Honam, John, House
Also known as: The Old Stone House
Why it's listed
Built in 1838, the Old Stone House is a one-and-a-half-story dwelling of locally quarried sandstone blocks, with a wooden summer kitchen on its west side. John Honam, a Scottish-born weaver, bought a 97 1/2 acre tract in Rockport, now Lakewood, and farmed it. Tax records indicate he built the house six years after arriving. Early settlers in the Western Reserve often replaced log cabins with stone homes of this kind, and this one is the oldest stone building in Lakewood and perhaps Cuyahoga County. Later it served as a doctor's office and for retail uses. In 1952 it was saved from demolition and moved into Lakewood Park, which lies within Honam's original tract. The summer kitchen and a basement were added in 1975. The interior has been restored with furnishings from the 1830s and 1840s, and the house operates as a museum of pioneer life.
Significance in brief: It is a surviving example of the sturdy stone houses early settlers in the Western Reserve built to replace log cabins. It is the oldest stone building in Lakewood and perhaps in Cuyahoga County. It also reflects the settlement of East Rockport (now Lakewood) by farmers who bought land from the Connecticut Land Company.
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 77001054, listed April 13, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 14710 Lake Ave., Lakewood |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | April 13, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001054 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1838 |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored and operated by the Lakewood Historical Society as a museum of pioneer living, with over 5,000 visitors annually; in excellent condition, owned by the City of Lakewood. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.49330, -81.79843 (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 77001054.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137723337
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.