{"nrhp_refnum":"78002034","name":"Wheeler, John, House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"445 S. Rocky River Dr.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Berea","county":"Cuyahoga County","state":"OH","lat":41.357928919000074,"lon":-81.84722167899997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1978-12-01","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Education","Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A square, two-story brick house at 445 South Rocky River Drive in Berea, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, built in 1834 by Jonathan Vaughn, with a one and one-half story rear wing and a former summer kitchen.","why_significant":"The house is one of the oldest structures in Berea and was built by one of the town's first settlers. It was later owned by influential citizens, including Rev. John Wheeler, first president of Baldwin University. It also combines Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate and Neo-classic elements.","narrative":"Built in 1834 by Jonathan Vaughn, this square brick house on South Rocky River Drive in Berea is among the oldest buildings in the town. Vaughn belonged to a family of early settlers in Middleburg Township, with Jonathan building its first sawmill and many early houses. In 1855 Rev. John Wheeler bought the house after coming to Berea to become the first president of Baldwin University, the first university in Cuyahoga County. He sold it in 1870 to George Wallace, brother of quarry owner and benefactor James Wallace. The house reflects changing tastes: a two-story, five-bay plan with central stairhall from the Federal style, Greek Revival rectilinearity, a hip roof and belvedere added in the Italianate manner probably after 1855, and a front porch added in 1913 on Tuscan columns. A one and one-half story rear wing and former summer kitchen extend behind the main block. Interior moldings and finishes remain largely intact.","period_of_significance":"1800-1899 (specific date 1834)","architect_builder":"Jonathan Vaughn","architectural_style":"Combination of Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate and Neo-classic elements","criteria":[],"status_note":"Listed in good condition, altered, occupied as a private residence.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:12.588987-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/78002034.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78002034/1fc9fdbe7a-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/78002034/1fc9fdbe7a-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Nyttend","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Wheeler_House.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Nyttend</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_Wheeler_House.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71987626","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wheeler_House_(Berea,_Ohio)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q117429879"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/cuyahoga-county/wheeler-john-house-78002034/"}