Hemann, Joseph A., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1870 at 49 West McMillan Street in Cincinnati, this two-and-one-half-story red brick house was designed for multiple housing and adapted to a corner lot on a steep hillside. Its symmetrical five-bay front has a center gable with decorative bracing and a circular attic window, and the raised limestone foundation allows for basement windows. Windows are two-over-two with cornice lintels and stone lugsills. Inside, heavy moulded jambs, baseboards and a balustrade survive. The only major change is a twentieth-century frame wing at the rear. The house was built by Joseph Anton Hemann, who came from Germany to Cincinnati in 1839 and worked as a teacher, school principal, newspaper publisher and banker. He published German-language papers including the Volksfreund and founded the Deutsche Pionier. His family occupied the house into the early 1890s. Because his downtown commercial properties are gone and other family houses were altered, this is the best surviving Hemann property in the city.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is a typical, largely unaltered example of mid-nineteenth century urban vernacular architecture in Cincinnati. It is also tied to Joseph A. Hemann, a German immigrant educator, publisher and banker prominent in Cincinnati's German community. It is described as the best remaining Hemann-associated property in the city, since his commercial buildings were demolished and other family houses heavily altered.
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 80003057, listed April 16, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 49 W. McMillan St., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | April 16, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003057 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Joseph A. Hemann (built the house in 1870) |
| Architectural style | Mid-nineteenth century urban vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Black, Literature, Education, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, private residence, in good condition and unaltered apart from a twentieth-century rear frame wing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.12738, -84.51406 (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 80003057.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6280810
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.