Rich, Charles B., House
Also known as: Squire Rich Historical Museum
Why it's listed
Built about 1846 on Brecksville Road, this plain Greek Revival farmhouse was the home of Charles B. Rich, an early settler who arrived from New York in 1835. The one-and-one-half-story frame house has a five-bay front, a central entrance, clapboard siding and a rear ell holding a kitchen and carriage house. Inside, floors are white ash and the woodwork and doors are black walnut. Rich farmed about fifty-five acres, served as township trustee, and was Justice of the Peace for nearly thirty years. Local accounts say he held trials in the sitting room and performed weddings in the parlor until the town hall opened in 1874. The park district bought the house in 1922, and it opened as the Squire Rich Museum in 1944. A barn and chicken coop, thought to be original to the farmstead, are used for craft demonstrations. Its typical design and good preservation underlie its listing.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as an intact, well-preserved example of a modest farmhouse typical of those built by early Brecksville settlers. It is also tied to Charles B. Rich, a settler, township trustee and longtime Justice of the Peace who heard cases in the sitting room. It has been a community museum since 1944.
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 79000295, listed February 22, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 9367 Brecksville Rd., Brecksville |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | February 22, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000295 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1846 |
| Architect / builder | Charles Richardson |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Law, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Cleveland Metropolitan Park District and operated as a museum, open to the public on Sunday afternoons from May through October. Described as occupied and in a very good state of preservation. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 41.30710, -81.62651 (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 79000295.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q96743059
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.