William Howard Taft National Historic Site (Boundary Increase and Additional Documentation)
Also known as: Alphonso Taft home
Why it's listed
This brick house at 2038 Auburn Avenue in Cincinnati's Mt. Auburn neighborhood is the birthplace and boyhood home of William Howard Taft, the 27th President of the United States. Taft was born there on September 15, 1857, and lived in the house until he entered Yale in 1874. The core of the house dates to the early 1840s. Alphonso Taft bought it in 1851 and added a two-story rear wing. The building was Italianate in style until a fire in 1877 led to a raised upper ceiling and pressed metal exterior details. A 1964 restoration returned the exterior to its pre-1877 look. It is the only surviving structure tied to Taft and his family. The Taft family shaped national life for almost a century through law, cabinet service, the presidency, the Supreme Court and the Senate. The lot has shrunk to half an acre, and the rear wing has structural problems.
Significance in brief: The house is where the 27th President was born in 1857 and grew up until he left for Yale in 1874. It is the only surviving structure associated with Taft and his family. The Taft family also played a significant role in national politics and law for nearly a century.
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). NRHP reference 15000753, listed October 21, 2015. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2038 Auburn Ave., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | October 21, 2015 |
| Reference number | 15000753 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Law |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The form describes the house as occupied, in public ownership and used as a museum. It has structural problems in the rear wing and has been restored to its pre-1877 exterior appearance. |
| Acreage | 3.6 |
| Within district | Mount Auburn Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.11989, -84.50782 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 15000753.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives)
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8012587
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.