East Main Street Historic District
Why it's listed
East Main Street in Ravenna was developed after the Civil War as the town's most prestigious residential address, and this district preserves that character from Clinton Street east to Linden Street. Its buildings include early Greek Revival houses, Italianate and Second Empire examples, ten Queen Anne houses, nine Neocolonial houses, foursquares and bungalows. Standouts include the Enos P. Brainard House, the brick and stone Emerette Loomis House with its tall tower, and the George H. Holloway House, designed by Cleveland architects Bohnard and Parsson and described as the only Prairie Style building in Ravenna. Bankers, judges, a grain merchant and a railroad official built distinguished homes here. Mature shade trees and landscaped lots add to the setting. Modern commercial development bounds both ends of the street, which sharpens the contrast with the historic residences. The district was listed for its architecture and for its association with locally prominent figures, and it contains more fine older houses than any other area of the city.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be the largest and most intact grouping of historic residential architecture in Ravenna, with some of the best local examples of Greek Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Neocolonial and Prairie styles. It is also significant as the long-time address of the town's prominent citizens, including bankers, judges and business leaders.
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 85003123, listed October 10, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | E. Main St. between Clinton and Linden Sts., Ravenna |
|---|---|
| County | Portage County |
| Listed | October 10, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003123 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1850-1930 |
| Architect / builder | various |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate, Second Empire, Queen Anne, Neocolonial, Prairie, foursquare and bungalow |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied, mainly as private residences; a few buildings are altered or covered with aluminum siding, and several modern commercial or institutional buildings are classed as intrusions. |
| Acreage | 20 |
| Coordinates | 41.15760, -81.23545 (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 85003123.
- 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.