Brick Vernacular House No. 2
Why it's listed
This small brick house at 120 North Lake Street in Madison, Ohio, dates to about 1875 and was built as a residence. It rises 1-1/2 stories on a stone foundation, with common brick walls, a gabled shingle roof and a rectangular plan. The entrance sits to one side, and the front windows are tall, floor-length one-over-one sash under plain sandstone lintels. A plain frieze board and molding run beneath the roof, without cornice returns. The front porch, now dilapidated, has turned spindle posts, a turned spool frieze and an entrance gable with a sunburst ornament. The house stands in a developing commercial district between Main Street and the railroad tracks, on less than an acre. It was listed because it is one of only two or three small brick houses in the village built in a simple builder's vernacular. It keeps the feeling of the late 19th century and adds to the village's group of historic resources.
Significance in brief: The inventory form says its significance is relative to the other resources of the village, as one of two or three small brick houses built in a simple builder's vernacular. It still conveys the feeling and association of the latter 19th century and complements the village's other historic resources.
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 80003109, listed October 20, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 120 N. Lake St., Madison |
|---|---|
| County | Lake County |
| Listed | October 20, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003109 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Vernacular (19th century architecture) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence; exterior condition listed as fair, and the front porch is described as dilapidated. The form marks it as endangered by commercial development. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.77394, -81.04710 (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 80003109.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138416786
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.