Harper, Rice, House
Why it's listed
Located on a corner lot at Washington and Franklin Streets in Sandusky, this two-story house of limestone and brick under stucco began as a railroad-built dwelling around 1849. The Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad had acquired the land from the original proprietors in 1844, and the earliest part of the house is now the northeast wing. Rice Harper added the southwest section about 1869. Harper's family and descendants lived here from 1851 to 1949. Harper was a prominent Sandusky resident who led the first efforts to beautify the downtown parks and held many public offices during more than 50 years of local influence. The vernacular L-shaped house has a gable roof with a cut-work bargeboard, a stepped gable on the northeast wing, double eave brackets, two-over-two windows with stone lintels and sills, and a front door with side lights and transom. The 1924 tornado damaged the northeast wing. An iron fence encloses the back yard. The building now contains apartments.
Significance in brief: The house was built by the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad on land acquired from the original proprietors in 1844. Rice Harper, an important Sandusky figure, added the southwest section about 1869. The Harper family and descendants lived there from 1851 to 1949. Harper led early efforts to beautify the downtown parks and held many public offices over some 50 years.
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 82001404, listed October 20, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 403 E. Washington St., Sandusky |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | October 20, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001404 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Transportation |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as apartments; interior condition good and exterior very good. The northeast wing was damaged in the 1924 tornado and altered, and early side porches were removed and the front porch replaced. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.45685, -82.70580 (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 82001404.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137777000
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.