Tambling, Lucius T., House
Also known as: Tambling-Clift Home
Why it's listed
This Greek Revival farmhouse in Novelty, Ohio, combines a story-and-a-half main block with a one-story wing, a form known as upright and wing that is common across the Western Reserve. Lucius T. Tambling built a two-room log cabin on the site in 1838, and it was folded into the wing when the farmhouse was finished in 1854. The frame house has a fieldstone foundation, clapboard siding, nine-over-six windows and Doric porch pillars. At over 2,200 square feet it is roughly one and a half times the size of a typical local farmhouse, and its long, linear plan faces the road. Tambling, a potato farmer, lender, school donor and church founder, came from New York in 1835 and owned over a thousand acres by 1874. In 1982 the house was moved across the road to the original cabin site, keeping its orientation, to save it from demolition. Its design and size are the basis of its listing.
Significance in brief: The house is argued to be eligible under criterion C as a variation on the upright-and-wing Greek Revival farmhouse common in the Western Reserve. It is unusually large, about 2,200 square feet against a typical 1,200 to 1,500, and its linear plan faces the road with the ridge side of the wing and main block. It is also tied to Lucius T. Tambling, a prominent farmer, banker, educator and churchman.
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 84003695, listed March 15, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 14025 Chillicothe Rd., Novelty |
|---|---|
| County | Geauga County |
| Listed | March 15, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003695 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1838-1854 |
| Architect / builder | Lucius Tilden Tambling |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival (upright and wing farmhouse) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Moved in 1982 across Chillicothe Road to the site of the original log cabin to save it from being burned in a fire department exercise. Repairs were under way, including roof, clapboard siding and window replacement where needed. The form describes its condition as good with no major alterations. |
| Acreage | 0.6 |
| Coordinates | 41.48567, -81.33930 (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 84003695.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138340180
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.