Stone, Valerius C., House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1869 at what is now 21706 Lunn Road in Strongsville, this farmhouse pairs a Greek Revival layout with ornate Italianate ornament. A two-story, three-bay central block with a hipped roof and flushboarded facade is flanked by one-and-a-half story gabled wings with recessed porches, dentilled cornices, scalloped post capitals and round-arched windows with hoodmolds. A frame ell at the rear, now a garage, sits on a stone foundation. Valerius C. Stone, born in Vermont in 1820, bought the property in 1852 and built up one of Strongsville's most prosperous farms. He helped found the Strongsville Lyceum in 1869 and the Strongsville Library in 1881, one of the first free libraries in the Western Reserve. The house is considered one of the best examples of its type in Cuyahoga County and remains largely intact despite its setting in an industrially zoned area.
Significance in brief: The house combines a Greek Revival winged central-block plan with ornate Italianate detail, making it an outstanding example of the transition between the two styles. It has survived virtually intact and is one of the few residences of its period in Strongsville. It is also historically important as the home of Stone, a prosperous farmer who supported the town's cultural institutions.
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 78002050, listed December 22, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 21706 Lunn Rd., Strongsville |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | December 22, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002050 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1869 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival plan with Italianate detail |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied private residence; the form describes it as having survived virtually intact within an industrially zoned area. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.29780, -81.86543 (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 78002050.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.