Cook, John, Farm
Also known as: Watts Farm
Why it's listed
Set east of Harlem in Delaware County, Ohio, this farm complex includes a two-story farmhouse built in 1863, an attached one-story wing from the same year, and three frame barns on about 40 acres. The house has a flat-roofed entry porch with square columns, carved brackets, and an original iron fence, gate, and hitching post across the front. The wing housed married sons and their brides while the parents lived in the main house. The land was bought in 1805 by Benjamin Cook, a Connecticut native who became Harlem Township's first permanent settler and kept about 600 acres for himself. His son John took over in 1839, raised cattle and grains, and built the house and barns. Later generations farmed it until 1973. Most of the original acreage has been sold as the area turned to housing, so the surviving house and barns stand as evidence of early farming in the township.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as the remains of a once large early Ohio farm established by Benjamin Cook, the first permanent settler of Harlem Township. The 1860s house and three barns are described as tokens of early farming in a township now largely given over to housing developments.
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 77001059, listed April 11, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | E of Harlem at Miller Paul Rd. and Gorsuch Rd., Harlem |
|---|---|
| County | Delaware County |
| Listed | April 11, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001059 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1863 |
| Architect / builder | John Cook |
| Areas of significance | Social History, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in good condition and altered; the house and barns are still standing. Cattle, sheep and hog barns have been torn down. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 40.15159, -82.82378 (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 77001059.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137762866
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.