Bancroft, A. A., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1832-34 on North Pearl Street in Granville, this two-story stone house was the second home of A. A. Bancroft. He was a descendant of a founder of Granville, Massachusetts, and father of the historian Hubert Howe Bancroft, who was born here in 1832. The walls are rough ashlar on the front and coursed rubble on the sides and rear, with stone taken from the Rose Quarry to the south. Joseph Evans, who built two earlier stone buildings in the town, may have laid it. The entrance has a rough fanlight with coarse imposts and a keystone, possibly an attempt to copy the nearby Levi Rose House of 1820. Its most notable feature is the set of coupled windows with single-light sash, described as unique in Ohio. A Victorian porch added in the 1850s was removed in 1965, and a frame addition was made to the rear in the early 1900s. Denison University acquired the house in 1917 and renovated it in 1927.
Significance in brief: It is the second house of A. A. Bancroft, father of the historian Hubert Howe Bancroft, who was born there in 1832. Its coupled single-light windows are described as unique in Ohio. It also shows regional vernacular stone construction using local quarry stone.
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 80003135, listed November 28, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N. Pearl St. and Washington Dr., Granville |
|---|---|
| County | Licking County |
| Listed | November 28, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003135 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1832-34 |
| Architect / builder | A. A. Bancroft - Joseph Evans (Evans possibly laid the stone) |
| Architectural style | Vernacular-Federal |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by Denison University since 1917 and renovated in 1927; used as a residence; interior and exterior condition listed as good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.07429, -82.51833 (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 80003135.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138459242
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.