Picking, D., And Company
Why it's listed
D. Picking and Company is a copper kettle factory at 119 South Walnut Street in Bucyrus, Ohio. It began in the early 1870s, when the founder made hammered copper kettles as a sideline to his hardware business in the back of a brick store. The kettles sold so well that the building was enlarged in 1874 with a frame addition to hold a copper-goods factory, and the hardware section was later removed. The result is one long, narrow, two-story structure with an office, shipping room, cutting area, brazing and forming room, and hammering and cleaning space. Coal stoves from 1874 still heat it. The only major changes were telephone and electric service after 1900, with motors now driving the old line shafts. The nomination describes it as the last hand-hammered copper kettle factory in the United States. Its remaining products include apple butter kettles, candy kettles and tympani, which prominent musicians consider among the world's best.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as the last remaining hand-hammered copper kettle factory in the United States, still operating in its original and essentially unaltered plant. Its products, including tympani kettle drums, are noted as unique in Ohio and the nation. The business has run for a century in the same building.
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 74001425, listed July 11, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 119 S. Walnut St., Bucyrus |
|---|---|
| County | Crawford County |
| Listed | July 11, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001425 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th and 20th centuries; specific date 1874 |
| Areas of significance | Industry |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as an industrial plant; the form describes the building as unaltered and on its original site. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.80592, -82.97412 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 74001425.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137625532
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.