Laundon, Thomas W., House
Also known as: Vair,J. Stuart,House
Why it's listed
Standing at 307 West Avenue in Elyria, this two-story stuccoed masonry house is built in the Tuscan Renaissance Revival style. The main block has five bays, a hipped roof with an iron railing, a wide bracketed cornice, and an east porch with four round sandstone Tuscan columns. Two frame wings flank the rear: the older one, traditionally dated 1837, and a second added between 1905 and 1912. Heman Ely, founder of Elyria, owned the property at two different periods. Merchant Thomas W. Laundon bought it in 1860 and evidently built the Tuscan portion. Later owners included E. E. Williams, who bought it in 1905, and his son Harrison Williams, a utility executive. The symmetrical, restrained style is described as far less common in Ohio than the Italian Villa. When documented in 1975 the house was vacant, and the last owner's will called for its demolition.
Significance in brief: The house was owned by three important figures in Elyria's history: Heman Ely (the city's founder), merchant Thomas W. Laundon, and utility executive Harrison Williams. It is also a relatively unusual example of the symmetrical Tuscan Renaissance Revival style in northern Ohio, and it is described as a distinct environmental asset in its location.
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 75001462, listed October 21, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 307 West Ave., Elyria |
|---|---|
| County | Lorain County |
| Listed | October 21, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001462 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Tuscan Renaissance Revival |
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In May 1975 the property was vacant, and the last owner's will specified that the house be demolished. A 1985 state letter lists it with a change of ownership, not as demolished. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Elyria Downtown-West Avenue Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.36514, -82.11072 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 75001462.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138497178
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.