Did you Know that the Loveland Museum Center is located in the West Loveland Historic District?

Did You Know?

Cassie Mattia is a resident of Historic Downtown

Loveland, Ohio – Our journey continues as we take a stroll down the sidewalks of the West Loveland Historic District (WLHD) and discover the facts that make living and working there so appealing.

It may not be a surprise to Loveland residents that this historic district has always had businesses that give off an artistic ambiance. In the WLHD, there are two businesses that not only give off that Loveland artistic feel, but have also found a way to set themselves apart from other art studios. DID YOU KNOW there is an art studio that provides art classes, parties, events, after school programs, camps and art exhibitions for children and adults? For the Love of Art Studio teaches people of all ages the fundamentals of art using only the best tools and supplies. The art studio hosts birthday parties, private business events and special themed parties for adults, teens and kids. For the Love of Art has a had an overwhelming response to its after-school programs and summer camps. In the after-school art program students from ages, 8 to 14 can work with pastels, oil paint, mix media, acrylic, paper-mache and textures. DID YOU KNOW the Love of Art helps young talent pursue fashion design in their summer camps? The art studio teaches students the basics of fashion illustration and helps them create their own collections using “figure design” and watercolor pencils. Students also get the opportunity to create their very own accessories, such as fiber jewelry and a purse.

A recent work by Loveland artist Deirdre Dyson.

Another place where art is both shared and celebrated is Studio 430 & Art Gallery (formally The Art House II) located in a historic home at 430 West Loveland Avenue. Deirdre Dyson, a world renown artist known for her landscape art, turned the home into a beautiful workspace and art gallery. DID YOU KNOW Dyson has created some of the most sought-after art collections right here in Loveland? Landscapes, A World of

Deirdre and Dick Dyson invested several hundred thousands of dollars in the WLHD to create an art studio and gallery in this historic home as well as a “live-work” 2nd floor.

Light and Color, and Fall Art Show are just a few of Dyson’s collections that have been featured in the media and have been up for prestigious art awards. The public is welcome to enjoy Dyson’s art collections displayed at Studio 430 as well as use the house as an open art studio. Dyson also holds painting classes where she teaches beginners and those with experience about color mixing and how to look at images through a more creative lens. DID YOU KNOW several of Dyson’s painting are inspired by architecture and landscape in Loveland? Dyson has created beautiful oil paintings of the Loveland Historical Museum, Loveland Presbyterian Church, Loveland Market Tents, Putti Fountain Loveland, Old Broadway Loveland, Rolkes Coal Loveland, April Showers on The Little Miami and Loveland Historic Home.

Deirdre and her husband Dick also live above the gallery, living the dream of creating a live/work environment. The Dysons invested thousands and thousands of dollars in the historic home with a large addition to the back, secluded balcony and gardens, and an elevator.

The city of Loveland has always been a community that is dedicated to helping others whether that’s through hosting benefits and charities or just simply getting the word out for a greater cause. DID YOU KNOW the WLHD has two facilities that are dedicated to helping the greater good located in an iconic historic church, The former site of the United Methodist congregation? One such business in the renovated church is RecruitMilitary, founded in 1998. RecruitMilitary is a veteran-owned firm. This recruiting agency has helped more than 1.3 million veterans find careers making them the number one military-to-civilian recruiting firm. DID YOU KNOW RecruitMilitary is the largest producer of military career fairs in the country? Thus far, RecruitMilitary has held more than 900 career fairs in over 60 different markets. From these career fairs, the recruiting agency typically does at least 300 interviews with military veteran job seekers, which in turn generates on average 120 job offers. In addition to the success of the career fairs, RecruitMilitary offers more than 200,000 job opportunities on their website’s job board and has recently teamed up with Google to enhance their job search engine so that candidates will be able to find jobs more relevant to their experience. 

Both CancerFree KIDS and RecruitMilitary are in buildings that used to be the Loveland United Methodist Church.

Another organization that the WLHD holds near and dear to its heart is a non-profit for kids that’s also located in the beautiful old church. DID YOU KNOW CancerFree KIDS has been funding childhood cancer research since 2002? CancerFree KIDS was founded by Ellen and Sam Flannery after their five-month-old daughter was diagnosed with cancer in both her eyes. Today their daughter is enjoying a normal life in college due to cancer research. CancerFree KIDS host fundraisers and events all year long to fund the most innovative research in cancer. DID YOU KNOW, since 2002 CancerFree KIDS has funded 124 research projects for a total of 4.4 million dollars? Most recently, on June 19th CancerFree KIDS gave $800,000 in research grants to projects at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. DID YOU KNOW if you visit CancerFree KIDS website you can send a “Courage Lion” to a courageous person? If you go to the how you can help tab on the non-profit’s website you can buy a 12-inch stuffed lion that comes with a personalized gift card and send it out to someone you know. With every lion sent out, CancerFree KIDS sends a “Courage” lion to a child that has been recently diagnosed with cancer. Those wanting to help CancerFree Kids have a number of options they can choose from. Those wanting to help can hold a fundraiser, purchase a raise awareness magnet, donate to CancerFree KIDS or volunteer for any of the events held by the non-profit.

A Loveland Magazine file photo of the Loveland Veterans’ Memorial taken in 2006

History runs very deep in Loveland’s roots, which is why the landscape is decorated in historical memorials. DID YOU KNOW the WLHD has a Veterans’ Memorial? Located on the corner of West Loveland Avenue and Riverside Drive in Veterans’ Memorial Park, the memorial was designed to honor the men and women who have served our country. DID YOU KNOW the Veteran’s Memorial features brick pavers with the names of local veterans engraved in them? Every year before Memorial Day people can order brick pavers to be engraved and placed in the Veteran’s Memorial. The memorial is owned and maintained by taxpayers and overseen by a Veterans’ Memorial Committee.

To learn more about purchasing a paver, call 513-707-1439. (Download the memorial paver application form (PDF).)

Each year residents come to the WLHD on Memorial Day at the Loveland Veterans’ Memorial to pay respect to men and women who “gave their all” and to those left behind to mourn. (This is a Loveland Magazine file photo from the Memorial Day service in 2009)

The Veterans’ Memorial was designed by Loveland designer, David Camele and dedicated on Sunday, November 13, 1994.

DID YOU KNOW one of the oldest family-owned funeral homes in the nation is in the WLHD?

Loveland is home to many family legacies, many of those legacies being businesses that were built by generations of family members. DID YOU KNOW one of the oldest family-owned funeral homes in the nation is in the WLHD? Tufts Schildmeyer Family Funeral Homes and Cremation Centers legacy began in 1840 in Maineville. Seth G. Tufts passed the business on to his son Oscar B. Tufts who then moved the business to a livery stable in Loveland. Eventually, in 1920 Lawrence S. Tufts, Oscar’s son, bought the property on Riverside Drive and the rest is history! Today Robert and Marilyn Schildmeyer along with their sons and grandson run the funeral home officially making them the fourth, fifth and sixth generations to help run the family business. DID YOU KNOW Tufts Schildmeyer offers more funeral options than any other funeral home in Cincinnati? Tufts offers the Traditional Complete Funeral Service, Graveside Service, Personalized Services, Funeral Director Services, top of the line Memorial Products and several different Cremation Services with four different memorialization options for Cremation.

Riverview Monument is part of the Tufts Schildmeyer Family of Services and a full-service memorial provider of top quality Granite and Bronze Memorials with full art design Department. They provide civic Memorials such as veteran memorials. They also offer personalized custom printing and can use a laser to engrave any image you choose on a memorial stone.

The Gertz law firm is at the corner of West Loveland and Wall Street in the WLHD and still undergoing a major facelift.

DID YOU KNOW there is another business that dates back to the 1800’s that is now in the WLHD? Gertz Law began its legacy in Reading with Charles and Marie Gertz. Eventually, Charlie’s son Anthony continued the Gertz legacy and opened his general law practice at the Pike Street office in Reading in 1972. In 2013 Susan Gertz (Allspach) opened a second Gertz law office location in Loveland so that Clermont and Warren County clients could easily access Gertz services. DID YOU KNOW Gertz Law has three attorneys that practice 7 areas of law? The Gertz Law Firm handles divorce and family law, probate administration, wills, trusts, and estate planning, corporate and small business transactions, real estate and personal injury.

The firm has recently invested tens of thousands of dollars into their WLHD building with such things as extensive new landscaping and rebuilding the copper box gutters.

If you are interested in visiting or finding more information on any of these businesses please see the contact information below.


For the Love of Art Studio, 513-207-3165, For the Love of Art Studio in Loveland on Facebook

The 430 & Art Gallery, 513-683-0349, and on Facebook

RecruitMilitary, 513-683-5020, RecruitMilitary on Facebook

CancerFree KIDS, 513-575-5437, CancerFree Kids on Facebook

Veterans’ Memorial, 211 Riverside Drive, Loveland, Ohio

Tufts Schildmeyer Family Funeral Homes and Cremation Center, 513-683-2430, Tufts Schildmeyer Funeral Home on Facebook

Gertz Law, 513-583-1549, Gertz Law Firm on Facebook


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