Elliott Hall, Sturges Library, And Merrick Hall
Why it's listed
Three buildings on the Ohio Wesleyan University campus in Delaware, Ohio, form this district: Elliott Hall, Sturges Library and Merrick Hall. Elliott Hall, built in 1833 as a frame hotel known as the Old Mansion House, is described as Ohio's oldest collegiate Greek Revival building. The university's founders bought it in 1844 and converted it to college use, and it has served the college continuously since. It was moved to another campus location in the 1890s. Sturges Library, completed in 1856, copies Elliott Hall in brick and stone. Funds came from a gift by William Sturges and money raised by Professor Frederick Merrick. Merrick Hall, begun in 1868 and finished in 1873, housed science and mathematics and a science museum. Its stone construction departs from the Greek tradition and leads toward the Richardsonian Romanesque style of nearby Gray Chapel. Together the buildings show architecture and education changing side by side at the university.
Significance in brief: Elliott Hall is described as Ohio's oldest collegiate Greek Revival building, and Sturges Library is a near-copy in brick and stone. Merrick Hall marks a shift away from the Greek tradition toward Richardsonian Romanesque. The buildings reflect how architectural style and educational reform changed together at Ohio Wesleyan, from a classics curriculum to a more scientific one.
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 73001430, listed April 23, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Ohio Wesleyan University campus, Delaware |
|---|---|
| County | Delaware County |
| Listed | April 23, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001430 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific dates: Elliott Hall 1833; Sturges 1856; Merrick 1873) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (Elliott Hall and Sturges Library); Merrick Hall is a transition toward Richardsonian Romanesque |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in good condition and in educational use. Elliott Hall was moved in the 1890s; Merrick Hall was being considered for renovation as a campus museum. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.29616, -83.06614 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 73001430.
- 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.