Williams, Henry Harrison, House
Why it's listed
Built around 1840 on Detroit Road in Avon, this Greek Revival house has a two-story wood-frame main section with its gable end toward the street and a story-and-a-half wing. Its timbers were cut at the Williams sawmill and joined with mortise and tenon construction, on a foundation of fieldstone and local sandstone. Henry Harrison Williams bought the property in 1844, opened a mercantile business in the house, and later built the town's first steam sawmill and a gristmill nearby. He also ran an ashery that turned wood ashes into salt and baking powder for local settlers, and cisterns and brick structures in the basement and at the rear still reflect that use. His grandson Harrison Williams was born in the house in 1873 and rose to lead a large network of utility companies, amassing a fortune above six hundred million dollars by the 1920s. The house is also among the oldest surviving buildings in Avon.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to Henry Harrison Williams, a pioneer merchant and manufacturer, and to his grandson Harrison Williams, who was born there in 1873 and became one of America's wealthiest utility magnates. It was the site of an early ashery business, with cisterns and brick structures still present. It is also one of the oldest remaining buildings in Avon.
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 78002105, listed July 12, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 37392 Detroit Rd., Avon |
|---|---|
| County | Lorain County |
| Listed | July 12, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002105 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence; exterior restoration work has removed later additions and repaired original siding and cornices. |
| Acreage | 0.7 |
| Coordinates | 41.44958, -82.03829 (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 78002105.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138478684
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.