Aurora Center Historic District
Why it's listed
Aurora Center is the residential heart of Aurora Township in Portage County, Ohio. The district covers about 21.5 acres along Chillicothe Road, Maple Lane and Pioneer Trail and holds twenty houses, two general stores, a church and a fire station. Most buildings are Greek and Gothic Revival homes from the mid-nineteenth century, with Adam, Federal, Italianate and Queen Anne examples as well. The oldest notable house, a Federal brick home on Pioneer Trail, was built by Alanson Baldwin in 1826. The Church in Aurora, a frame High Victorian Gothic building dedicated in 1872, imitates brick forms. The township was a significant mercantile center, known especially for making and shipping cheese, with mills and factories located separately at Aurora Depot. Homes here belonged to families named in early histories, including the Baldwins, Egglestons, Harmons and Hurds. The district was recognized because it keeps the look of a prosperous nineteenth century town street, with many buildings of good architectural quality.
Significance in brief: The district preserves the character of a nineteenth century residential street in a prosperous mercantile center. Aurora was an important trade center, especially for making and shipping cheese. The houses belonged to prominent early families, and several buildings are of notable architectural quality and good examples of their styles.
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 74001601, listed June 20, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly both sides of OH 306 from and including Pioneer Trail to Rte. 82, also Maple Lane, Aurora |
|---|---|
| County | Portage County |
| Listed | June 20, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001601 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1826-1900 |
| Architectural style | Mixed nineteenth century styles: Adam, Federal, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne and High Victorian Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce, Architecture, Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent and altered; the district is occupied and in commercial, government, private residence and religious use. |
| Acreage | 21.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.31472, -81.34759 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 74001601.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14716362
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.