The history of the Ahlborn mansion starts in the early 1890's. It was constructed for the family of Henry Ahlborn, the co-founder of Verona's American Bronze Powder Manufacturing Company.
According to town historian Robert Williams, the company was the only producer of bronze powder in in the region at the time. The factory would use mechanical hammers to smash solid bronze to bits so that it could be used in paints and similar decorative purposes. It's also mentioned that the company helped supply the US government with products for Project Manhattan. It was unquestionably one of the most successful businesses in Verona's history.
Mr. Ahlborn's mansion was completed just short of two decades after the company set up shop in town. The stately Victorian graced the corner of Personette and Fairview for over a hundred years before beginning to fall into disrepair. The American Bronze Powder Manufacturing Company had long since closed, and was partially renovated into a new industrial application. The mansion was not as lucky.
After changing hands a number of times over the century, the home was eventually sold to a couple who had no interest in preserving the historic structure. They claimed it was "too far gone", as downtrodden preservationists have been hearing for decades. It was demolished without much warning in June of 2016. A few pieces of the home were salvaged, and hopefully can be reused in the new construction. The Ahlborn mansion was just one of roughly a half dozen historic homes in Verona that have been demolished between 2014 and 2016. Just another example of a town that cares more about money than their architectural legacy.
developers can be very nasty people. Its a poor name as such folks are surely not developing as implied by the name but rather making money for themselves regardless of teh cost to others.
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