103rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Association Barracks
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
This two-story wood frame barracks in Sheffield Lake, Ohio, was built around 1910 on lakefront grounds bought in 1907 by the 103rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Association. The regiment was organized in 1862 from volunteers in Lorain, Cuyahoga and Medina counties and mustered out in 1865. Its veterans and their descendants kept holding reunions, and the association is described as the only surviving Civil War regimental association in the country. The barracks offered sixteen small sleeping rooms, each about seven by ten feet, reached from long two-story porches on both sides. It has clapboard siding, simple wood trim and turned porch columns, though steel pipes replaced the original first-floor columns. Few changes have been made, unlike many neighboring reunion buildings. Little used as lodging today, it is deteriorating, and a memorial foundation is raising funds to convert it into a museum for the association's Civil War relics, keeping at least one room as a barracks room.
Significance in brief: The building is tied to the 103rd O.V.I. Association, described as the sole surviving Civil War regimental association in America. It was one of the first structures on the association's lakefront reunion grounds. The form concedes it is not architecturally distinguished but calls it typical of turn-of-the-century resort buildings, with few alterations.
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 78002115, listed July 14, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5501 E. Lake Rd., Sheffield Lake |
|---|---|
| County | Lorain County |
| Listed | July 14, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002115 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Areas of significance | Military, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Fair condition and altered. It receives little use as a barracks and is deteriorating from disuse; a foundation plans to rehabilitate it as a museum and visitors center. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.50037, -82.06930 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 78002115.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4546486
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.