House of Wills
Also known as: Cleveland GesangVerein Hall; Cleveland Hebrew Institute
Why it's listed
Built in 1900 at 2491 East 55th Street in Cleveland, this brick building was designed by architect Frederic W. Striebinger for the Cleveland Gesang Verein, a German singing society and social hall. Its later uses trace shifts in the surrounding community. From 1921 to 1932 it housed the Cleveland Hebrew School and Institute. Between 1937 and 1941 it served various Black Baptist congregations and a Masonic hall. Since 1941 it has been the House of Wills, a leading Black funeral home in the city. The building is 3-1/2 stories with a T-shaped plan, a steep gabled roof with wall dormers, stone trim, and windows divided by stone mullions. Double-height paired windows mark the facade, and stone courses define each floor level. A rear wing has brick buttresses and shed-roof dormers. It sits beside Shiloh Baptist Church on a major north-south street. Its layered history of German, Jewish and Black community use is the basis of its significance.
Significance in brief: The building documents changing social patterns in Cleveland. It was first a German social hall, then a Hebrew school, then home to Black Baptist churches and a Masonic hall, and since 1941 the House of Wills, a leading Black funeral home. It is also an example of work by Striebinger, described as a major Cleveland eclectic architect.
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 82001367, listed December 17, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2491 E. 55th St., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | December 17, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001367 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Frederic W. Striebinger (architect) |
| Architectural style | Eclectic |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use as a funeral home (House of Wills) since 1941; exterior condition listed as good, with alterations noted. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.49072, -81.65141 (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 82001367.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137699109
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.