The Lutheran Church of
Our Savior

     In 1895, John H. Patterson, Founder of the National Cash Register Co. (NCR), used part of his fortune to construct a 43-room, 5 bay, frame European chalet-style home.  The site chosen for the house was at the crest of a steep hill on a tract of land that Mr. Patterson had acquired from his mother, Julia Johnson Patterson.  Colonial Robert Patterson, John's paternal grandfather, had originally owned the land.  The estate was named "Far Hills" and included a gate lodge at the Oakwood Avenue/Lebanon Turnpike (now Far Hills Ave.) intersection.  

     Following Mr. Patterson's death, his only son, Fredrick Beck Patterson, had the frame of the house razed to have his own 31-room home constructed on the same site.  This is the same structure you see today.  The style he chose was an English country Tudor by Harrie T. Lindeberg, a prominent New York architect.  Mr. Lindeberg's signature style was the dramatic roof, executed in rare Scottish slate.  The house took several years to build and was completed in 1924.  The hand-carved wood paneling throughout the interior came from a number of earlier structures being dismantled in Europe and Great Britain.  The stone window "surrounds" and much of the exterior trim were also imported from Europe.  The brick pavement in the entry hall was originally a portion of a London street, and the stained glass windows in the main stair tower were from a Spanish Castle in Cuba.  Many of the lovely details throughout the home remain.

     Fredrick Patterson (who by now had become president of NCR), his wife, Evelyn Huffman Patterson, and their two daughters, lived in this home.  There were ten staff members, including a governess and several live-in servants whose quarters were on the second and third floors.  The multi-bay garage behind the sanctuary is a portion of a larger garage group that was relocated by Fredrick to this property, and was covered, in part, with brick from the 1920's structure. 

     The Patterson home and some of the surrounding acreage were sold to John A. MacMillan, founder of the Dayton Tire and Rubber Co. in 1940.  By this time, Fredrick had decided to leave NCR and relocate outside of the Dayton area.

     In 1953, upon the deaths of both Mr. and Mrs. MacMillan, the building and property were bequeathed to Miami Valley Hospital to become a residence hall for the School of Nursing.  The hospital, however, was unable to use the bequest, and in 1955, it was purchased by The Lutheran Church of Our Savior.  When the congregation occupied the building, the original living room became the worship space, with overflow seating in the library.  In 1960, the sanctuary, office complex and fellowship hall were added.  In 1999, an elevator was installed to provide accessibility.  We utilize all parts of the first and second floors and parts of the basement for ministry, with the third floor and other parts of the basement for storage.  In 2008, construction was completed on an HVAC system that provides air conditioning to the Patterson/MacMillan (now Parish) House for the first time since the building was erected.  Restoration and enhancement is an on-going endeavor.

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We are blessed to have such a beautiful, historic place to serve God and our community.  Please come take a look around!