Temperance Row Historic District
Why it's listed
Temperance Row is an 11-acre residential neighborhood in Westerville, Ohio, bounded by Alum Creek, Otterbein College and Otterbein Cemetery. It began in 1910 when Anti-Saloon League of America General Superintendent Purley Baker built a brick and clapboard bungalow at Park and Grove Streets. Other league leaders, editors, field agents and publishing staff followed, including founder Howard Hyde Russell and publisher Ernest Cherrington, who platted the Elmwood Addition in 1911 and built a six-unit brick rowhouse in 1917. The district has 43 contributing resources, mostly houses and garages from 1910 to 1935. Many follow Craftsman design, with bungalows, American Four Squares and gable-front houses, and several use cobblestones from nearby Alum Creek. A few mid-19th century frame houses predate the league's arrival. Park, Grove and Plum Streets keep their early 1900s brick paving. The neighborhood is significant for its link to the national temperance organization during the period 1910 to 1935.
Significance in brief: The neighborhood, known as Temperance Row, is strongly associated with the leading organizers and promoters of the Anti-Saloon League of America between 1910 and 1935. Many contributing homes were built and occupied by league leaders, editors, field agents and publishing staff. The district also holds a concentration of Craftsman-influenced houses, several with local cobblestone details.
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 08000995, listed October 16, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Vicinity of Park, Grove, Walnut and University Sts., Westerville |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | October 16, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000995 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1910-1935 |
| Architect / builder | No architect identified; houses were built by or for Anti-Saloon League members (e.g., Purley Baker, Howard Hyde Russell, Ernest Cherrington). The form says a local records search did not reveal an architect for two Craftsman houses. |
| Architectural style | Bungalow/Craftsman; Colonial Revival; No Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Houses remain mostly residential, with several used by Otterbein College, including as a fraternity house; the district retains early brick paving on Park, Grove and Plum Streets. |
| Acreage | 11 |
| Coordinates | 40.12443, -82.93729 (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 08000995.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7698309
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.