Northeast Tiffin Historic District
Why it's listed
Northeast Tiffin is a compact residential neighborhood of 56 houses on about 15 acres, laid out along Clinton Avenue, Ohio Avenue and Hunter Street. Most homes were built between 1883 and the 1930s on land once owned by Clarinda Hunter and later subdivided by Myers, Stalter, Bunn and other local landowners. David Stalter gave the half-acre park at the district's hub to the city in 1905. The housing includes brick Victorian-era houses, two-story frame homes with hipped roofs and dormers, and what is described as the city's best collection of bungalows, including 87 Clinton, which architect Charles Ernst may have designed for himself. Uniform setbacks and long rows of trees give the area a planned, subdivision-like character. Many Heidelberg College professors and staff lived here from the early twentieth century onward. The neighborhood has never had commercial or institutional activity and has seen few changes, with one ranch-style house the only obvious intrusion.
Significance in brief: The district is argued to be significant for its late nineteenth and early twentieth-century residential architecture, especially the city's best bungalows. It is also significant for its landscaping and uniform setback, its link to real estate subdivision by local landowners, and its long association with Heidelberg College faculty and staff. It is described as an excellent local example of middle-class housing, unspoiled by insensitive alterations.
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 80003225, listed May 28, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Clinton, Ohio, and Hunter Sts., Tiffin |
|---|---|
| County | Seneca County |
| Listed | May 28, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003225 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1883-1920s |
| Architect / builder | Charles Ernst (architect, 87 and 89 Clinton); Charles Goetz (built several Clinton Avenue houses) |
| Architectural style | Bungalow, Georgian Revival, and late nineteenth-century houses with no discernible style |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Marked excellent/good condition, unaltered and altered; occupied and mostly private residences, with only the park publicly owned. One modern ranch-style house at 192 Clinton is the main intrusion. |
| Acreage | 15 |
| Coordinates | 41.11954, -83.16994 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 80003225.
- 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.