Coonrad, Jonas, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1875 on the western rim of the Cuyahoga Valley, this red brick farmhouse was the home of Jonas Coonrad, a New York-born former stove molder and grocer who bought a 300-acre farm in Brecksville township. He ran a dairy and a cheese factory said to have capacity for 500 cows, and the 1874 county atlas listed him as the only dairy farmer in the township. The two-story house has a sandstone foundation, tooled stone sills and lintels, two-over-two windows and an oculus in the gable. Its paneled front door recalls the Second Empire style. The house was split into two apartments in 1954, though much of the original molding survives. A 1913 bank barn stands nearby. The nomination values the house for its agricultural associations, its architecture, and its setting along a still largely rural Riverview Road. It is one of only four early brick farmhouses in the surrounding national recreation area.
Significance in brief: The house is significant for its ties to Brecksville township and to dairy-based agricultural development in the Cuyahoga River Valley. Jonas Coonrad was the only dairy farmer in the 1874 Brecksville business directory, and his farm was likely one of the township's largest. The nomination also calls it one of the finest nineteenth-century houses in the valley, and the only early brick farmhouse in the park dating from the second half of the century.
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 79000287, listed July 24, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SE of Brecksville at 10340 Riverview Rd., Brecksville |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | July 24, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000287 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Traditional brick farmhouse with Second Empire-reminiscent door detail |
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Divided into two apartments in 1954; the form lists the property as occupied and in use as a private residence, with condition checked as good and the house described as having excellent historical integrity. The land was farmed until about 1978. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 41.28054, -81.57240 (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 79000287.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q86721232
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.