Scroggs House
Also known as: Bucyrus Historical Museum
Why it's listed
Located at 202 S. Walnut Street in Bucyrus, this two-story frame house began in 1839 as the home of John Scroggs, a hatter. His son Jacob, a lawyer and mayor of Bucyrus, extensively remodeled it in 1871, finishing in 1873. The work replaced the front rooms with eight new rooms and a center entry hall in the Victorian Italianate manner. The exterior has a hip roof with an iron-railed widow's walk, a projecting center bay with a triangular pediment, paired brackets with dentils, and segmental and round-arched windows. Inside are a wide main stairway, slate fireplaces, and a library with a walnut mantel. The Scroggs family kept the house until it passed to St. Paul's Church, which used it as a parsonage until 1970. It was then deeded to the Bucyrus Historical Society, which operates it as a museum. Its architecture and its link to a locally prominent family account for its importance to the city.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a well cared for, handsome example of a mid-nineteenth century home. It is also tied to the Scroggs family, early settlers and important local politicians, which makes it important to Bucyrus.
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 74001426, listed October 9, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 202 S. Walnut St., Bucyrus |
|---|---|
| County | Crawford County |
| Listed | October 9, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001426 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific dates 1839 & 1871) |
| Architect / builder | John Scroggs, a hatter, built the original 1839 house; his son Jacob Scroggs remodeled it in 1871. |
| Architectural style | Victorian Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition, unaltered, on its original site, and used as a museum by the Bucyrus Historical Society. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Bucyrus Commercial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.80746, -82.97381 (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 74001426.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137625559
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.