Buehl House
Also known as: Dr. John Clark House
Why it's listed
Built around 1859, this two-story house at 118 East Bridge Street in Berea, Ohio, is constructed of cut Berea sandstone. The front is polished block, the sides unpolished block, and the rear rough-hewn stone. It has a hip roof with a center chimney, a pilastered entrance with sidelights and transom, and a later one-story stone kitchen addition. Inside, oak moldings, built-in china closets and original fireplaces survive across ten rooms. Dr. John Clark, a physician active in the 1860s, is believed to have built it, and the Buehl family owned it from 1918. Berea's quarries supplied grindstones and building stone used in structures such as the Ohio Capitol, and quarries once reached the back and side door of this property. The house was recognized as a symbol of that industry and as one of few local examples of a free masonry style using hand-tooled sandstone. The Berea Historical Society hoped to turn it into a museum of local history.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as a symbol of the Berea sandstone quarrying industry, which made "Berea Grit" famous. It is also described as one of the few local examples of a free masonry style developed from hand-tooled sandstone. Its owners over time were recognized citizens of the community.
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 76001388, listed April 30, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 118 E. Bridge St., Berea |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | April 30, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001388 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1859 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Greek Revival (free masonry style developed from hand-tooled sandstone) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition and altered, with a later one-story kitchen addition; used as a private residence at the time of nomination. The Berea Historical Society hoped to buy it for a museum. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.36611, -81.84960 (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 76001388.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4985356
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.