Bronson Place
Why it's listed
Bronson Place is a secluded residential cul-de-sac in Toledo, Ohio, about two miles from the central business district. Roughly twenty-nine lots loop around a shared, landscaped oval park, and the surviving houses were built between 1899 and 1913 in Colonial Revival, Dutch Colonial, Tudor Revival and Craftsman styles. Much of the work is credited to Toledo architect Harry Wachter. Land owner Samuel Brinkerhoff had the first four homes built in 1899, and realtor Elmer H. Close developed most of the rest. In 1913 residents incorporated the Bronson Place Company to jointly maintain the boulevard, park, lights and sidewalks, making it Toledo's first non-profit incorporated neighborhood. That arrangement influenced later communities, including Ottawa Hills and Brickhead Place. The district was listed for its community planning, landscape architecture and architecture, and for its largely intact early twentieth century character, with only minor alterations such as aluminum siding on some houses.
Significance in brief: It is argued to be the first non-profit, incorporated neighborhood in Toledo (1913), an early model for later incorporated communities such as Ottawa Hills. It is also a significant planned community with a fine collection of early twentieth century period revival houses and landscaped lots. It represents the residential work of Toledo architect Harry Wachter.
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 84000459, listed November 29, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Cherry St., Central and Franklin Aves., Toledo |
|---|---|
| County | Lucas County |
| Listed | November 29, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000459 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1899-1913 |
| Architect / builder | Principally, Harry Wachter |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Dutch Colonial, Tudor Revival and Craftsman Cottage, with the heaviest emphasis on Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Landscape Architecture, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent to fair; most houses are occupied, a few have aluminum siding, and one house was demolished in 1974 after a fire. |
| Acreage | 6 |
| Coordinates | 41.67764, -83.54718 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 84000459.
- 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.