Hughes Manor
Also known as: White House Manor
Why it's listed
Hughes Manor is a farm estate of about ten and a half acres in Lemon Township, south of Middletown, Ohio. Its centerpiece is a 2.5-story wood-frame farmhouse built in the late 1850s in the Greek Revival style and remodeled in 1889 with Queen Anne features, including colored-glass windows, bay windows and a curvilinear Eastlake porch completed in 1891. Around the house stand a summer kitchen, corn crib, livestock barn, carriage barn and a small cottage for farm hands, most dating to the 1850s. The property was the home of Samuel Kain Hughes, a Butler County farmer, livestock dealer, banker and political writer who corresponded with presidents and governors and was known as the "Sage of Lesourdsville." He obtained the home in 1873 and died in 1924, after which the larger estate was divided. The surviving house and outbuildings together present a complete picture of a prosperous late nineteenth-century farmstead.
Significance in brief: The house shows a fashionable shift from Greek Revival to Queen Anne styling, with an outstanding Eastlake wrap-around porch finished in 1891. The complete farmstead of outbuildings represents a prosperous late 19th-century farm. It was also the home of Samuel Kain Hughes, a prominent Butler County agriculturist, businessman and political writer known as the "Sage of Lesourdsville."
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 94000242, listed March 17, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5894 Hamilton--Lebanon Rd., Middletown |
|---|---|
| County | Butler County |
| Listed | March 17, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000242 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1873-1924 |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century Greek Revival; Late Victorian Eastlake, Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture, Politics/Government |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition and retaining historic integrity; a modern rear kitchen was added within the last three years, and the current function is single dwelling. |
| Acreage | 10.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.44738, -84.41760 (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 94000242.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5933379
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.