Gayer, Jacob, House
Why it's listed
This farmhouse on Marks Road in York Township, Medina County, was built by Jacob Gayer, a German immigrant farmer. Born in Germany in 1808, Gayer came to Medina County with his parents in 1823, settled in Liverpool Township, and bought the 76-acre York Township farm in 1851. Family tradition says he built the house in 1857. The one-and-a-half story wood frame house has a one-story ell, a sandstone foundation, a slate roof and six-over-six windows with original wooden shutters. Composition shingles covered the original clapboard in 1949. Its distinction lies in the ell doorway and recessed porch, which blend Greek Revival pilasters and entablature with a flattened pointed arch and scrolled brackets suggesting Gothic or Italianate influence. Curved brackets between the porch posts create the effect of an arcade. The house was listed as a local example of unusual ornamental detail and as a remnant of the German settlement of the county.
Significance in brief: The house was built by an important early German immigrant farmer and is a remnant of the intensive German settlement of Medina County and York Township. Its doorway and recessed porch combine Greek Revival and Gothic or Italianate details, which are unusual in the locality. The form places it in the upper 5 to 10 percent in architectural quality among common farmhouses of the area.
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 79001894, listed June 22, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N of Medina at 4508 Marks Rd., Medina |
|---|---|
| County | Medina County |
| Listed | June 22, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001894 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Jacob Gayer (built the house, according to family tradition) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival with Gothic or Italianate elements |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied private residence in good condition; altered by composition shingle siding added in 1949; still held by descendants of the Gayer family. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.15529, -81.87917 (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 79001894.
- 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.