Ulyatt, Abraham, House
Also known as: Bessie Birth House
Why it's listed
Built in 1849 on a steep, wooded hillside facing the Ohio and Erie Canal in Valley View, this one-and-one-half-story sandstone house follows the Greek Revival style. Its five-bay facade has a central entrance, a wide plain frieze, and a gable roof with returns. The facade is the most refined part: paired windows sit within round-arched recesses with voussoirs and keystones, and chiseled stone pilasters imitate individually laid blocks. The rear and side walls are far cruder, and the top third of the rear wall is clapboard. The house is among the few remaining stone houses in this part of the Cuyahoga Valley, where quarrying was a major industry. Little is known about Abraham Ulyatt, who assembled the land in 1841 and 1842 and had died or left the area by 1862, when the farm was sold at auction. Later alterations include a brick-filled entrance, removed chimneys, tie rods, and a remodeled interior. The surrounding canal section remains well preserved.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is one of the few surviving stone houses in this part of the Cuyahoga Valley, an area where stone quarrying was a chief industry. It is a good example of Greek Revival style in sandstone, with an unusually original facade. Its hillside setting above a well-preserved stretch of the Ohio and Erie Canal adds to its historical integrity.
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 79000297, listed February 27, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 6579 Canal Rd., Valley View |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | February 27, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79000297 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Altered but in a fair state of preservation; the form lists it as a private residence, and the owner who bought it in 1939 was still living there when the form was prepared. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Ohio and Erie Canal |
| Coordinates | 41.38605, -81.61962 (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 79000297.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q96742976
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.