Godfrey-Johnson House
Why it's listed
Built in 1854 at 417 Columbus Avenue in Sandusky, this two-story brick house was designed in the Italianate style and originally served as a dwelling. It has the roof brackets and square roofline typical of the style, and its long front windows are somewhat unusual for Italianate houses. The doorway retains its sidelights and the original house number, 59, in colored lights above the door. A decorative wrought iron porch, possibly added later but still old, is one of only two left in Sandusky. John Godfrey, an early insurance agent, was the first owner, followed by two merchants and a railroad freight agent. Leonard Johnson rented the house from 1870 and purchased it in 1893. Johnson owned Johnson's Island, the Civil War prison camp for Confederate officers in Sandusky Bay. The block was once residential, with a church and a library on its corners, and the house is now used as apartments among other apartments and offices.
Significance in brief: The house is a small, well-preserved example of Italianate design, with roof brackets, a square roofline, an original doorway with house number lights and a decorative wrought iron porch. It is also tied to Leonard Johnson, who rented it from 1870 and bought it in 1893, and who owned Johnson's Island, the Civil War prison camp for Confederate officers in Sandusky Bay.
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 82001401, listed October 20, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 417 Columbus Ave., Sandusky |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | October 20, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001401 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate Victorian |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Exterior condition is described as very good; the building is now used as apartments. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.45292, -82.71001 (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 82001401.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137771778
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.