Monteith Hall
Also known as: Monteith-Gates Residence
Why it's listed
Monteith Hall is a large three-story frame house at 218 East Avenue in Elyria, Ohio. John Monteith, the first president of the University of Michigan, built it in 1835 in the Greek Revival style and ran a girls' school there. An outspoken abolitionist, he used the house to shelter fugitive slaves traveling toward Lake Erie. In 1848 it passed to his son-in-law Nahum B. Gates, and in 1893 it was willed to William N. Gates, founder of what was described as the second oldest advertising agency in the nation. Beginning in 1897 Gates remodeled it to plans by Cleveland architect Frank B. Meade, widening the facade to seven bays and adding a two-story Ionic portico. The central hall keeps its Greek Revival woodwork. Later changes included a sun porch and dormers in 1913 and a kitchen in 1954, the year the Elyria Woman's Club acquired the property.
Significance in brief: The house was built by John Monteith, first president of the University of Michigan and an abolitionist, and was later the home of Nahum B. Gates and William N. Gates. It is also notable architecturally as a Greek Revival house enlarged into an excellent example of Neo-Classic Revival, with the 1897 additions planned by Cleveland architect Frank B. Meade.
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 74001552, listed October 9, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 218 East Ave., Elyria |
|---|---|
| County | Lorain County |
| Listed | October 9, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001552 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific dates 1835; 1897) |
| Architect / builder | John Monteith (builder, 1835); Frank B. Meade (architect of 1897 additions) |
| Architectural style | Neo-Classic Revival (originally Greek Revival) |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition and altered; occupied and owned by the Elyria Woman's Club, which acquired it in 1954. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Elyria Downtown-West Avenue Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.36557, -82.10367 (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 74001552.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138497133
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.