Mill Hollow House, The
Also known as: Bacon,Benjamin,House
Why it's listed
Built around 1845 southeast of Vermilion in Lorain County, this wood-frame house was home to Benjamin Bacon, one of the earliest settlers in the area. Bacon served as county commissioner and justice of the peace, and the house doubled as his office for community affairs. The main block is two stories and three bays wide, with an off-center entrance framed by wide molding, corner blocks and sidelights. A chevron pattern of molding lines the pediment, and a single chimney rises from the ridge. A 1-1/2 story wing and summer kitchen, shown in sketches before 1870, extend to one side; the wing's bay window dates from the early 1900s. Narrow lapped siding covers the whole house. The nomination values it as a small Greek Revival building, one of the last of its kind locally, which changed little and stayed in one family for more than a century. It now serves the county park district as a meeting house, museum and office.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the last small Greek Revival structures of its type in the area, reflecting early architecture of the region. It has changed little since it was built and stayed with the same family for over 100 years. It was built for Benjamin Bacon, an early settler who served as county commissioner and justice of the peace and used the house as his office for community affairs.
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 76001472, listed June 29, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SE of Vermilion on N. Ridge Rd., Vermilion |
|---|---|
| County | Lorain County |
| Listed | June 29, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001472 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1845 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Owned by the Lorain County Metropolitan Park District; condition good. The main block is used as a meeting house and museum, and the wing serves as park offices. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 41.38190, -82.31492 (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 76001472.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138528133
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.