Kern, Rufus A., House
Why it's listed
Built around 1910 at 608 Park Avenue West in Mansfield, this two-story stucco house is the city's only full-fledged example of Prairie Style architecture. It has a rectangular plan, a shallow hip roof of Spanish tile with broad overhanging eaves, and horizontal bands of brick that contrast with the stucco walls. A large entrance porch is carried on massive columns decorated with geometric brick patterns, and windows are grouped in wide horizontal bands. Inside, heavy oak woodwork follows a Mission or early Arts and Crafts manner, with leaded and stained glass in the window openings. No known master of the style is linked to the design, so it is probably a builder's interpretation. Rufus A. Kern, treasurer of the Rigby Cigar Company, lived here in 1924. The house was listed because it shows the Prairie Style so completely in a town that generally favored traditional designs, and because it is one of very few stucco houses along the street.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it Mansfield's only full-fledged example of Prairie Style architecture, with a completeness of design considered unique in the county and perhaps the region. It is probably a builder's version of the style rather than the work of a known master. A reviewer described it as a fine regional example of a Prairie School residence.
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 83002034, listed July 8, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 608 Park Ave., W., Mansfield |
|---|---|
| County | Richland County |
| Listed | July 8, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83002034 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Prairie Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition inside and out, and still used as a residence. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.75933, -82.53726 (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 83002034.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138662751
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.