Traveling north from his home in Dayton, John Aull discovered a peaceful farm and small cabin along the banks of the Stillwater River. In 1909, he purchased the 150-acre farm and cabin on a grassy knoll beside the woods. He used it as a weekend retreat, enjoying the tranquility and ever-changing natural wonder found all around. The original house was simply the middle section of the house you see today, with the chimney where John Aull purchased it in 1909. In the early 1910's the sleeping porches, the kitchen, portico and back room were added.
John would bring his young bride, Marie, to live in this location in the 1920's, and the two would transform the land from a working farm into a home with a collection of wildflowers, beautiful gardens and natural areas. Under Marie's influence, house was again remodeled in the Arts and Crafts style. It has small, dark paneled rooms on the first floor and large glass doors so you get the fun impact of the beauty outdoors.
Although John died in 1955, Marie lived in the home until her death in 2002. She was 105. For 25 years, she watched from the house as the public visited her gardens as a MetroPark.
Marie once told a reporter, "Sometimes a visitor will come over to see me and ask 'Do you know Marie Aull?' I'll say that I do, and they'll watch a while and wander on. I suppose they wonder why an old lady like me has to work as a gardener."
The Aull house is not open to the public, but is open occasionally for tours. This woodland garden and home are on both the Ohio State and National Historic Registries.
