Griffin, Alexander B., House
Why it's listed
Built in 1847 at 417 S. Walnut Street in Ravenna, Ohio, this two-story timber frame house shows the Greek Revival style in its gable-front form. Details include a wide entablature, end returns and an offset entrance with a six-panel door, wooden pilasters and a heavy entablature hood. A small room off the north side served as the cabinet shop of Alexander B. Griffin, who built the house and lived there from 1847 until his death in 1900. Griffin is considered the finest cabinetmaker of Ravenna's early period, and his work won honors at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. He also served as Town Clerk, Justice of the Peace and fourth mayor, and in 1856 he established Courthouse Park. Next door stands a similar Griffin-built house with a center entrance, and together the two show small variations on one early house type. Inside, the front parlor retains original window surrounds and a marbleized metal mantel, and several doors are grained to imitate maple or walnut.
Significance in brief: The house is a fine example of a gable-front Greek Revival residence in Ravenna and is one of two well-preserved examples in its neighborhood. It is also tied to Alexander B. Griffin, an important early cabinetmaker and the fourth mayor of Ravenna, who lived there from 1847 until his death in 1900.
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 87000987, listed July 2, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 417 S. Walnut St., Ravenna |
|---|---|
| County | Portage County |
| Listed | July 2, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000987 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1847-1900 |
| Architect / builder | Griffin, Alexander B. |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Industry, Politics/Government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Currently used as a single dwelling; the interior has been divided for multi-family housing in the past, but some early trim, doors and a mantelpiece remain. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.15380, -81.23985 (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 87000987.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138655321
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.