House Of Four Pillars
Why it's listed
Built in 1835, this frame house at 322 East Broadway in Maumee is a monumental Greek Revival home in the temple style. Its two-story pedimented portico rests on four fluted Doric columns with a gentle entasis, and Doric pilasters mark the front corners. The facade has flush siding, while the side walls use lap siding. The nomination describes it as the only example of its kind in Maumee and nearby areas and doubts that a comparable house exists in Northwest Ohio. It also notes a literary link: while the house was the residence of Toledo newspaperman Arthur Henry, his guest Theodore Dreiser began writing the novel "Sister Carrie" there. Tradition holds that the house served as an Underground Railroad station. The form records that the house stood empty for nine years before being purchased in 1941, and that later changes included a rear porch converted to a glassed-in family room in the 1960s.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an outstanding example of monumental Greek Revival temple style, with no comparable specimen thought to exist in Northwest Ohio. It is also linked to novelist Theodore Dreiser, who began writing "Sister Carrie" there while a guest of Arthur Henry. It is said to have been an Underground Railroad station.
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 73001499, listed July 16, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 322 E. Broadway, Maumee |
|---|---|
| County | Lucas County |
| Listed | July 16, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001499 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1835 |
| Architect / builder | Built for the Steele family by one of the Sargeant brothers, according to a Toledo Blade article cited in the form |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, monumental temple style |
| Areas of significance | Literature, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in excellent condition, and used as a private residence; the form marks it as altered but on its original site. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Maumee Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.56185, -83.65999 (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 73001499.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138534363
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.