Laughlin, Homer, House
Also known as: Fraternal Order of Eagles
Why it's listed
Built in 1882 at 414 Broadway in East Liverpool, Ohio, this two-story brick Queen Anne house was the residence of Homer Laughlin, who founded the Homer Laughlin China Company in 1871. The company moved across the Ohio River to Newell, West Virginia, in 1905 and remains one of the few major potteries still operating. The house is notable for its terra cotta ornament, a product of the East Liverpool potteries, along with stained glass windows and transoms, carved double doors, projecting bays, decorative porches, brackets and woodwork in the gable ends. The Fraternal Order of Eagles bought the building in 1916 and added a large rear section and enclosed the front porch. The nomination concludes that these changes did not compromise the building's form, roofline, openings or detailing. It is one of very few downtown properties left from the pottery era, and it reflects the role of fraternal lodges in local social life. A stone retaining wall and iron fence line the Broadway frontage.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites three grounds: its builder, Homer Laughlin, was a leading East Liverpool pottery manufacturer who founded the Homer Laughlin China Company in 1871. It is one of the few downtown properties still tied to the pottery industry, and it is distinctive for architectural terra cotta, a product of the local potteries. Its long use by the Fraternal Order of Eagles, since 1916, also reflects the community's social and cultural history.
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 85003513, listed November 14, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 414 Broadway, East Liverpool |
|---|---|
| County | Columbiana County |
| Listed | November 14, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003513 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Built by Homer Laughlin; architect and contractor unknown |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a fraternal lodge by the Fraternal Order of Eagles since 1916; exterior described as deteriorated, with a rear addition and an enclosed front porch. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | East Liverpool Downtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.61746, -80.57704 (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 85003513.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5890134
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.