Kies, Lewis, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1874 on Cleveland's near east side, this two-story brick house at 4208 Prospect Avenue is an Italianate residence with a sandstone foundation, hand-carved sandstone lintels, a hipped roof and a massive bracketed wood cornice. A projecting central pediment and tall, narrow windows give the front a formal, symmetrical look. Inside, a broad center hall, white marble fireplaces with carved overmantels, heavy woodwork, plaster cornices and a walnut staircase survive largely intact. Its first owner, Lewis G. Kies, was a railroad superintendent; banker Lewis A. Murfey lived there from 1910. By 1929 it was a rooming house, and in 1949 a storefront addition turned part of it into a bakery. That addition was removed in 2002, and a 2003 rehabilitation restored the front windows and porch. The house is valued as one of few remaining brick Italianate homes in Cleveland and one of the best preserved on Prospect Avenue.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion C as a relatively rare surviving example of post-Civil War brick Italianate residential architecture in Cleveland. It retains fine sandstone lintels, a massive bracketed cornice, marble fireplaces and a walnut staircase. It reflects the prestige of Prospect Avenue as a residential street and is one of a handful of brick Italianate houses left on Upper Prospect.
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 04000833, listed August 11, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 4208 Prospect Ave., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | August 11, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000833 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1874-1929 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Rehabilitated in 2002-03, including removal of a 1949 storefront addition, reconstruction of the front porch and repair of the front elevation; the form lists a current commerce/trade (business) function. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Midtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.50223, -81.65691 (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 04000833.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137649892
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.