{"nrhp_refnum":"73001518","name":"Kent, Zeno, House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"2.5 mi. SW of Aurora on Aurora-Hudson Rd.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Aurora","county":"Portage County","state":"OH","lat":41.28409373000005,"lon":-81.36303041699995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1973-04-23","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A 5-bay, 2-story frame farmhouse with a 1-story rear section, on Aurora-Hudson Road in Aurora Township, Portage County, Ohio, about 2.5 miles southwest of Aurora. It was built in 1821 for Zeno Kent.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the house is a true transplant of a Connecticut colonial farmhouse and one of only two of its kind in Portage County. It is described as a forerunner of Greek Revival and later Victorian styles. Despite alterations, much original material survives, especially the interior panelling, and the house served as a model for later craftsmen. Zeno Kent was also a prominent builder, businessman and banker.","narrative":"Built in 1821 on Aurora-Hudson Road in Aurora Township, this 5-bay, 2-story frame house with a 1-story rear wing brings Connecticut colonial farmhouse design to Ohio's Western Reserve. It rests on a dressed sandstone foundation and has a low-pitched slate roof, a Doric-pilastered front doorway with a hand-carved sunburst, and a rear kitchen with a brick cooking fireplace and oven. Inside, a center hall and paired parlors are finished with wood panelling that grows plainer toward the back. Its builder, Zeno Kent, born in Connecticut in 1786, was a carpenter, teacher, merchant, tanner, mill operator and later bank president. He built the Ravenna courthouse and bought the land that became the village of Kent. The house is considered one of only two of its kind in Portage County. It is valued for its surviving original material, especially the interior panelling, and as a model for later builders.","period_of_significance":"1821 (19th Century)","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Connecticut colonial farmhouse, described as a forerunner of Greek Revival","criteria":[],"status_note":"Listed in fair condition, altered, and unoccupied with preservation work in progress; acquisition by the Aurora Historical Society for restoration was anticipated. A later grant addressed roof and gutter replacement.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:10.200906-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/73001518.pdf"},"photo":null,"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71990953","wikipedia":null,"wikidata":null},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/portage-county/kent-zeno-house-73001518/"}