Byers, John F., House
Also known as: Byers DiPaola Castle
Why it's listed
Just south of Ravenna, Ohio, a large Queen Anne house of cast concrete block sits on about 20 acres that remain from John F. Byers' original 125-acre farm. Local residents call it the 'Byers Castle.' Byers began building it in 1905 and died that September, after the walls were complete; his family finished the house with help from Akron architect Charles Henry. The block was formed on site with equipment made for the project, and specially cast basement blocks create vents that draw air through the cellar. The house has a corner tower with a conical roof, a wraparound porch, a Palladian window with leaded glass, and about 3,800 square feet on two floors. Inside, cherry and fumed quarter-sawn white oak trim give rooms distinct characters, and the second-floor bath keeps its original tile. Unlike most of Ravenna's wood-framed Queen Anne homes, this rural masonry example has survived with few changes to its original design. It is still used as a single-family home.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the house as an unusual masonry example of Queen Anne design in an area where most such houses are wood-framed. It is the Free Classic subtype with patterned masonry features. The walls were made from block cast on site with custom-built equipment, and the design is credited to Akron architect Charles Henry. The house also survives with its original interior woodwork and finishes largely intact.
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 08000590, listed July 2, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 5551 S. Prospect, Ravenna |
|---|---|
| County | Portage County |
| Listed | July 2, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08000590 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Charles Henry (Akron architect, Charles Henry and Son), who assisted in the design per a 1976 family interview |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian - Queen Anne (Free Classic subtype with patterned masonry) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a single-family residence; the exterior is largely original apart from roofing and trim repairs, and the interior is in near as-built condition. |
| Acreage | 20 |
| Coordinates | 41.14216, -81.24485 (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 08000590.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138653886
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.