Jones, John J., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1872 at 298 Lake Street in Madison, Ohio, the John J. Jones House is a two-story residence of dressed sandstone ashlar. The blocks are 16 inches thick and 7-1/2 inches wide, vary in length up to five feet, and are laid in lime-horsehair mortar. A hip roof of terne metal covers the main block, which has three bays across the front and side. A one-story ell extends to the rear, and a one-story wood frame ell on the south appears to be contemporary with the main house. The only stylistic detail is the gabled lintels over the windows; the eaves do not appear to have been bracketed. An old resident recalled in 1955 that the sandstone was hauled from Thompson, the first township south of Madison. The house is significant as the only stone ashlar house in the village and is one of several traditionally linked with the underground railroad. The Jones family owned it until 1910. A barn with vertical siding stands on the narrow lot.
Significance in brief: The inventory form describes it as primarily significant as the only house of stone ashlar construction in the village. It is also one of several houses traditionally associated with the underground railroad. The Jones family owned the property until 1910.
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 80003122, listed October 20, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 298 Lake St., Madison |
|---|---|
| County | Lake County |
| Listed | October 20, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003122 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Italianate vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a residence; condition listed as fair inside and good outside. The lot is in a commercially zoned area. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.77701, -81.04711 (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 80003122.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138447728
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.