Mill Worker House No. 5
Why it's listed
Built about 1851 beside the Olentangy River in Stratford, this 1-1/2 story limestone cottage housed workers from the nearby Andrews and Perry paper mill. It is made of uncoursed rubble limestone with stone quoins, a gable roof, wood fishscale shingles in the front gable and a recessed porch with two front doors set at right angles. The land was bought in 1838 by Hosea Williams and Caleb Howard to build houses for mill workers, and the mill owners kept ownership of the row of limestone houses. Census records name several mill employees who lived here between 1853 and 1901. The house reflects the mill village model, a small hamlet of single-family homes in a rural setting grouped around one mill. It retains its original form, materials and setting. A rear addition, hidden from the road, and some interior changes are its main alterations. A carriage barn and privy behind it add to the rural character.
Significance in brief: It is nominated under Criterion A for its link to the steam-powered paper milling industry and to the planning of the Stratford mill village, a company town where mill owners built housing to attract workers. It is also nominated under Criterion C as a distinctive building type of the area's mid-19th century building practices. The house keeps its roof profile, materials, proportions, setback and setting.
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 91001435, listed October 3, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2441 Stratford Rd., Delaware |
|---|---|
| County | Delaware County |
| Listed | October 3, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91001435 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | c. 1833-1896 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Other: worker cottage |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development, Industry |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a single dwelling; a carriage barn and privy behind the house are counted as noncontributing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.26109, -83.06284 (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 91001435.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137762206
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.