Gelpi, Eleanor A., House
Also known as: Gelpi Mansion
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Overlooking the Scioto River in Dublin, Ohio, this large French Eclectic house was begun in 1941 by Albert Krumm and finished in 1946, after his death in a plane crash. Fieldstone walls with limestone trim, a circular stair tower, steel casement windows, a slate roof and wrought iron railings define its character. Eleanor Gelpi bought the home with her husband Andre in 1946 and lived there until her death in 1985. She co-founded Swan Cleaners and became a leading arts patron in Columbus, serving on the governing board of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra from its founding in 1951 and supporting opera, ballet, the Ohio Theater and many other causes. The house hosted fund-raisers and social gatherings for these efforts during the 1940s through the 1960s. Kitchen changes and garden additions in the early 1990s left the exterior largely untouched. The City of Dublin acquired the property in 1999.
Significance in brief: The house is significant under Criterion B as the longtime home of Columbus businesswoman, philanthropist and arts advocate Eleanor Gelpi, founder of Swan Cleaners and a leader of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and other arts groups. It is also significant under Criterion C as a good example of French Eclectic style, with fieldstone walls, a circular stair tower, slate roof and wrought iron detailing.
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 01000198, listed March 19, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 7125 Riverside Dr., Dublin |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | March 19, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000198 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1941-1950 |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: French Eclectic (1915-1945) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as vacant/not in use; the City of Dublin purchased the property in 1999. Only minor alterations were made in the early 1990s, and the form says the house retains its historic integrity. |
| Acreage | 5.8 |
| Coordinates | 40.11270, -83.09883 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 01000198.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138317237
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.