South South Street Historic District
Why it's listed
South South Street in Wilmington, Ohio, is a residential street immediately south of the downtown business district. The historic district along it includes 66 contributing buildings, nearly all houses and outbuildings, built between about 1830 and 1920. Styles include Federal, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Stick and Craftsman, along with house types such as the I-house, Hall-and-Parlor and American Foursquare. Older and larger brick homes sit farther back from the road than later frame houses. Local architect William Cleveland designed or is thought to have designed several of them, among them the Hildebrant, Wire, Wickersham and Brackney houses. Many original owners were local merchants, packers and tradesmen, and many belonged to the Society of Friends. The Jeremiah Durkin House is cited as an outstanding Stick style example. The southern end keeps a rural look, anchored by the Hildebrant House, its barn and open land sloping toward Lytle's Creek.
Significance in brief: The district shows a wide range of house styles and types found in American small towns between 1840 and 1920, including Greek Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Stick and Craftsman. Several houses are tied to local architect William Cleveland. The street also documents the gradual growth of the area and the lives of local merchants and Quaker families who lived there.
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 93000396, listed May 6, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 151--515 S. South St., Wilmington |
|---|---|
| County | Clinton County |
| Listed | May 6, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93000396 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | William Cleveland (architect of several houses, including the Jefferson Hildebrant House and John W. Wire House) |
| Architectural style | Italianate, Greek Revival, Stick/Eastlake, with Federal, Gothic Revival, Second Empire, Queen Anne and Craftsman examples |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current functions include single dwellings, multiple dwellings, secondary structures and some commercial/business use. |
| Acreage | 43.8 |
| Coordinates | 39.44127, -83.83042 (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).
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 93000396.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.