{"nrhp_refnum":"85003411","name":"Smith, Dr. Robert and Anne House","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"855 Ardmore Ave.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Akron","county":"Summit County","state":"OH","lat":41.09599117000005,"lon":-81.54876805599997,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1985-10-31","is_nhl":true,"nhl_designated_date":"2012-10-16","areas_of_significance":["Social History"],"significance_levels":["national"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A 2 1/2 story frame house built about 1915 on a corner lot at 855 Ardmore Avenue in an early 20th century residential subdivision in northwestern Akron, Summit County, Ohio.","why_significant":"The house is significant under criterion B for its association with Dr. Robert Smith, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. Smith lived there from 1915 until his death in 1950. AA was founded in 1935 through his friendship with Bill Wilson, and group meetings and treatment took place in the house during the program's early development in Akron.","narrative":"This 2 1/2 story frame house at 855 Ardmore Avenue in Akron was built about 1915 and served as the home of Dr. Robert Smith and his wife Anne until his death in 1950. It has horizontal wood siding, a gable roof with two front dormers, a full-length front porch on brick pillars, and 4/1 double-hung windows. Inside, the dining room has a coffered beam ceiling and the living room has oak flooring. Smith, an Akron surgeon, met New York stockbroker Bill Wilson in May 1935, and the two men's friendship led to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous. Smith's last drink is traditionally dated June 10, 1935, which is viewed as the movement's birth date. Group meetings were held in the house, and Smith also treated alcoholics there. The house remains much as it was when the Smiths lived in it. A non-profit foundation recently bought it to operate as a museum.","period_of_significance":"1900- (specific date 1935)","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":null,"criteria":["B"],"status_note":"Described as in good condition, unaltered and on its original site; recently purchased by a non-profit foundation to interpret the house as a museum.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:53:10.230883-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_OH/85003411.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/85003411/5bf3bb750b-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/85003411/5bf3bb750b-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Nyttend","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dr._Bob%27s_House.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Nyttend</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dr._Bob%27s_House.jpg"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71991657","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dr._Robert_Smith_House","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21592135"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/ohio/summit-county/smith-dr-robert-and-anne-house-85003411/"}