When Todd and Martha Monk decided to move to Columbus, Ohio, from South Bend, Indiana, in 2019, they looked at homes in Bexley, Clintonville and German Village. It was an old home in the latter neighborhood that really caught their attention.
“The feel of the community and the heart of it spoke to us,” Martha said. “When I first came to this house and clicked that old gate (to enter the property) and then opened that original door and saw those old living room pocket doors, I just knew I wanted to own a piece of history like this.”
The couple purchased the home, located at 544 S. Sixth St., in February 2020, and moved in with their rescue animals — dogs Duke and Gonzo, and their cat Ru.
Todd has had a long career in the construction industry. He relocated to Columbus to work for Amazon Web Services as a manager of construction in December 2019. Martha works in human resources for a consulting firm.
Within months of moving in, they began a whole-home restoration project. “It was important for us to embrace the history and make it period correct,” Martha said.
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According to information the Monks sourced from the German Village Society, the history of the home dates back to 1880, when Henry and Catherine Orthoefer, a painter and homemaker, respectively, purchased the property — originally Lot No. 10 in Brayden’s Addition.
The home was built in 1892. Henry later sold the home to his three daughters for $1 for “love and affection.” His daughter, Frances Orthoefer, was a beloved music teacher who hosted piano lessons and recitals in the home, where the family lived for more than 80 years.
How the historical German Village home was restored
Todd restored the home himself, which included over five years of hands-on work. This involved meticulously preserving the Italianate-style home’s original millwork, doors and windows, reconditioning hardware and iron work and restoring the plaster walls.
Any trim, millwork and doors not original to the home were removed. He had custom molding knives made to mill trim and doors to match the original profiles.
The project also involved removing original windows, restoring and reinstalling them with reconditioned weights, pulleys and ropes to make them functional. If a window needed new glass, Todd procured Restover glass from Germany to replicate the look of the original material.
The home has two and a half baths that were gutted and rebuilt. An upstairs bathroom had a claw-foot tub that wasn’t functional and was replaced with a glass shower. Todd said the only place the home strays from the period-correct feel is in the owner’s bathroom, where he created a spa feel with a heated floor, steam shower and light, modern colors.
The kitchen was redesigned to blend modern-day amenities with the historic elements. Custom cabinetry and custom forged bronze cabinet hardware were installed. Light switches were sourced from London. Hand-polished nickel faucet fixtures adorn both a hammered nickel sink and a porcelain sink.
The Monks spent three years searching for extremely dark green — almost black — soapstone with prominent white veining for the kitchen island and countertops. They visited Stone Mart without success but decided to check one last time.
“By chance, they had just received seven new soapstone slabs that day — none of which were even on display yet,” Todd said.
“Incredibly, three of the slabs were exactly what we’d been looking for. It was a premium lot, and timing was everything: The remaining four slabs sold within days. Stone of this quality and color is exceptionally rare.”
The property’s outdoor spaces also were improved with retaining walls, grading, brick paver walkways and bluestone patios. All flora, except for trees over 60 years old, were replaced. New trees, shrubs, bushes and flowers were planted to attract and nourish native wildlife. Within two months, dozens of new species began visiting daily.
The importance of proper, thoughtful restoration
The restoration, the Monks believe, has returned the home to its original glory. Everything that could be salvaged was restored, and replacements were custom-made to match the period. The home will be a part of this year’s annual German Village Haus und Garten Tour on June 29.
“If we didn’t restore the home, we thought it was possible that future buyers would strip away its original materials and replace them with whatever was in vogue at the time,” Todd said.
“If that were to happen, the home would never be able to truly regain its original character. This home deserved to be restored. We knew when we first walked in that front door that we were the ones to do it.”
He said this level of preserved heritage in German Village is rare anywhere in the country. Too often, historic homes simply are remodeled, turning them into nondescript dwellings that are trendy at the time.
“This is a historic treasure we felt passionate about saving so it can be preserved for another 100-plus years,” he said. That includes its future owners.
The Monks plan to list the property for sale as they look to move closer to mountains for skiing and rivers for kayaking.
This story appeared in the June 2025 issue of Columbus Monthly.
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This article originally appeared on Columbus Monthly: How this couple restored a 133-yrear-old Ohio home
