Simpson, William A., House
Why it's listed
This two-story frame house at 230 E. Washington Street in Sandusky dates from 1844 and shows the Italianate style. Its bracketed roof line has double brackets on the sides and returns, and the front windows carry carved, bracketed wooden lintels. The bracketed porch features wrought iron posts, railings and decoration, which the inventory calls unusually fine. Long two-over-two windows and a double-doored entry mark the front. The earliest part of the house was a log cabin already on the property, and builder William A. Simpson incorporated it into the walls. Additions followed in 1869 and 1871, and several feet were removed from the east side in 1890. Simpson was a prominent merchant and president of the Sandusky Gas Light Co. for about 20 years before his death in 1887. A wrought iron fence set in a stone curb separates the lot from the sidewalk, in a block of fine homes close to downtown Sandusky.
Significance in brief: The house is noted for its fine Italianate style and unusually fine ironwork. It was built by William A. Simpson, a prominent merchant who served about 20 years as president of the Sandusky Gas Light Co. before his death in 1887.
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 82001437, listed October 20, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 230 E. Washington St., Sandusky |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | October 20, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001437 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | William A. Simpson (builder/owner); contractor listed as Hancock (OCR uncertain) |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Interior and exterior condition listed as excellent; used as a dwelling; additions made in 1869 and 1871, and several feet removed from the east side in 1890. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.45583, -82.70805 (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 82001437.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q137779310
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.