Moore, Leonard M., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1906 at the corner of West Fifth Street and Reid Avenue in Lorain, this 2 1/2 story Neoclassical Revival house was designed by its owner, Leonard M. Moore, for his wife and three daughters. It is faced in variegated yellow glazed brick with sandstone and wood shingle accents, a slate hip roof, wood modillions under the eaves, and an irregular front porch with Ionic columns on rock-faced ashlar pedestals. A brick two-car garage stands behind it. Moore rose from office boy to officer of the Lorain Lumber and Manufacturing Company, served as president of Peoples Bank, and financed housing for immigrant steelworkers. Elected mayor in 1915 by twelve votes, he pushed through the 1916 purchase of lakefront land that became Lakeview Park, a landmark public beach. He died in this house in 1920. The building is recognized for its connection to his business, civic and political career, though it is now vacant and parts of it have deteriorated.
Significance in brief: The house is nominated under criterion B for its association with Leonard Miller Moore, a prominent Lorain businessman, real estate developer, philanthropist and political leader. He was a long-time officer of Lorain Lumber and Manufacturing Company and president of Peoples Bank. As mayor from 1916 to 1917 he led the purchase of the land that became Lakeview Park, and he financed large-scale housing for immigrant steelworkers.
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 93001439, listed December 30, 1993. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 309 5th St., Lorain |
|---|---|
| County | Lorain County |
| Listed | December 30, 1993 |
| Reference number | 93001439 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1906-1920 |
| Architect / builder | Moore, Leonard M. - Designer |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival (described in the text as Neoclassical Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Politics/Government, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Current function is listed as vacant/not in use; the south second-story porch is described as deteriorating from neglect and lack of use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Broadway Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.46575, -82.17801 (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 93001439.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138512028
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.