Hobart, William, Vacation House
Also known as: Hobart Welded Steel House
Why it's listed
Built in 1940 on a wooded rural property beside Spring Creek north of Troy, this two-story house was made entirely of welded steel. Parts were prefabricated at the Hobart factory on Main Street and delivered by truck to Polecat Road. No bolts were used in assembly. William Hobart used it as a vacation home, and it has custom features including a fireplace and an underground greenhouse whose glass brick roof forms the rear patio floor. Later it served as a conference center for the Hobart Brothers Company, and it is now vacant. The house has a gambrel roof, gabled dormers and original 16-light casement windows, reflecting the Hobart version of Dutch Colonial style. Smooth walls and rounded corners add a Moderne look. The only noted alteration is asphalt shingles over the roof. It is one of 21 surviving Hobart steel houses. Its listing was justified as a continuation of the company's steel housing work begun in the early 1930s, despite its age.
Significance in brief: It is one of 21 remaining Hobart welded steel houses, entirely prefabricated at the Main Street factory and trucked to the site. It is considered a good example of the Hobart Dutch Colonial style with Moderne touches. Though under 50 years old at listing, it was justified as a continuation of the Hobart venture into steel housing begun in the early 1930s.
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 89000421, listed May 25, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 905 Polecat Rd., Troy |
|---|---|
| County | Miami County |
| Listed | May 25, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89000421 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1940 |
| Architect / builder | Hobart Welded Steel House Co |
| Architectural style | Hobart neo Dutch Colonial Revival, with streamlined Moderne appearance |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Engineering, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Vacant; interior and exterior in fair condition. Originally a vacation home, later a conference center for Hobart Bros. Co. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.07812, -84.18115 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 89000421.
- 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.