Beatty, Louis, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1859 on the south shore of Kelleys Island in Lake Erie, this house is an "upright and wing" building, a form common in New England and the Western Reserve. Its walls are local limestone, covered with stucco scored in rectangular blocks to resemble cut stone. The main block rises two and a half stories under a gable, with a two-story east wing, a shed-roofed porch with carved wooden details, and a basement holding two vaulted wine cellars with a 75,000-gallon capacity. It is the oldest house on the island built of island limestone, one of seven surviving limestone residences there, and the only one predating the Civil War. Louis Beatty, a German-Russian immigrant from the Ukraine who arrived in 1849, built it. He farmed in Summit County before buying land from Kelley and settling on the island to grow grapes and make wine. In 1872 he helped relatives and friends emigrate to the Dakotas. The house reflects his prosperous career.
Significance in brief: The house is significant for its architecture, which applies locally quarried limestone to a common New England house type, and for its association with Louis Beatty, an early grape grower and wine maker. It is the oldest house on the island built of island-quarried limestone and the only pre-Civil War limestone residence there. Its scored stucco finish is unique on the island.
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 84000106, listed October 25, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | South Shore Dr., Kelleys Island |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | October 25, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000106 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Upright and wing house type |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition, unaltered and on its original site; used as a private residence and occupied. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.59495, -82.69762 (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 84000106.
- 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.