Kauber, Warren F., Funeral Home
Why it's listed
Built in 1883 by Timothy Cooley, this two-story wood-frame house at 289 S. Main Street in Pataskala is regarded as the town's best example of Queen Anne residential architecture. Its irregular plan, corner tower with a conical roof, projecting bay window, and wraparound porch with ornate wood trim are characteristic of the style. The exterior combines horizontal wood siding with shingles, and the interior retains leaded glass, carved woodwork and its original staircase. Cooley lived in the house until his death in 1891. W. A. Mead II bought it in 1895; the Mead family was active in the commercial and religious life of the community, and Mead helped found the Pataskala Banking Company in 1888 and the Pataskala United Methodist Church. In the 1940s the house became a funeral home, and only minor additions have been made to suit that use. It remains in excellent condition and is valued both for its architecture and for its ties to local commercial development.
Significance in brief: It is described as the best example of Queen Anne residential architecture in Pataskala, with irregular massing, a corner tower, a bay window and a wraparound porch with ornate wood trim. It is also associated with William Henry Mead II, a leader in the town's late 19th-century commercial development, including the founding of the Pataskala Banking Company.
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 83001993, listed September 22, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 289 S. Main St., Pataskala |
|---|---|
| County | Licking County |
| Listed | September 22, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001993 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Timothy Cooley (builder); architect unknown |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use as a funeral home since the 1940s; interior and exterior condition listed as excellent, with interior woodwork and staircase intact. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.99725, -82.67547 (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 83001993.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138468150
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.