High Street Commercial Block (Boundary Increase)
Also known as: Stuass Department Store; Mehrum Building & Lindley Building
Why it's listed
Three connected three-story buildings at 228, 232 and 236 High Street form a commercial block on Hamilton's historic main street. They were built between 1874 and 1878 and have sandstone façades in Italianate and First Renaissance Revival styles. The westernmost, built in 1874 for the Second National Bank, is linked internally to the center Howell-Sohngen Building, built in 1875 for a dry goods store. The eastern Davis-McCrory Building is described as a rare local example of First Renaissance Revival design. Later tenants included grocery, shoe, department and variety stores, and each first floor was altered over time. A metal false front added in the 1950s was removed in 1993, leaving partial cornices. Upper floors keep most original wood and metal windows, plaster walls and pressed tin ceilings, along with a bank vault and traces of skylit atria added around 1902 to 1907. The block was recognized for its architecture and its role in the commercial life of Hamilton and Butler County.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites Architecture and Commerce as areas of significance, under Criteria A and C. The block shows Italianate and First Renaissance Revival styling and retains much of its historic windows and pressed tin ceilings. Its alterations reflect Hamilton's role as the commercial heart of Butler County.
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). NRHP reference 14000292, listed May 23, 2014. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 216-226 High St., Hamilton |
|---|---|
| County | Butler County |
| Listed | May 23, 2014 |
| Reference number | 14000292 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1874-1953 |
| Architectural style | Italianate; First Renaissance Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed current function is vacant. Storefronts are concealed by plywood surrounds, and the false front added in the 1950s was removed in 1993. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Within district | Hamilton Downtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.39787, -84.56115 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 14000292.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives)
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.