Lock Tender's House and Inn
Also known as: See Also:Ohio and Erie Canal
Why it's listed
Beside the Ohio and Erie Canal in Valley View, a two-story wood frame building with clapboard siding and a gable roof sits opposite Lock No. 38. Dating to about the 1830s and built in the Classic Revival style, it is reputed to have been a lock tender's house, on the left, with an inn for canal travelers on the right. No documentation has been found to confirm this, but the design of the building and its closeness to the lock and spillway make the local tradition entirely plausible. Porches at the left front and right rear were added later, the front one probably between 1910 and 1920. The double doors on the right-hand section were probably a later change, possibly to admit vehicles. It originally served as a dwelling and inn and now serves as a dwelling and storage. It is the only surviving structure of its kind on this part of the canal in the Cuyahoga Valley, which gives it particular value to the canal's history.
Significance in brief: The building is reputed to be a lock tender's house and canal inn, a tradition made plausible by its design and its closeness to Lock No. 38 and its spillway. It is the only such structure still standing for that stretch of the canal in the Cuyahoga Valley. It is also part of the Ohio and Erie Canal historic district.
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 79000293, listed December 11, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 7104 Canal Rd., Valley View |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | December 11, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000293 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Classic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Transportation, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Exterior and interior condition are given as good; present use is dwelling and storage. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Ohio and Erie Canal |
| Coordinates | 41.37248, -81.61303 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 79000293.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q96781857
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.