Sloane, Rush R., House
Also known as: Absher Nursing Home
Why it's listed
This three-story stucco mansion at 403 East Adams Street in Sandusky is an Italian Villa built in two stages. Samuel Torrey constructed the square front block in the early 1850s, and Rush R. Sloane acquired it around 1854. A later expansion added a square corner tower, a rear wing and a large northeast bay, with brackets, window pediments and a portico reflecting the shift toward High Victorian Italianate taste. Sloane, born in Sandusky in 1828, became a lawyer, probate judge, railroad president, mayor and head of the Firelands Historical Society. In 1852 he told fugitive slaves held for a hearing to leave, and he paid a $3,000 judgment under the Fugitive Slave Law. The house is reputed to have been an underground railway station, though a reviewer found no firm documentary proof. The Sandusky Business College used it from 1926 to 1949, and it later became a nursing home.
Significance in brief: The house is noted as the residence of Rush R. Sloane, a lawyer, probate judge, railroad president and mayor who was involved in the abolitionist movement and whose house is reputed to have been an underground railway station. It is also an interesting example of an Italian Villa built in two stages. A reviewer noted there is no real documentary evidence of a station, so its significance rests largely on its association with Sloane.
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 75001390, listed February 24, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 403 E. Adams St., Sandusky |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | February 24, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001390 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1854 (?)) |
| Architect / builder | Samuel Torrey (built the original square front portion) |
| Architectural style | Italian Villa, with later High Victorian Italianate detailing |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and used as a nursing home; condition excellent, altered; interior remodeled, exterior largely unaltered. Previously housed the Sandusky Business College from 1926 to 1949. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.45551, -82.70541 (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 75001390.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q110008180
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.