Hunter, William, House
Why it's listed
Built in 1822 by Josiah Hedges, the William Hunter Residence at 260 Riverside Drive is described as the oldest house standing in Tiffin. Hedges built it the same year as his grist mill across the street, and his daughter and son-in-law, William Hunter, were its first occupants. Hunter later operated and then owned the mill. The house is an L-shaped, two-story wood frame building with a gable shingled roof, a rusticated stone foundation, five bays across the front and three on the side. Its original wood siding has been covered with aluminum, but it keeps double-hung 6/6 windows, wooden shutters and a front porch with four wood pillars. The house has stayed connected to the mill: successive mill proprietors, including the Keller and Bacon families, lived there, and it still receives some power from the mill's turbines. It is in excellent condition and is part of a thematic group of Tiffin's early industrial buildings and associated residences.
Significance in brief: The house was built for Hedges' daughter and son-in-law, William Hunter, who operated Hedges' nearby grist mill. It is described as the oldest house standing in Tiffin. It has been tied to the mill's proprietors ever since, and it still draws some power from the mill's turbines.
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 80003221, listed January 7, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 260 Riverside Dr., Tiffin |
|---|---|
| County | Seneca County |
| Listed | January 7, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003221 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Josiah Hedges (builder) |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in excellent condition; occupied by the mill proprietor's family, with siding altered from wood to aluminum. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.12325, -83.16991 (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 80003221.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138673433
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.