Stearns, Lyman, Farm
Also known as: Earl Gibbs Farm
Why it's listed
On Ridge Road in Parma, Ohio, a 48-acre farm survives in the middle of a large suburban city. Nine structures sit close to the road, including an 1855 two-story frame farmhouse with a kitchen wing, an 1855 barn with hand-hewn beams and many later additions, and a 1919 bungalow-style house built by Earl and Eliza Gibbs. Fields, orchards, woods and windbreak tree lines remain behind them. The land was part of the Ely Tract and passed to Lyman Stearns in 1855. The farm operated until 1976. It is considered significant as the last intact example of the farming life that shaped Parma Township until World War II, before the area grew from about 2,300 residents in 1919 to 124,000 by 1970. The buildings show how construction methods changed with farming needs. The City of Parma and the Parma Area Historical Society plan to run it again as a working farm.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the farm is the last intact remnant of the agricultural way of life that typified Parma Township for about 130 years until World War II. Its buildings and land show how farm life and building techniques changed over time. It sits in the heart of a city that grew from a rural township of 2,300 to 124,000 people.
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 81000431, listed October 1, 1981. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 6975 Ridge Rd., Parma |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | October 1, 1981 |
| Reference number | 81000431 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- |
| Architectural style | Bungalow-style (1919 Gibbs house); simple two-story frame farmhouse |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the City of Parma and used as an agricultural and interpretive center; it was a working farm until 1976, with plans to operate it again as a working farm. Condition is described as good; buildings range from excellent to poor. |
| Acreage | 48 |
| Coordinates | 41.37514, -81.72858 (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 81000431.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137734628
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.