Howard, C. R., House
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Set on a slight rise well back from the road in Aurora, Ohio, this two-story house has three wings of nearly equal importance and walls faced with small cobblestones, with stone quoins at the corners. Built in 1853, it reflects the shift from Greek Revival to Gothic Revival style. The front gable carries delicately sawn vergeboard ending in a slender octagonal pinnacle, while heavy, slightly gabled stone lintels top the openings and the doorway keeps Greek Revival sidelights and transom. The house sits on the Chagrin River at the former Aurora Depot, near a nineteenth-century mercantile town in a cheese-producing region. C. R. Howard, a sawmill owner, had it built; the builder is recorded as M. Smith. The cobblestone construction is believed to be unique in the Western Reserve, and the Historic American Buildings Survey recorded the house in 1936. It was listed for its architectural distinction among pre-Civil War houses in northern Ohio.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of the most architecturally unusual pre-Civil War houses in northern Ohio. Its cobblestone walls are believed to be unique in the Western Reserve, and it blends Greek Revival and Gothic Revival details with good judgment. It was recorded by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1936.
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 74001602, listed August 13, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 411 E. Garfield St., Aurora |
|---|---|
| County | Portage County |
| Listed | August 13, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001602 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (1853) |
| Architect / builder | M. Smith (builder, according to Campen) |
| Architectural style | Transition from Greek Revival to Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent and altered, on its original site; in use as a private residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.31770, -81.33078 (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 74001602.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q54958218
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.