Kelleys Island South Shore District
Also known as: See Also:Erie Indian Inscription Rock
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Why it's listed
Along the south shore of Kelley's Island in Lake Erie, a strip of land about 250 feet wide and three-quarters of a mile long holds forty buildings, most of them nineteenth century homes facing Water Street and the lake. Styles include Italian Villa, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne and Stick. Standouts are a large stone Italian Villa mansion with an octagonal belvedere, completed in 1865 by Addison Kelley, a three-and-a-half story Stick style resort hotel, a small Gothic Revival house with decorative gingerbread, and a stone meeting hall built by Datus Kelley in 1860-1861 that still serves as Town Hall. Inscription Rock, found by white men in 1834, is the only remnant of two Indian villages on the island. The district was recognized because it shows a settled, self-sufficient island community built on cedar, limestone and grape and wine production, and because much of its nineteenth century setting survives.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the district is unique in Ohio because it shows the character of a permanent population, not a summer resort, shaped by nineteenth century Lake Erie island life. It also notes architecturally important buildings, including a large stone Italian Villa mansion, a Stick style resort hotel and a Gothic Revival house. Inscription Rock is the only remnant of two Indian villages 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 75001380, listed March 27, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Water St., S side of Kelleys Island, Kelleys Island |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | March 27, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001380 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa, Gothic Revival, High Victorian Italianate, Queen Anne and Stick styles |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as excellent and altered. A photo caption describes the resort hotel as vacant, and several buildings at the commercial center are described as altered or modern. |
| Acreage | 23 |
| Coordinates | 41.59507, -82.71005 (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 75001380.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q115704514
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.