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More on Tipp City News | West Milton News | Bethel Township
| MUHS grads turn old estate into venue for outdoor events |
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| Written by Editor |
| Friday, 03 September 2010 20:17 |
 By MARILYN MCCONAHAY Record Herald Writer PIQUA - Tim and Janelle Baker, both Milton-Union High School graduates, used imagination, ingenuity and hard work to find a way to raise their family in a very big house rather than buy a starter house and work their way up. In the process, they have created a place of outdoor beauty where people can enjoy a wedding, a graduation party or a variety of other events. Tim, 35, graduated from M-U in 1994 and Janelle (Hammaker), 33, graduated in 1995. Baker is the son of Mike and Shirley Baker of Laura and the grandson of Wilbur and Catherine Heisey of West Milton, who passed away in 2008 and 2009, respectively. In the spring of 2003, Tim and Janelle purchased the 25-room mansion built of stucco, stone and sturdy, oversized timber, around 1900 by Aaron Morrison Orr, founder of the Orr Felt and Blanket Company in Piqua. Their new home needed a lot of work, but the Bakers took the risk and bought it. The couple, who both have full-time jobs, figured they could afford to live there if they could also use it to generate income, Tim Baker said. “I had a liking for fixing up big, old homes. We began lining up weddings and renting the downstairs for parties and weddings,” he said. “At first, we held them inside the house, but we found the inside was getting messed up. After a number of incidents that caused damage, we decided to hold the events outside on the big front porch or in the yard.” They soon began making repairs, replacements and additions. “We had electrical issues that took a few months to get corrected. But most of what we’ve done has been outside to make it attractive for the events,” Baker said. “The house has a stucco exterior – we’ve just now started to paint the outside – it will probably take us a couple of years. Family and friends are helping us paint and with making repairs.” The Baker family has lived there for seven years, but they started making additions right away, including building the tent which includes restrooms and adding to the parking lot so they could hold weddings, rehearsals and small parties, according to Baker.
“The tent is the bigger and higher and is more open than most tents. It’s also handicapped-accessible and it has double restrooms – men’s and women’s – in a small building we added on at the rear,” he said. In 2004, they drained the pond and removed sludge. It now features a water spray and several hundred koi. In 2005, the old spring house was remodeled. First the original slab was removed from on top and replaced. White railings were added to make a great spot to hold a wedding ceremony. From 2007 to the spring of 2008, a water porch was created at the pond. Chairs can be arranged around the grassy area to face the pond, allowing another choice for a wedding ceremony among the tall trees. Add beautiful landscaping and new sidewalks and the estate offer several places to hold an outdoor event. The Orrmont Estate grew along with the Bakers’ family including Eli, 8; Noah, 6; Simon, 4 and Jesse, 2. The kids are lucky to grow up in such a big house with the great outdoors all around. “When our oldest son, Eli, was one year old, he asked ‘why do we have such a big house?’ Growing up, I was one of four boys living in one of the bigger houses – it was two stories - but my kids think that house is small,” Baker said. The old family estate also occasionally draws the Orr “children” back home. “We’ve had Orr family members stop by – some live in Chicago, California, Florida and even New Hampshire,” Tim said. “The original Orr died not a lot of years after he built the house, so the Orr children would probably be in their 50s and 60s.” Orrmont Estate is open from May to October for events. “Most people find us through the Internet at www.orrmont.com,” Baker said. “Showing of the facilities is by appointment only.” |
