Dorsey Building
Also known as: Bindel's (overflow)
Why it's listed
Built in 1899 at 208 S. Main Street in Lima, this two-story commercial building is faced in yellow brick with limestone trim. Its builder was Emory H. Dorsey. The facade carries low-relief carved stone ornament in symmetrical patterns of foliated and abstract motifs in the Sullivanesque manner. Ornate capitals top the pilasters at the second floor, and a central pilaster rises from the center windows to the roof line, topped with intricately woven designs that may show Celtic influence. A parapet with a name plate crowns the front. The first floor has been remodeled and the windows altered, but the stone carving remains intact. The carver is unknown. With the nearby Linneman Building, it is considered to hold the most ornate exterior stone carving in the city. It differs from many other buildings raised on South Main Street during the 1890s. At the time of the survey it housed a furniture store and was in good condition.
Significance in brief: The building is significant for its fine Sullivanesque carved stone ornamentation, which survives largely unaffected despite alterations to the first floor and windows. Along with the Linneman Building, it is probably the most ornate exterior stone carving in the city. It is stylistically related to the Linneman Building but differs from many other 1890s buildings on South Main Street.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 82001350, listed October 7, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 208 S. Main St., Lima |
|---|---|
| County | Allen County |
| Listed | October 7, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001350 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Emory H. Dorsey (builder); the stone carver is unknown |
| Architectural style | Eclectic with Sullivanesque details |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good interior and exterior condition, in use as a furniture store at the time of the survey; first floor remodeled with greenish covering. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.73776, -84.10541 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 82001350.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5298897
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.