Kimball, Solomon, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1825, this 1-1/2 story Federal vernacular house at 391 West Main Street in Madison, Ohio, is a wood-frame residence on a stone foundation with a gable roof. Its lengthwise five-bay facade has a center entrance with a transom and simple entablature. Later changes include an apartment ell at the southwest corner, an improved rear lean-to kitchen, an enclosed corner porch, an added external chimney beside the original center chimney, and metal siding over the original siding. A small original cellar was expanded into a full basement in 1945. The house is tied to the Kimball family, early settlers who came from New Hampshire in 1812. Lemuel and Abel Kimball arrived first, and Solomon, Addison (a builder) and Abel later divided an original tract of 1,000 acres. The house is considered a family home of the town's most important settler family, and its street facade still conveys its original period. Three non-original outbuildings stand at the rear of the lot.
Significance in brief: The inventory form argues the house is significant as one of the family homes of the Kimball family, described as the most important family of settlers in Madison. Lemuel and Abel Kimball came from New Hampshire in 1812, and Solomon, Addison (a builder) and Abel later divided an original 1,000-acre tract. Despite alterations, the street facade still conveys the original period.
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 80003124, listed October 20, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 391 W. Main St., Madison |
|---|---|
| County | Lake County |
| Listed | October 20, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003124 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Federal vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Residence in good condition inside and outside; altered with additions, metal siding over original siding, and a full basement dug in 1945. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.77034, -81.05613 (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 80003124.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138447844
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.