Burckhardt, A. E., House
Also known as: Queen City Nursing Home
Why it's listed
Built in 1887 at 400 Forest Avenue in Cincinnati, this large asymmetrical residence was designed by Samuel Hannaford & Sons for A.E. Burckhardt. Burckhardt was born in Germany, emigrated to the United States at age six, and in 1866 founded the A.E. Burckhardt Co., a Main Street retailer of men's furs and hats. The house is built of random rock-faced limestone ashlar with a slate hip roof, a corner turret with a conical cap and finial, a stone porch, and a projecting gable with a dentiled cornice and carved stone ornament. Its design draws on Victorian, Queen Anne and Romanesque styles. Some changes have occurred, including removal of an Eastlake porte cochere and an east porch balustrade, plus small additions at the turret and rear. The building sits on a corner lot among other large late nineteenth-century residences and now serves as a nursing home. It was listed as part of a group of buildings by Hannaford.
Significance in brief: It is one of the works of Cincinnati architect Samuel Hannaford and was included in a thematic group of his buildings. It was the home of A.E. Burckhardt, founder of a well-known men's clothing retailer. Architecturally it combines Victorian, Queen Anne and Romanesque elements.
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 80003038, listed March 3, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 400 Forest Ave., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | March 3, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003038 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Samuel Hannaford & Sons (architect); builder unknown |
| Architectural style | Victorian, incorporating Queen Anne and Romanesque elements |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a nursing home; interior and exterior condition listed as good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.14661, -84.49938 (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 80003038.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4647714
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.