Hubbard, Col. William, House
Also known as: Great Emporium; Mother Hubbard's Cupboard
Why it's listed
Built in 1834 by Col. William Hubbard, this two-story, five-bay brick house in Ashtabula, Ohio, was originally a simple country Greek Revival residence near the Lake Erie shore. Hubbard, a Connecticut native and War of 1812 veteran, moved from New York and joined his family's lumber and warehouse business. He also took part in local politics and the anti-slavery society. The house is remembered as a terminus of an Underground Railroad line in the Western Reserve, where escapees arriving from the Ohio River were sheltered before ship captains carried them across the lake to Canada. Stories of secret rooms and a tunnel to the shore are told, but the nomination gives them little credence. Over time the house lost its two ells, gained a porch, and had its interior and windows altered. It later served as a private club and city recreation offices. Its park setting and lake view suggested future public use as an interpretation center.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house was a major terminus of an eastern Ohio line of the Underground Railroad. Escaping slaves were sheltered there before being carried by boat across Lake Erie to Canada. Hubbard was an active member of the local anti-slavery society, and the house is tied to that movement in the Western Reserve.
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 73001385, listed March 20, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Corner of Lake Ave. and Walnut Blvd., Ashtabula |
|---|---|
| County | Ashtabula County |
| Listed | March 20, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001385 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1834) |
| Architect / builder | Col. William Hubbard (owner and builder) |
| Architectural style | Country Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition described as fair to good; the interior and exterior have been altered. The city used it for Recreation Department offices until recent months, and it was recently vandalized and improperly maintained, with demolition or transfer to a private group under consideration. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.89971, -80.80463 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 73001385.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137594277
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.