Burt, William, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1841, this one-and-one-half-story farmhouse on Brecksville Road was the home of William Burt, who emigrated from Massachusetts to Brecksville around 1833. The braced-frame house has clapboard siding, a sandstone foundation, a five-bay facade and a Greek Revival central entrance with narrow pilasters. Seen from the southwest it takes the form of a New England "saltbox," a type rarely found in this part of Ohio, though only half the form appears because the north side has a standard gable above a rear ell. Burt farmed here with his wife Thankful until their deaths in 1882 and 1883, and their son Charles stayed on the farm until 1910. In 1924 the property was sold to the Cleveland Metropolitan Park District while it was establishing the Brecksville Reservation. The district has used the house as a ranger residence. Alterations include changed windows, a porch and an enlarged ell.
Significance in brief: The house is presented as an example of the Western Reserve settlement story, built by a Massachusetts emigrant. It is also architecturally notable as a "saltbox" form, common in New England but rarely found in northeast Ohio. Only half the saltbox form appears, since the north wall has a standard gable to accommodate the ell.
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 79000286, listed March 22, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 9525 Brecksville Rd., Brecksville |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | March 22, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000286 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | William Burt (builder) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Cleveland Metropolitan Park District and used as a residence for park rangers; condition listed as good, with numerous alterations. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 41.30287, -81.62647 (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 79000286.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q96782277
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.