David Miller is the Publisher and Editor of Loveland Magazine
Grailville was a place to find your place in the world whatever that meant to you.
[WATCH VIDEO BELOW "Grailville: the early decades]
by David Miller
Loveland, Ohio – Elizabeth Murphy, a Symmes Township resident, along with lifelong Loveland resident Elizabeth Robinson made this video about the early years at Grailville. It was made for Grailville’s 65th anniversary in 2009.
Robinson said, “We made a short video with interviews so we could explain how Grailville came to be. All music is music recorded at Grailville from Grailville Choirs. Many of the founding or early members including my mother Mary Schickel, had passed on and we were losing this history.”
Robinson also added that there was a lot of mystery about what Grailville and the Grail was and how Grailville came to be. The video contains many back in the day vintage photos of the former farm and the many women who moved to those rolling hills just on the outskirts of Loveland.
From Holland. It was wartime. WWII. The women came when they did because if not then, they didn’t know if they would ever be able to leave Europe.
They came here looking for a farm with running water, enough buildings to house 50 people and within walking distance of a railroad station. They went two-by-two visiting farms and parishes, so much so they joked they were becoming real estate agents.
Liturgy was the unifying factor of the Grail community. There was a lot of singing. It became a quiet, peace-filled beautiful space; an agricultural and religious life.
The “Year School” was a training program for young women “focused on an integrated life of work and prayer, study and fun”.
Throughout the decades, the Grailville Retreat Center brought visitors from all parts of the world to spend time in Loveland, Ohio.
At one time a truckload of goats, 400 chickens, milk cows, pigs, and canning and preserving 10,000 quarts of farm product. It was described as a rich life, however one “materially simple”.
Spiritually and intellectually very rich. Very rich in things from the ground, sky, and God in many forms.
Trina Paulus said Grailville was a “simplicity” that was ideal for her as a young woman.
Art was equal to every other thing that happened at Grailville.
Visual arts, music, and writing.
Paulus said she thought that the Dutch brought tremendous respect for the arts when they came to this country and Loveland. “It was equal to every other thing we did.”
Grailville had a weaving guild.
Listen to how the Grail women reached beyond Loveland to the world.
They were not there to hold onto what they were doing. Many of the programs that Grailville started were spun out into the world beyond Loveland.
The women launched things that were much broader than themselves.
Grailville didn’t look like a church from the outside.
Loveland, Ohio – A public hearing by the Loveland Planning and Zoning Commission on the Drees Homes request to re-zone the Grailville property has been rescheduled to Thursday, March 17th at 7 PM. The meeting will be held in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 120 West Loveland Avenue.
The proposed development of the Grailville site by the Drees Company includes 74 patio homes and 135 traditional-style homes totaling 209 lots. The land is situated between O’Bannonville Road and State Route 48 in Clermont County. The site is approximately 111 acres.
The House of Joy is an iconic structure at Grailville (Loveland Magazine file photo)
by David Miller
Loveland, Ohio – The proposed development of the Grailville site by the Drees Company includes 74 patio homes and 135 traditional-style homes totaling 209 lots. The final acreage of the Grailville site on O’Bannon Road was annexed into the City of Loveland on January 11. The land is situated between O’Bannonville Road and State Route 48 in Clermont County. Fourteen acres were already located within the city’s corporate limits. Both parcels, in total consist of approximately 111 acres.
The Drees Company has submitted a concept plan to the Planning and Zoning Commission for changing the zoning to a Special Planning District.
City staff has recommended that the Commission hold a public hearing on the proposal on March 1.
The Commission will meet on February 1 with the Drees application on their agenda.
Right-Click these images to open in a new window or tab to view larger.
Loveland, Ohio – At the October 26, City Council meeting resident Todd Osborne chastised fellow residents who had preceded him to the open forum microphone over their views on annexing Grailville and a proposed parking garage in Loveland’s downtown historic district.
To view residents who spoke before Osborne took the podium: go to LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV to view other recently published videos on this subject.
Loveland, Ohio – Resident Larry Schramm went to the City council meeting last Tuesday and told Council that the current city infrastructure is increasingly strained and said the proposed parking garage may be a deterrent to supporting commerce within the city. He called for an impartial traffic study that might lead to an informed decision. Tram said he was joining his neighbors in opposing the annexation of Graville into the City.
Loveland, Ohio – At the October 26 City Council meeting, resident Duane Charbonneau questioned Council on whether there were advantages to the annexation of Grailville into the City.
Loveland, Ohio – At the October 26 City Council meeting, resident Ted Richardson discussed traffic conditions in Historic Downtown and the effect the annexation of Grailville will have.
Loveland, Ohio – Loveland resident and candidate for Loveland City Council, Kim Lukens went to the open forum podium this past Tuesday to express her views about the City annexing the Grailville property.
The Grailville annexation involves 95 acres on O’Bannon Road just outside of Loveland.
The House of Joy at Grailville – file photos by David Miller
by David Miller
Loveland, Ohio – Loveland resident Deirdre Dyson expressed a vision for the Grailville property at Tuesday’s council meeting during the open forum. “I question the idea that residential development of the property is inevitable, said Dyson. Then she talked about her vision.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Our apology for the sound quality of this video. It was hard to overcome the HVAC noise just overhead, a soft-spoken person, and a podium mic that wasn’t producing much volume.
A transcript has now been added. Read it below.
Good Evening, Everybody,
My name is Deirdre Dyson. I live at 430 W. Loveland Ave. I’ve lived in Loveland – I discovered to my horror today – for 53 years. I knew it had been a while, but it’s been a pleasure, all those 53 years.
I wish to talk to you this evening about Grailville, not about legislation and annexation, but just about Grailville itself. I’ve questioned the idea that residential development of the property is inevitable. Grailville is a classic gem of Victorian residential architecture. Many of the unique buildings on the property include: a dining hall designed by William Schickel; a venue for recitals, weddings, and events; trails; and much more.
I understand and respect that Grailville wants and needs to sell the property, but I suggest their needs could tie in and satisfy one of Loveland’s greatest needs at the moment. In spite of the recent and the terrific, great growth and revitalization, there is one area, one item that is sadly missing in Loveland. It needs accommodations. I imagine many of you have tried to find a place for out-of-town guests within the ambience of the town. Not easy. There is an opportunity here, I believe, to transform the buildings into an absolute gem for the city, community, and area: a boutique hotel Bed & Breakfast Plus.
Could the city actively seek a different kind of developer or group to purchase and restore the property with integrity and vision to honor its historic value? Other towns of Loveland’s sizer have renovated hotels; ornately painted mansions; emphasized architectural detail. Grailville offers all those possibilities and more, with attractive landscaping and walking trails. Just imagine how delightful it would be to stay in Grailville’s renovated, plush Bed & Breakfast rooms or hotel, go for a walk on the woodland property, then explore downtown area for communal bike trail and restaurants, etc. It would not generate traffic congestion like putting 250 or so homes in that area would generate. Road and sewer demands would be a fraction of the proposed development costs.
If you have never set foot on the property, let me say that I’m not the only person to feel that there’s something very special there. You can feel it immediately you get on the property. It exudes an aura of calm and tranquility, what so many of us are seeking these days. Surely there must be some entrepreneur or company out there looking for just such an investment opportunity, to purchase to renovate as business opportunity that would serve us all.
Please don’t let Grailville be just another discarded jewel in the history of what used to be a quaint and unique town.
Loveland, Ohio, At Tuesday’s City Council meeting resident Tom Scovanner went to the podium and laid out his reasoning and research into State and Federal law as to why he declares that Loveland residents are being, “played for fools” over the request by the Drees Company to annex Grailville into the City. The Grailville annexation involves 95 acres on O’Bannon Road and Scovanner cited a Drees’ press release that said they intend to build over 200 homes on the site.
He discussed the zoning the Drees Company expects to receive and the cost to the Loveland taxpayers of providing police, water, sanitary and stormwater sewers, fire and EMS services, street lighting, inspection services, and planning and zoning services. He said that Drees is expecting that City Council will re-zone the property and allow more than double the number of home sites than the land is currently zoned to handle.
He requested that Council rescind their request of approval to the Clermont County Commissioners until more is known about the impact to the City of the annexation is known.
Scovanner, a lawyer, said while holding up a large set of printed files, that although he has done the legal research, more is needed.
At press time, it is unknown if the Commissioners signed the paperwork on Wednesday as Scovanner anticipated they might.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Clermont County Commission approved the Annexation by unanimous vote on Wednesday, October 27.
![[VIDEO] Fellow residents chastised by Todd Osborne over their views on annexing Grailville and parking garage](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/todd-osborne.jpg)
![[VIDEO] Larry Schramm: “Current city infrastructure is increasingly strained.”](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/larry-tram.jpg)
![[VIDEO] Duane Charbonneau questions advantage of annexation of Grailville](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Duane-Charbonneau.jpg)
![[VIDEO] Kim Lukens on Grailville Annexation](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/kim-lunken.jpg)
