opinions of each other.

Viago de Riva, Fifth Talon Andarateia Cantori, Seventh Talo Transcribed: Neri de Acutis