Cunningham-Maier House
Also known as: Maier--Frederick (Reed) House
Why it's listed
This two-story brick house at 506 Sixth Street in Portsmouth's Boneyfiddle area was completed in 1863 for Benjamin F. Cunningham, a merchant and baking powder manufacturer. It is a simplified Italianate design with a low-pitched hip roof, a cornice with thin brackets, parlor-length first floor windows, and flat stone lintels and sills. The three-bay facade with a sidehall entry is typical of early residential architecture in the city. Some 6/6 windows from an earlier tradition survive, and the interior retains original moldings, door and window treatments, and a simple staircase. In 1891 the house was bought by August Maier, a German immigrant who started a brewery in Boneyfiddle and later sold Lion Beer from Cincinnati. His descendants still lived there in 1987. Early in the twentieth century the porches were enclosed and the house was divided into two apartments. A frame carriage house remains at the rear. The house was listed for its intact Italianate character.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the house is an intact example of the Italianate style adapted to an early Portsmouth house type, with a two-story, three-bay facade and sidehall entry. Alterations made before 1920 were in keeping with its style and character. It is also tied to Cunningham, a baking powder manufacturer, and to August Maier, a German immigrant brewer and beer sales agent.
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 87002074, listed December 8, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 506 Sixth, Portsmouth |
|---|---|
| County | Scioto County |
| Listed | December 8, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87002074 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Built by Benjamin F. Cunningham (architect and contractor unknown) |
| Architectural style | Simplified Italianate (Italianate influence, with earlier 6/6 window influence) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition rated excellent; described as virtually unchanged and occupied by descendants of August Maier as of 1987. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 38.73470, -83.00265 (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 87002074.
- 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.