Huron County Children's Home
Also known as: Hur-28-3
Why it's listed
Built in 1913 on Benedict Avenue in Norwalk, this two-story brick building served as the Huron County Children's Home. Designed by architects S. H. and R. H. Shively and built by W. L. Willing of Bellevue for a low bid of $34,200, it replaced a smaller residence nearby. The E-plan building has a projecting center bay with a two-story pedimented portico, fluted Doric columns, stone lintels with keystones, and a bracketed wood cornice. A rock-faced concrete block garage of about the same date also contributes to the site. The home reflects the era when Ohio counties placed orphaned and poor children in large institutional buildings separate from adult infirmaries. It housed children until at least 1966, later held county offices, and has been vacant since 1995. Willing's work on the project is also tied to his invention of the tower crane. Alterations are modest, and the original plan remains largely intact apart from a small rear addition made between 1931 and 1946.
Significance in brief: It is significant under Criterion C as a well-preserved early twentieth century institutional children's home in the Neo-Classical Revival style. It is significant under Criterion A as an example of county-funded children's homes, a period when poor, orphaned and indigent children were housed in large institutions apart from adult county infirmaries. It is also linked to contractor W. L. Willing, who is credited with inventing the tower crane around the time of its construction.
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 04001200, listed October 27, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 190 Benedict Ave., Norwalk |
|---|---|
| County | Huron County |
| Listed | October 27, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04001200 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1913-1954 |
| Architect / builder | Architect: S. H. & R. H. Shively; Builder: W.L. Willing, Bellevue |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival/Neo-Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant since 1995; Huron County Job and Family Services was the last tenant. Alterations include three bricked-in windows, plywood infill in upper window sash, and dropped ceilings inside. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 41.23199, -82.60830 (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 04001200.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138375280
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.