Luelleman, William, House
Also known as: Gerhard Hehemann House
Why it's listed
Built in 1837 at 122 North Main Street in New Bremen, Ohio, this two-story wood frame house has hand-hewn, pegged walnut and ash timbers, with spaces between the studs filled with homemade brick, straw and mud, a technique called nogging. It has a gable roof, two interior chimneys, and a west facade with hooded entrances and 6/6 double-hung windows. Originally built as a double-occupancy dwelling with three front entrances, it was remodeled in 1937, and a summer kitchen was added in 1870 by the Luelleman family. Its first owner, Gerhard Hehemann, was a town leader who died with his family in a cholera epidemic in the late 1840s or early 1850s. The house also served as a store, post office and church. It is valued as an example of frontier German architecture and as the oldest free-standing structure in the German colony of New Bremen, chartered in 1833. It now serves as a museum.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as an example of frontier German architecture, with symmetrical German design and transoms over the doors. It is described as the oldest free-standing structure in the German colony of New Bremen, chartered in 1833, and one of the first buildings there other than log cabins. It also served as a store, post office and church.
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 75001322, listed May 21, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 122 N. Main St., New Bremen |
|---|---|
| County | Auglaize County |
| Listed | May 21, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001322 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | German Vernacular (frontier German architecture) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Structurally in good condition and excellent condition per the form; owned by the New Bremen Historical Association and used as a museum, with work in progress noted at the time of nomination. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.43892, -84.38210 (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 75001322.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4878559
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.