Wise, Peter, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1841, this two-story wood frame farmhouse south of Berlin in Holmes County, Ohio, is a fine example of Greek Revival design. It sits on a sandstone foundation and has clapboard siding, corner pilasters, a full entablature, triangular pediments and a front porch with four round tapered Tuscan columns. The porch is original, which is rare in the region. Inside, a nine-foot central hall holds an open stairway, and upstairs two rooms can be opened into one large space with folding doors, planned for religious services, since Brethren congregations met in houses. The house was built by Peter Wise, one of Berlin Township's earliest settlers, who came from Virginia, farmed a large tract and operated saw mills and a woolen mill across the road. A springhouse is the only surviving outbuilding. The house was vacant at the time of listing, with restoration underway and a museum planned. It is regarded as one of the county's finest Greek Revival buildings.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is one of Holmes County's finest surviving Greek Revival buildings, with unusually fine detailing, a rare original full-length front porch, and a second-floor meeting room built for religious services. It is also tied to Peter Wise, an early Berlin Township settler who ran saw and woolen mills. The house was included in a national publication on early American farmhouses.
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 80003104, listed April 16, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | S of Berlin on OH 557, Berlin |
|---|---|
| County | Holmes County |
| Listed | April 16, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003104 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant at the time of nomination; exterior stabilized, new cedar shingle roof added, front porch extensively restored, interior restoration well underway, with plans for a museum. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.53107, -81.80980 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 80003104.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.