Lane-Hooven House
Also known as: Red Cross Building
Why it's listed
Built in 1863 for Clark Lane, this one-and-a-half-story white painted brick house at 319 North Third Street in Hamilton, Ohio, is an example of the Octagon mode with mainly Gothic Revival detail. A slate roof with four gables surrounds an octagonal tower. Gables have cloverleaf bargeboards, and the main entrance sits behind a Tudor arch with carved doors and a wrought iron and wood balcony. Inside, a spiral staircase rises from the first floor to the tower, and the second-floor rooms have pointed arch doors and foiled Gothic ceilings. Lane belonged to a firm that made ironwork, threshing machines and steam engines, and he later built the Lane Free Library across the street. John L. Martin, an engineer and bank president, bought the house in 1875. The Hooven family, whose company succeeded Lane's, owned it from 1911 to 1948, then gave it to the City of Hamilton. It later served as the Red Cross chapter house.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a unique architectural statement, an Octagon-mode house with Gothic Revival detailing and a central spiral staircase rising to an octagonal tower. It is also tied to Clark Lane, a Hamilton manufacturer and civic benefactor, and to later owners John L. Martin and the Hooven family, who were prominent in local industry and banking.
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 73001389, listed October 25, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 319 N. 3rd St., Hamilton |
|---|---|
| County | Butler County |
| Listed | October 25, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001389 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1863) |
| Architectural style | Octagon mode with eclectic, primarily Gothic Revival detailing |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied, in good condition and altered; in use as the Red Cross Chapter House for Butler County. The form notes it will need exterior repair and interior renovation in the future. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | German Village Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.40366, -84.55944 (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 73001389.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14716586
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.