Ferrey, Aaron, House
Also known as: Winan Snyder House
Why it's listed
Near Kent in Brimfield Township, this frame cottage at 5058 Sunny Brook Road was built for Aaron Ferrey, a brick manufacturer who settled in the township in 1866 and ran a brick yard just south of the house until 1880. The house is T-shaped, with a kitchen wing to the rear, vertical board-and-batten siding, simple rafter brackets under the eaves and a single center chimney with a distinct base, shaft and cap. Its front porch, framed by large scroll-shaped brackets, carries an upper porch with a full-length Gothic window. Bracketed window hoods are another signature feature. The design is a near-exact copy of Design III, the Symmetrical Bracketed Cottage, in A. J. Downing's 1850 pattern book; only the open upper porch differs from his enclosed dormer room. Complete copies of pattern-book buildings were rare, which gives the house its importance in northeastern Ohio. The interior keeps its simple character despite added plumbing and heating.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is of major importance in how architectural ideas spread in northeastern Ohio. Pattern books were commonly used for details and proportions, but duplicating a whole building was rare. This house replicates Design III from A. J. Downing's The Architecture of Country Houses (1850), with one change: an open upper porch replaces an enclosed dormer room.
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 74001605, listed August 13, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5058 Sunny Brook Rd., Kent |
|---|---|
| County | Portage County |
| Listed | August 13, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001605 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1866) |
| Architectural style | Early Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent and altered, on its original site; in use as a private residence. The rear porch was recently replaced, and plumbing and heating were added. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.12735, -81.36508 (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 74001605.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4662002
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.