Goldsmith, Jacob, House
Also known as: Jewish Infants Orphan Home; Universal Negro Improvment Associ
Why it's listed
This large red brick and cut stone mansion at 2200 East 40th Street in Cleveland is a richly detailed example of Victorian Eastlake design. It has a crested hip roof, paneled chimneys with stone pots, and a Dutch gabled dormer with a carved stone pediment. Inside, a central stair hall organizes the plan, and the main rooms have carved and spindled wood or marble chimneypieces. Jacob Goldsmith, a partner in a wholesale clothing firm, moved in during 1880. By 1908 the house held the Jewish Infants Orphan Home, which cared mainly for pre-school children and added the brick auditorium at the southwest corner. In 1923 the Universal Negro Improvement Association, founded by Marcus Garvey, acquired the building and still owned it at the time of nomination. The house was listed for its architecture and as one of the few remaining mansions in Cleveland on the scale of those that once lined Euclid Avenue.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it a superb example of Eastlake architecture and one of the few great masonry mansions left in Cleveland's inner city. It was built by a wealthy Jewish clothing merchant, later housed the Jewish Infants Orphan Home, and from 1923 served as the Cleveland branch of the Universal Negro Improvement Association.
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 78002039, listed March 8, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2200 E. 40th St., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | March 8, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002039 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1880; 1908; 1923 |
| Architectural style | Victorian Eastlake |
| Areas of significance | Black, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still owned by the Universal Negro Improvement Association at the time of nomination; original fabric described as intact and in remarkably good condition, though the rear porch is badly deteriorated. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.49816, -81.65711 (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 78002039.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.