Blakslee, Burritt, House
Why it's listed
This frame farmhouse on Fenn Road near Medina, Ohio, was built in 1854 by Burritt Blakslee, a local carpenter-builder, as his own home. It is the third house on the site, since two earlier ones burned. The gable end faces the road, and the cornice returns, wide frieze and horizontal door entablature reflect fully developed Greek Revival style. Inside, the stair has a simple walnut rail and balusters, and the parlor floor and the door and window casings are walnut. A rear wing was altered, and a wing on the east side was lost to fire in the 1930s. The house matters mainly because few houses built by carpenter-builders for themselves are known. A copy of Asher Benjamin's The Practical House Carpenter was found inside, supporting the idea that Ohio builders relied on handbooks. Blakslee worked about forty years around Medina and also ran a sawmill and wool carding mill on the Rocky River. He died in 1866.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is significant as one of the few known houses built by a carpenter-builder for himself. A copy of Asher Benjamin's The Practical House Carpenter found in the house shows how Ohio builders used pattern handbooks. The form adds that its importance lies less in its architecture than in being the home of a known carpenter-builder.
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 74001573, listed December 4, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3756 Fenn Rd., Medina |
|---|---|
| County | Medina County |
| Listed | December 4, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001573 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1854) |
| Architect / builder | Burritt Blakslee (carpenter-builder) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition, altered; interior being restored by the owner at the time of nomination; used as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.17058, -81.82120 (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 74001573.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138570019
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.