Rose, Capt. Levi, House
Why it's listed
This two-story brick house at 631 North Pearl Street sits at the north end of the Denison University campus in Granville, Ohio. Dated to 1820, it is a Federal vernacular building with a five-bay front, a gable roof, a stone foundation and an L-shaped plan. Well-laid brick, carefully planned openings, a fan light over the central entrance, a keystone with vase detail, cut stone lintels and six-over-six sash give it a refined look. The Tuscan entrance frontispiece was added around 1916, and the rear frame section dates to about 1930. An 1866 engraving shows an earlier arched entrance. Captain Levi Rose led the party of first settlers in 1805, became a prominent landowner, took part in civic affairs, served as militia captain and founded large Rose families in Granville. Jonathan Wilson may have had a hand in building the house. Denison University acquired it in 1917 and renovated it in 1927 as a faculty residence. Old hardwoods and pines surround the setback site.
Significance in brief: It was the home of Captain Levi Rose, who led the first settlers of Granville in 1805, became a prominent landowner and militia captain, and founded large local families. The house is built in the same vernacular as the Jonathan Wilson house on Lancaster Road. It also has well-detailed Federal features such as a fan light entrance.
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 80003140, listed November 28, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 631 N. Pearl St., Granville |
|---|---|
| County | Licking County |
| Listed | November 28, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003140 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Jonathan Wilson (?) |
| Architectural style | Federal Vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by Denison University, used as a residence, with interior and exterior condition listed as good. Renovated in 1927 as a faculty residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Granville Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.06633, -82.52062 (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 80003140.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138460276
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.