Grant, William H., House
Also known as: Gerlach House
Why it's listed
Built around 1855 on Grant Street in Middleport, this two-story house has walls made by pouring cement around smaller sandstone rocks, set on large sandstone blocks. A frame rear addition followed about 1865, and a five-sided bay was added on the west side in the later 19th century. The hipped roof has a plain boxed cornice, and the interior keeps its original woodwork, including cyma recta crown molding. William H. Grant, who bought much of the land that became Middleport in 1845, built the house and also experimented with cement on a smaller building nearby. The nomination calls it one of the earliest cement houses in Meigs County. It also has a religious history: Grant and his wife were converted to the Swedenborgian faith by John Chapman, known as Johnny Appleseed, and a congregation met in the house by 1859. Later conversion into apartments left the cement walls sound, though floors and part of the addition have deteriorated.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house was one of the earliest cement houses in Meigs County and was an important religious meeting place. William H. Grant and his wife were converted to Swedenborgianism by John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed) and organized a local congregation that met in the house in 1859.
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 78002136, listed March 30, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 453 Grant St., Middleport |
|---|---|
| County | Meigs County |
| Listed | March 30, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002136 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1845 - 1885 |
| Architect / builder | William H. Grant |
| Areas of significance | Engineering, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied as a private residence, divided into apartments a few years before the nomination. The ground floor joists have rotted and the floors sag, and part of the rear addition's foundation has settled. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.99981, -82.05673 (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 78002136.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8010428
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.