Gerhart-Rust Residence
Also known as: German House
Why it's listed
Built in 1852 at 285 E. Perry St. in Tiffin, this two-story Greek Revival house was the home of E.V. Gerhart, first president of Heidelberg College and Theological Seminary. He financed it with a $1,000 loan from the college endowment, since the trustees wanted him living near the campus, which then had only Founder's Hall. After Gerhart resigned in 1855, the seminary trustees repurchased the house, and Moses Keiffer, president from 1855 to 1864, lived there. Dr. Herman Rust, a seminary professor and local pastor, bought it in 1866, and the Rust family stayed until the late 1930s. It later housed a foreman's family, then furnished rooms called The Echoes. Since the early 1970s Heidelberg has used it as the German House dormitory. Features include a portico with four square columns, a bracketed cornice, a pilastered doorway and shuttered windows. Aluminum siding is a later alteration, and rear additions have varied roofs.
Significance in brief: The house is tied to the early history of Heidelberg College as the home of its first president and later of seminary faculty and presidents. It was nominated as part of a thematic group of campus properties that show the college's growth and development. It also contributes to the group's range of architectural styles.
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 79002766, listed February 12, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 285 E. Perry St., Tiffin |
|---|---|
| County | Seneca County |
| Listed | February 12, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002766 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use as the German House, a dormitory for German-speaking students, since the early 1970s; exterior condition listed as good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.11679, -83.16838 (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 79002766.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138673079
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.