Wooster Block
Also known as: Sterner's Restaurant
Why it's listed
This two-story commercial building on West Broad Street in Elyria dates from about 1870. Built of wood and masonry on a sandstone foundation, it has a three-bay front, a flat roof and a rectangular plan. Its most unusual feature is a set of four carved heads of the Wooster brothers, the merchants who built it and ran a store there. The heads sit between the first and second floors of the facade. Lancet windows on the upper floor and an arch motif at the cornice reflect Victorian Gothic and Carpenter Gothic styling. The storefront has since been remodeled, and some wooden ornament has been removed from the second floor. A gravel lot to the west marks the former site of the Lincoln Theater, whose interior wall still shows against the side of the building. The property was recognized as a representative example of the variety and fine craftsmanship found in late nineteenth century commercial architecture, though downtown redevelopment plans at the time threatened it with demolition.
Significance in brief: The building is presented as a representative example of the visual variety and fine craftsmanship of late nineteenth century commercial architecture. It is also tied to the Wooster brothers, prominent local merchants who operated a store there. Its carved heads and Gothic-inspired details make it an unusual local building.
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 79002716, listed August 13, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | N side of Broad St. between Lodi St. and Washington Ave., Elyria |
|---|---|
| County | Lorain County |
| Listed | August 13, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002716 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Wooster brothers (builders) |
| Architectural style | Victorian Gothic - Carpenter Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as fair; the storefront has been remodeled and some wooden ornament stripped from the second floor. The form notes redevelopment plans showing the building being demolished. Present use is commercial. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Elyria Downtown-West Avenue Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.36786, -82.10897 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 79002716.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.