Kimball House
Also known as: Doerman Residence
Why it's listed
Brick and slate give this two-and-a-half-story house at 115 N. Main Street in Mechanicsburg, Ohio, an imposing presence. Jeff Kimball, a wealthy farmer, built it between 1895 and 1897, and it stayed in the Kimball family until 1943. The house is a strong example of Queen Anne design, with irregular massing, projecting bays, stone trim around the windows, basketweave brickwork in the gable, a squat Palladian window, stained and beveled glass, a decorative front porch and ornamental iron roof cresting. An altered Shingle Style carriage house stands at the rear. The house sits along N. Main Street, where the village's most architecturally notable homes were built. It was listed for two reasons: its architecture, and its link to the agricultural economy that allowed local farmers to build some of Mechanicsburg's finest residences in the late nineteenth century. It remains a residence in very good exterior condition.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be significant under Criteria A and C. It is one of the finest remaining examples of Queen Anne architecture in Mechanicsburg. It is also tied to the village's agricultural history, since wealthy farmers built some of its finest homes in the late 19th century.
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 85001884, listed August 29, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 115 N. Main St., Mechanicsburg |
|---|---|
| County | Champaign County |
| Listed | August 29, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001884 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence; exterior condition described as very good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.07373, -83.55823 (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 85001884.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6174237
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.