Shipherd, John J., House
Why it's listed
This two-story wood-frame house in Elyria, Ohio, dates to about 1830 and sits on a small corner lot at East Avenue and 8th Street. It is a plain, vernacular building with a T-shaped plan, a sandstone foundation, a gable roof and a five-bay front. The front porch and probably the rear portions were added when the house was moved from its original site at East Avenue and Second Street. The interior has been altered to create two apartments, though some historic features remain and the basic structure is described as sound. The house is notable for its link to the founding of Oberlin College. In the winter of 1832-33, the Rev. John J. Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart met in an upstairs bedroom here and drew up the Oberlin Covenant, which set out plans for the college. The inventory notes that no other known building is associated with Shipherd.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is of great interest because the Rev. John J. Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart met in an upstairs bedroom in the winter of 1832-33 and drew up the Oberlin Covenant. That document laid out the plans for founding Oberlin College. The house retains some historic features.
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 79002736, listed August 13, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NW corner of East Ave. and 8th St., Elyria |
|---|---|
| County | Lorain County |
| Listed | August 13, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002736 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | John J. Shipherd (listed as builder) |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Education |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as duplex apartments; condition listed as fair inside and out, with some disrepair. It was being offered for sale at the time of the inventory. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.35989, -82.10429 (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 79002736.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138507674
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.