Ellenwood House
Why it's listed
Ellenwood House is a two-story wood-frame house standing on a high bank among pine trees on State Route 82, northwest of Garrettsville in Hiram Township, Portage County, Ohio. Its five-bay front is divided into three sections by slender two-story pilasters, and the center entrance is a deep Greek Revival doorway set between pairs of square piers beneath a stepped-back entablature. The gable ends form complete pediments, a Federal trait. The frieze carries dish-like medallions, and the dentils are carved in the round to resemble acorns. Original clapboard has been covered with shingle, and a small one-story addition and an exterior chimney were added later. Little documentary evidence survives about the house, which belonged to the Ellenwood family, and no builder can be confirmed. It was listed because it blends late Adam and Greek Revival details in a way not matched by other surviving houses of the period in Northeastern Ohio.
Significance in brief: The house combines late Adam (Federal) and Greek Revival details in a way the nomination calls unprecedented among the many surviving houses of that period in Northeastern Ohio. Two-story pilasters, a fully developed Greek Revival doorway, complete gable pediments and an unusual frieze with carved dentils make it an exceptional early nineteenth century example.
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 75001523, listed June 20, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NW of Garretsville on OH 82, Garrettsville |
|---|---|
| County | Portage County |
| Listed | June 20, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001523 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century |
| Architectural style | Federal and Greek Revival elements (late Adam-Greek Revival transitional) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Private residence in fair condition; altered, with preservation work in progress at time of nomination. Interior was not available for inspection. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.29200, -81.11280 (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 75001523.
- 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.