Root, A. I. And E. R., Homestead
Why it's listed
Built in 1879 at 662 West Liberty Street in Medina, Ohio, this large brick house was the home of A. I. Root, founder of the Medina bee industry. It rises two and a half stories on a sandstone foundation, with four projecting gabled bays, a steeply hipped roof and four chimneys. Segmental-arched windows with alternating brick and stone voussoirs and corbelled brick courses give the walls a regular pattern. A small bowed wooden porch at the northeast angle shows Eastlake ornament in its spindles and jigsawed brackets. Root, born near Medina in 1840, began as a jeweler, became interested in bees in 1865, invented a honey extractor and began manufacturing beekeeping equipment. He built a factory in 1878 and his house beside it a year later. The business grew to serve customers worldwide. The house remained the family homestead until 1953 and is now divided into private apartments.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues its primary significance is historical rather than architectural. A. I. Root founded the Medina bee industry, and this house was his family homestead until 1953. His business grew from a jewelry store into a world-wide bee-supply manufacturer.
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 75001484, listed June 10, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 662 W. Liberty St., Medina |
|---|---|
| County | Medina County |
| Listed | June 10, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001484 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1879) |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne and Eastlake elements |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent and altered; used for private apartments, with a later screened rear porch or breezeway addition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.13884, -81.87466 (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 75001484.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138570028
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.