Powell, Henry, House
Also known as: Deaconness Home Association Building; See Also:Mount Auburn H
Why it's listed
Located at 2209 Auburn Avenue in Cincinnati's Mt. Auburn Historic District, this three-story brick house was built in 1858 for Henry Powell, son of William Powell, who founded the Powell Valve and Brass Works Company in 1846. It began as a Greek Revival residence. Architect Samuel Hannaford later remodeled it into a Victorian French Empire building, with an 1882 trade journal reporting his work for Powell. The symmetrical three-bay facade has a slate mansard roof with segmental dormers and wrought iron cresting, a dentiled cornice, wooden brackets, bracketed window lintels and a three-bay porch with an outstanding frame balustrade. The south side has an exposed fieldstone foundation and a second-floor bay window. A rear addition is considered sympathetic. The house was listed as one of several properties illustrating Hannaford's varied career. It later served as the Deaconess Home Association building, and its exterior remained in good condition.
Significance in brief: The house is nominated as part of a thematic group of works by architect Samuel Hannaford. It was built as a Greek Revival residence for Henry Powell, son of the founder of the Powell Valve and Brass Works Company, and remodeled by Hannaford into a Victorian French Empire building. Its mansard roof with segmental dormers and wrought iron cresting is described as exceptional.
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 80003076, listed March 3, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2209 Auburn Ave., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | March 3, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003076 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1858, 1882 |
| Architect / builder | Samuel Hannaford (1882); builder unknown |
| Architectural style | French Second Empire |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Exterior condition described as good; originally a residence, later used as the Deaconess Home Association building. A nearby hospital expansion is noted as a threat. |
| Within district | Mount Auburn Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.12221, -84.50846 (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 80003076.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5727174
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.