Morrison House
Why it's listed
Built between 1873 and 1875 at 750 Ludlow Avenue in Cincinnati, this three-story, fourteen-room red brick house was designed by Samuel Hannaford for pork packer Thomas Morrison. It follows a modified Italian Villa style, with a symmetrical facade, a rounded sandstone entrance arch with Corinthian capitals, flanking porches with bracketed balustrades bearing an M monogram, and a tall slate-roofed tower. Inside, the walnut woodwork, parquet floors, marble fireplaces and original shutters survive. Morrison came from County Antrim, Ireland, and led a firm that became a major exporter of packed meat to Europe. He also served as president of the Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce. The house is among Hannaford's earliest surviving works, and it shows how a fashionable style was adapted to suit a large, well-off family. Morrison descendants lived there until the University of Cincinnati bought it in 1971. After renovation, including sandblasting the exterior to its original brick, it serves as the university president's home.
Significance in brief: The house is a good example of a large-family residence of substantial means, built in a fashionable style that the architect adapted to the family's needs. It is among the earliest surviving works of Samuel Hannaford, a prolific Cincinnati architect. It is also tied to Thomas Morrison, a prominent pork packer and civic leader.
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 73001463, listed April 3, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 750 Ludlow Ave., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | April 3, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001463 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1873-1875 |
| Architect / builder | Samuel Hannaford (1835-1910) |
| Architectural style | Modified Italian Villa Style |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition, unaltered and on its original site, and recently renovated by the University of Cincinnati. It is occupied as the university president's residence and used for official entertaining. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 39.14850, -84.52847 (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 73001463.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6914024
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.