Wolcott, Benajah, House
Also known as: Old Stone Fort
Why it's listed
Built around 1832 of native limestone quarried on site, this small stone house sits on the Danbury Peninsula above Sandusky Bay in Ottawa County, Ohio. It follows the New England hall and parlor plan, with heavy timber framing, a side gable roof, a symmetrical front facade and Federal touches such as matching gable-end chimneys, one of them false. Stone mason William Kelly of Sandusky is believed to have built it. The house belonged to Benajah Wolcott, a Connecticut Revolutionary War veteran who arrived in 1809 as one of the first English-speaking settlers in the county and later served as the first keeper of the Marblehead Lighthouse. Local legend of gun ports earned it the name Old Stone Fort, though the form considers actual use as a fort unlikely. It is described as the oldest known surviving residence in the county and a rare intact example of its type. Restoration by the county historical society began in 1990.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the oldest known surviving residence in Ottawa County and one of the oldest in northwestern Ohio, tied to the county's early settlement. Its builder Benajah Wolcott was a Revolutionary War veteran, pioneer settler and the first keeper of the Marblehead Lighthouse. It is also described as an excellent, intact example of Federal frontier vernacular architecture in the hall and parlor form.
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 91000251, listed March 14, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 9999 E. Bay Shore Rd., Lakeside--Marblehead |
|---|---|
| County | Ottawa County |
| Listed | March 14, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000251 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1832 |
| Architect / builder | William Kelly |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as vacant on the form. The county historical society, which bought the house, began restoration in September 1990, including removal of the added front porch and de-vining of the walls. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.51440, -82.74818 (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 91000251.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q28458506
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.