Hoffner Historic District
Why it's listed
This five-acre district in Cincinnati's Cumminsville neighborhood gathers a lodge, shops, a former railroad freight depot and a row of houses around Hamilton Avenue, Moline Court, Langland Avenue and Blue Rock. The three-story brick Hoffner Lodge, built in 1885 on land donated by Jacob Hoffner, is a well preserved Italianate building with stone trim, paired windows, a projecting central bay and a tower that once carried a belfry. A post office has occupied its first floor since early in its history. Behind it stand six two-story residences in a German-influenced style, and beyond them the lumber company building, originally a Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad freight station built between 1880 and 1890. The nomination values the group as a nearly intact, unintruded example of late nineteenth century commercial and residential life, with a period of significance of 1873 to 1900.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the lodge, commercial buildings, old freight depot and residences together form a compact picture of late nineteenth century urban life. The area is described as architecturally homogeneous and without intrusion. The district also reflects the history of Cumminsville and the Hoffner estate.
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 78002077, listed October 3, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Bounded by Bluerock, Moline Court, Langland, and Hamilton Aves., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | October 3, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002077 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1873-1900 |
| Architect / builder | Unknown |
| Architectural style | Italianate (Hoffner Lodge); German-influenced late 19th century residential and commercial styles |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked good and original site. The former freight depot was restored in 1972 for lumber company use, the post office occupies the lodge's first floor, and a gas station at the southwest corner is noted as vacant. |
| Acreage | 5 |
| Coordinates | 39.16053, -84.53939 (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 78002077.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14716453
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.